Ballylinch Stud

Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was the first mare to breach the €500,000 mark on Friday, when selling for €650,000 to Ballylinch Stud during the first day of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale. Consigned by Godolphin, lot 1158 is the dam of two winners, including G3 Jebel Ali Mile scorer Swing Vote (GB) (Shamardal). The extended family features G1 St Leger hero and sire Brian Boru (GB). The Whisperview Trading-bred mare is in foal to champion sire elect Dark Angel (Ire).   2015 Oaks winner Qualify is...

This year's Prix du Jockey Club winner Look de Vega (Fr) will join his sire Lope de Vega (Ire) on the stallion roster at Ballylinch Stud next season, the operation announced on Monday. He has been introduced at a fee of €20,000. Look de Vega was bred by Joelle Mestrallet of Haras De La Morsangliere and Lucien Urano of Ecurie des Charmes, who raced him in partnership with his trainers Carlos and Yann Lerner, as well as Patrick Madar, before it was announced in July that Ballylinch--in association with Al...

Ballylinch Stud has released the fees for its five stallions, with its flagship sire Lope De Vega (Ire) receiving an increase in price to €175,000, up from €125,000, though he is set to cover a smaller number of mares in 2025. "Lope de Vega continues to prove himself as a global sire sensation," said Ballylinch Stud's managing director John O'Connor. "He has again proven his effectiveness at the very highest level with the most Group 1 winners, European Classic winners, and black-type horses of any stallion worldwide this season. His...

Godolphin made their first purchase at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Tuesday when Anthony Stroud struck the winning bid of 2,200,000gns on their behalf for a colt by No Nay Never offered by Ballylinch Stud. Lot 92 is out of the Listed winner Bella Estrella (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and a half-brother to last year's G2 Champagne Stakes scorer Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Bella Estrella is in turn a full-sister to the G3 St. Simon Stakes winner and G1 Oaks third High Heeled (Ire)....

A China Horse Club International-bred half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) (lot 219) brought €750,000 from Simon Mockridge on behalf of Juddmonte late in the day at Goffs. Consigned by Ballylinch Stud where his sire stands, the chestnut son of Lope De Vega (Ire) is from the same family as young sire Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who won a brace of Group 3s. The colt's sister, Saffron Beach, brought 3.6 million during the Tattersalls December Sale from Najd Stud back in...

All the rage ahead of Friday's British EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Salisbury, Valmont and Ballylinch Stud's Ralph Beckett-trained Sandtrap (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Zindaya, by More Than Ready) produced all the expected pyrotechnics to become her sire's 17th TDN Rising Star. Always travelling with intent under Hector Crouch shadowing the leader in this seven-furlong test, the 4-5 favourite was shaken up approaching the furlong pole and responded with zest to bound 4 3/4 lengths clear of Jowddah (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) who had been second in a Newmarket...

Sir Michael Stoute trainee Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Jovial {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) overcame all manner of traffic problems to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in Friday's Sri Lanka Jewel Of Asia British EBF Maiden Stakes at Sandown. Ryan Moore's mount was well away to race in a close-up third for most of this debut. Caught in a pocket along the far-side rail in the straight, the 11-4 joint-favourite was hampered when attempting to move forward approaching the final furlong and quickened smartly once into the clear to edge...

Just a handful of lots into Sunday's session, a filly by Lope De Vega (Ire) (lot 240) brought a cool €1 million from Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock. The daughter of Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is the second seven-figure lot of the 2024 Arqana August Yearling Sale. Her dam, best known for winning the G3 Park Express Stakes, is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshall {Ire}), who raced in Hong Kong as Helene Charisma. Normandel is also a half-sister to the dam of G1...

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...

Ralph Beckett trainee Matauri Bay (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Matauri Pearl {Ire}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) a 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 full-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Aunt Pearl (Ire), made a winning debut in Sunday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Stakes at Leicester. The May-foaled bay, let go as the 2-1 favourite, registered a 1 1/2-length success from Shah (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the straight seven-furlong contest. 2nd-Leicester, £9,000, Nov, 8-11, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.77, g/f. MATAURI BAY (IRE) (c, 2, Lope De Vega...

Owner-breeder Arturo Cousino has promised to cheer on Jancis (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) when she lines out in the G1 Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival after admitting to have been completely lost for words when his star filly landed a Group 3 at Leopardstown last week. What that victory meant to the 63-year-old, whose family is steeped in racing and breeding history in his native Chile, can scarcely be put into words. Literally. "Honestly, I couldn't believe it," Cousino recalled of that Brownstown Stakes success. "When I saw her...

A majority interest in Qatar Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega (Fr) has been purchased by Ballylinch Stud in association with Al Shaqab Racing. A son of Ballylinch sire Lope De Vega (Ire), Look De Vega is as short as 4-1 for the Prix de lArc de Triomphe and will continue his racing career in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing. He will retire to Ballylinch at the end of his racing career to stand alongside his world-famous sire.  John O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud, commented, "We...