Irish bloodstock agent Brian Grassick died Jan. 7, according to racingpost.com. He had been seriously ill with cancer in recent months. He was 54.
After working for the Irish branch of the British Bloodstock Agency for 17 years, Grassick and his wife, Sheila, set up Brian Grassick Bloodstock in 1991. Based at Newtown House Stud near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland, he was a well-known figure on the international bloodstock sales circuit.
Grassick bought numerous top-class horses, including group I winners Bachir and San Sebastian and United States grade I winner Dimitrova. He also purchased the dams of many group winners.
He advised Lazy T Farm as well as David Tsui of Sunderland Holdings, owner of the 1993 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner and legendary broodmare mare Urban Sea, who was boarded at Grassick's stud.
Brian Grassick Bloodstock bred Fly for Avie, winner of the E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) at Woodbine in 2000.
Grassick rode as an amateur but gave it up, as he explained in an interview in 2001, when a "lack of ability and hunger made me look for a job with prospects.”
He was one of five brothers, all of whom are involved in the bloodstock industry. Michael is a trainer on The Curragh, Christy is manager of Coolmore Stud, Ronan runs a bloodstock transport business, and Martin is manager of Childwick Bury Stud in England.
Grassick was a director of Goffs, and the firm's chief executive, Henry Beeby, said, "Brian's advice, given his huge experience of the bloodstock industry, was absolutely invaluable to Goffs in recent years."
In addition to Sheila, Grassick is survived by a son, Mark, and daughters Sally Ann and Cathy. The latter works for the family agency.
