Ballylinch Stud

Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. offered another episode of stalls drama that seems to have dogged the first two days of Royal Ascot, but by the time Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) had come home alone there was a sense that Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) would have needed wings had she not been removed from the contest after going down in the gates. Making her European return under a five-pound penalty due to her winning exploits in Newmarket's G1 Sun Chariot S. in October, the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained...

With the build-up to Royal Ascot reaching fever pitch down South, Kevin Ryan unveiled the well-bred Glenlaurel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}--Nada {GB}, by Teofilo {Ire}) in Thirsk's six-furlong Vickers.Bet Extra Places At Royal Ascot EBF Fillies' Novice S. on Tuesday and she outclassed overmatched rivals to attain 'TDN Rising Stardom' in hugely impressive fashion. The 9-1 chance dwelt as the gates opened and raced in rear through the initial fractions. Making eyecatching headway hard on the steel from halfway, she cruised into contention approaching the final furlong and powered...

Sandown witnessed something truly special on Thursday evening as James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud's Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Hayyona {GB}, by Multiplex {GB}) brought up a sensational 12th renewal of the G3 Coral Brigadier Gerard S. for Sir Michael Stoute. The way the seasonal debutante hit the line with five lengths to spare over Shadwell's exciting Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who was previously unbeaten here, with Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) another length away in third, it is hard to say that any of the former Freemason Lodge winners of...

Sheila Lavery is eyeing a tilt at Royal Ascot for New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), who out-ran his odds of 40-1 to chase home Native Trail  (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Saturday.  New Energy, a £65,000 purchase by Lavery and bloodstock agent Ted Durcan from Ballylinch Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-up Sale last year, is on course to run in the St James's Palace S. at the royal meeting.  "He's come out of the race really well and our next target will...

Off the mark over nine furlongs at Fontainebleau Apr. 12, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud's Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) came through her first major test in style to annexe Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. Bred to appreciate at least this 10 1/2-furlong trip, being out of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Traffic Jam (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the Andre Fabre trainee was held up in last early in contrast to her last outing when she was sent forward from the...

On a crisp, bright morning at Ballylinch Stud last week, there was just cause for enthusiasm from managing director John O'Connor, and not just for the tea and cake on the table in front of us.  Not much more than a hop, skip and a jump from the office, via a path right past the headstone of The Tetrarch, the stallion yard is about to crank into top gear as the mares start rolling in for the season. There may only be four stallions, but there will be plenty of...

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 level of trade during Saturday's second and final session of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale was meant to take a step down following Friday's electric marquee session, but Baroda Stud's 3-year-old Galileo (Ire) filly Loyal (Ire) (lot 1406) ensured there was still a six-figure bidding battle, with the dust eventually settling in favour of Ballylinch Stud--who bred the filly and raced her in partnership with Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor--for €280,000, the highest price achieved on the second day of the Breeding Stock sale for 15 years. Loyal...

Lope De Vega (Ire) will stand at €125,000 in 2022, that figure being unchanged from his 2021 fee at Ballylinch Stud, where he has stood throughout his 11 covering seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. His popularity transcends Europe, however, and the 14-year-old son of Shamardal is now the sire of 13 Group/Grade 1 winners in America, Australia, Britain, Ireland, France, and Dubai. "This year Lope de Vega confirmed that he is one of the world's elite sires, with an exceptional 48 black-type horses in 2021 alone," said Ballylinch Stud managing...

Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), the sire of Breeder' Cup heroine Glass Slippers (GB), will move to Bearstone Stud in 2022. The sire of 32 black-type winners worldwide will command £7,500 (Oct. 1 SLF). A winner of five Group 1 races including the G1 July Cup and G1 Middle Park S., the 13-year-old first stood at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland in 2012 and later moved to Haras de Grandcamp in France in 2016. He also spent several seasons in Australia and has Group 2 winners Phobetor (Aus) and Shumookh (Aus) to...

Gestut Winterhauch's 2-year-old colt Sea Bay (Ger) (New Bay {GB}) graduated with a one-length win in his Aug. 22 debut over seven furlongs at Hannover, but slipped to fourth when upped to one mile for Dusseldorf's Sept. 12 Listed Junioren Preis in his only other start. He had finished behind the reopposing Ariolo (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Millionaire (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) on stakes bow last time, but overturned that form and found plenty more besides to make Sunday's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten all his own as he took the...

NEWMARKET, UK-Following on from a year in which many visitors were barred from attending the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, an international crowd at Park Paddocks on Monday was a welcome sight as inspections continued less than 24 hours removed from the start of the firm's flagship Book 1. The shoppers, of course, aren't the only international element to the sale; as befits any bloodstock auction of such stature, global themes abound in the pages of the 502 yearlings catalogued for Book 1, which runs from Tuesday through Thursday. There are...