Showjumping champ Cruising cloned twice; clones born in 2012

Two clones have been created from one of Ireland's most famous showjumping stallions.

Cruising jumped on winning Nations Cups teams for Ireland in the late 1990s and won other high profile competitions in Europe.

He died last year, aged 29.

His owners had decided to clone him while he was alive.

The clones were born in 2012 and have been hidden in plain sight at Hartwell Stud in Co Kildare. They will be put to stud this year.

However, Caitriona Murphy of Irish Field said it would be some years yet before they reached their full sporting potential.

"Sport horses don't mature into the height of their career until they're between eight and 12 years old, so it's a bit of a waiting game," she said.