Ballylinch

It's not often a stallion based outside the continent gets graded winners in the U.S. keeping pace with the leading sires here. Ireland's Lope De Vega (Ire) is not only keeping pace, but more than holding his own. When Carl Spackler (Ire) won Sunday's GI Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, he became the second U.S. Grade I winner in 2024 for his sire, joining Program Trading (GB), who won Churchill's GI Turf Classic Stakes on Derby day. For comparison, only one stallion (Gun Runner) has three Grade I winners in the...

Tom Lacy received a heartwarming reception at the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Awards last week. And rightly so. A legendary figure in Irish racing, Lacy rode 50 winners on the Flat and found only Arkle and Flyingbolt too good aboard Height Of Fashion in two Irish Grand Nationals.  As a trainer, Lacy sent out hundreds of winners from Rhode, County Offaly, including Ingabelle (GB), who later became a hugely important foundation mare at Ballylinch Stud. His sons Barry and Tony rode multiple winners for the stable down through the years....

The insatiable demand for foals was evident in the figures recorded at Goffs last week with turnover rising 16% to €29,561,000 and the average climbing 16% to €40,110. At the top end of the market, Kingman (GB) dominated with three foals by the Juddmonte-based stallion selling for a combined €1,540,000 and one of Europe's leading pinhookers Philipp Stauffenberg signing for the €550,000 top lot by the sire.  Tally-Ho Stud may be best known for being sellers but they pipped Stauffenberg for the biggest spenders title by signing for 19 foals...

RATOATH, Ireland--Well, Highflyer certainly soared at Fairyhouse this week with Anthony Bromley signing for 16 yearlings, including two for €100,000 on Wednesday. However, it was Alex Elliott who was responsible for the top lot (243) at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, a €115,000 Tradewinds-drafted New Bay (GB) colt that was purchased on the same afternoon. No buyer had a busier two days than Bromley, though. Much like a man rushing to get his Christmas shopping done, he admitted to setting his stall out to fill the lion's share of...

It is hard to believe this is the fifth year in a row I have traversed rural Ireland on the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Irish Stallion Trail, and while it represents a unique chance for the general public who are interested in the bloodstock industry to get a glimpse of some household stallion names, for me personally it provides a lovely opportunity to see the new kids on the block who will be covering mares for the first time this spring. The majority of these are not long out of competition...