Ballyhane Stud

Minutes after freshman sire Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) notched his first winner at Leicester, Ballyhane Stud incumbent Soldier's Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) repeated the feat when Archie Watson trainee Dreadpirateroberts (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}--Gangster Squad {Fr}, by Astronomer Royal) graduated in Saturday's Black-A-Moor Inn Half A Mile Away EBF Restricted Novice S. at Ripon. The 85-40 favourite ran second in his Brighton debut last week and broke sharply to seize an immediate lead in this return. In command throughout, he was last to come off the...

Whether it was Bayside Boy (Ire) at Ballylinch, Minzaal (Ire) at Derrinstown or King Of Change (GB) and Dubawi Legend (Ire) at Starfield, one of the main takeaways from this year's Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail was that the pedigree buffs and bloodstock fans love nothing more than getting a glimpse at the new stallions this country has to offer.  "Don't dream of putting a picture of that lad up on Twitter otherwise I'll have Eddie O'Leary tweeting that it's not the only pig down in Ballyhane," - Joe Foley. Few...

The TDN Europe team reached out to several industry members for a light-hearted Q&A as the holidays approach. First up is stallion master Joe Foley of Ballyhane Stud.   What was you first job in the Thoroughbred industry? Coolmore as a young 19-year-old having left UCD to the academics. They gave me a lot of responsibility for a young lad and I met some great people there.   The biggest influence on your career? My parents.   Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? So many to choose from but...

Space Traveller (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}--Sky Crystal {Ger}, by Galileo {Ire}), successful in group events in England and Ireland and placed three times in Grade I company in North America, will enter stud in 2023 at Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud, where he will serve mares at an introductory fee of €6,500. Carrying the colours of Clipper Logistics and trained in Europe by Richard Fahey, Space Traveller was Group 3-placed as a juvenile before winning the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot--defeating future multiple top-level scorer Space Blues (Ire)--and was a...

Not since Elon Musk became infatuated with space has there been so many rockets assembled in the one place at any given time than at Doncaster ahead of the Premier Yearling Sale.  These particular starships have been bred to fly and, lurking among the 411 yearlings getting ready for takeoff at Goffs UK over the next few days could be the next Acclamation (GB), Dark Angel (Ire), Wootton Bassett (GB) or Tasleet (GB), all of whom are graduates of this sale.  Joe Foley knows a thing or two about rockets....

His roots may be deeply entrenched in National Hunt racing and just this spring he won the most famous jumps race of them all--the Grand National with Noble Yeats (Ire) (Yeats {Ire})--but Emmet Mullins has now netted himself yet another major payday--this time on the Flat with a filly that he bred, owned and trained to win a maiden at his local track before selling her for six figures.  Thebestisyettobe (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) became the second 2-year-old winner of Mullins's career when sluicing up in the opening seven-furlong maiden at...

A horse for 2022: Trueman (GB), a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt with William Haggas. First season or proven: A proven, good sire. Speed or stamina: Acceleration. Eat out or home cooking: Both (obviously!). Coffee shop or pub: I'm Irish. Pub. Ascot or Longchamp: Can I say York? Rock or classical: Rocking All Over The World was my first single purchase so there's your answer. Bright young thing to follow: David Redvers would LOVE it if I mentioned him here but he doesn't qualify. Jack Foley (no relation) is my pick...

Having taken place as a virtual event last year when played out solely on social media, the ITM Irish Stallion Trail returned by popular demand this week, though attendance was limited to those directly involved in the breeding industry. As a seasoned trail-hopper who has partaken in each event since its inception seven years ago, my preferred modus operandi in order to see as many stallions as possible is to be at Coolmore Stud for the opening 10 a.m. show and make my way back towards Dublin from there via...

The European breeze-up sector prides itself as a source of quality, a notion that held particular weight in 2021 as graduates Native Trail (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) signed off their juvenile campaigns with victories in the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Middle Park S. Added to that, various graduates are currently more than holding their own at stud. This isn't a new development--older representatives such as Society Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) each sired Group 1...

Juddmonte's unbeaten 2-year-old filly Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), fresh from a career high in Tipperary's June 30 Listed Tipperary S., kept her perfect record intact with a game victory in Monday's €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. at Naas. 3rd-Naas, €300,000, Cond, 8-2, 2yo, 5f 205yT, 1:12.01, gd. SACRED BRIDGE (GB) (f, 2, Bated Breath {GB}--Sacred Shield {GB}, by Beat Hollow {GB}), backed up a June 23 debut score over course and distance with a career high dropping to five furlongs for Tipperary's Listed Tipperary S. on stakes bow...

The field for the 24-strong €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. was revealed on Friday. Led by the unbeaten Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), the race will begin at 2:25 p.m. at Naas Racecourse on Aug. 2. Her Ger Lyons stablemate Recurrent Dream (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) sports a win over the course and distance, and they will be joined in the lineup by their yardmate Jarvis (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}). The Brighton winner Dusky Prince (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) and the aforementioned Recurrent Dream are both running for the €50,000...

The value of the second running of the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. has been increased from €200,000 to €300,000, the Irish European Breeders' Fund, Ballyhane Stud and Horse Racing Ireland announced on Monday. The median auction race is now the most valuable 2-year-old race that will be held in Ireland in 2021, with the race aimed at EBF eligible 2-year-olds with a sire's median price of no more than €75,000 from last year's yearling sales. It will be conducted over five furlongs and 205 yards at Naas Racecourse on Bank...