Coolmore

Harry Sweeney is one of Irish racing's finest exports. A qualified vet, he has been based in the Far East for 35 years, where he operates from the world renowned Paca Paca Farm as well as holding the position of President at Darley Japan.  From big-money pinhooks to sleepless nights after some frightening losses, breeding Japanese Derby winner Deep Brilliante and how he engineered a plan to be granted an owner's licence in the country, Sweeney makes for a fascinating and entertaining Q&A.  The Marco Polo of Irish racing sat...

TDN Rising Star Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) suffered his lone career defeat when fourth in the 2008 renewal of the Curragh's Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden and his son The Lion In Winter (Ire), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, restored family honour in the seven-furlong contest by delivering a stunning closing burst to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette of his own in this year's edition. The 11-2 chance tracked the leaders from off the pace, racing eighth, through the early stages of this debut. Cajoled closer...

Charles O'Brien trainee Wizard Of Odds (Ire) (Arizona {Ire}--Starlight Symphony {Ire}, by Oratorio {Ire}), who ran fifth in outings at the Curragh and Listowel earlier in the campaign, stepped forward to garner Friday evening's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Down Royal, becoming the first winner for his freshman sire (by No Nay Never). 3rd-Down Royal, €18,000, Mdn, 7-19, 2yo, 7f 25yT, 1:28.67, gd. WIZARD OF ODDS (IRE) (c, 2, Arizona {Ire}--Starlight Symphony {Ire}, by Oratorio {Ire}), who ran fifth in outings at the Curragh and Listowel earlier in the...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Gossamer Wings, by Scat Daddy) made a winning debut in Wednesday evening's Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race at Killarney and was the main beneficiary as winner elect Green Triangle (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) crashed through the rail when looking nailed on for victory. 2nd-Killarney, €25,000, Mdn, 7-17, 2yo, 8f 40yT, 1:43.12, gd. LAMBOURN (IRE) (c, 2, Australia {GB}--Gossamer Wings {MGSP-Eng & SP-Ire}, by Scat Daddy) raced off the pace in eighth after a sluggish getaway in this debut. Bustled along before halfway, the 6-1...

The Coolmore partners' City Of Troy (Justify) will likely face a truly international field in the £1.2-million G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Aug. 21. Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), a Japanese Classic winner, will travel to the Knavesmire to tangle with the Ballydoyle G1 Derby hero next month, York's CEO William Derby confirmed on Wednesday. "We're obviously delighted to hear the news from Ballydoyle that City Of Troy is likely to run in the Juddmonte International--obviously there's a long way to go with horses, but to have Europe's highest-rated...

If Juddmonte keeps going like this, I might as well just copy and paste tributes already paid this summer to family trees it has cultivated through the past four decades. Before reprising that process, then, let's start with something of a detour. Daylami (Ire) was one of the most accomplished runners ever produced by another storied breed-to-race program. A Classic winner over a mile, in maturity he won the premier all-aged turf races in Britain (by five lengths), Ireland (by nine) and America. At stud, he was supported by both...

MV Magnier has described the Japan Cup as "the main aim" for Auguste Rodin (Ire) where the six-time Group 1-winning son of Deep Impact (Jpn) will bid to bridge a gap of almost two decades to the last European-trained winner of the race.  Speaking at the JRHA Select Sale in Japan last week, Magnier firmed up plans for Auguste Rodin, who is the culmination of over 10 years of Coolmore breeding mares to Japanese-based stallions.  He also confirmed that Coolmore has supported Kitasan Black (Jpn), the sire of Equinox (Jpn),...

Peter Brant and Coolmore's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) led home the stands' side group when fourth in last month's G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and found plenty in the closing stages to secure an ultimately impressive tally in Thursday's G2 Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket. Breaking on the lead and remaining there throughout, the 11-10 favourite came under pressure when threatened on both sides passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on powerfully, despite drifting left on the climb, to prevail by...

Wesley Ward admitted he was looking for an easy spot for  White Sands (Into Mischief) to make her first racetrack appearance, but when the half-sister to sprint champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) romped by 9 1/2 lengths in her debut at Belterra Park in May, the trainer immediately circled the Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes on his calendar. The filly duly delivered again in that 5 1/2-furlong event, defeating the boys in a 13 3/4-length demolition at Prairie Meadows last Saturday. "We had a long time with her," Ward said of...

HOKKAIDO, Japan-"The world is getting smaller," MV Magnier remarked when discussing some of the pedigrees on offer at this year's JRHA Select Sale, and so it proved when a Kitasan Black (Jpn) colt out of the multiple Group-1 placed Galileo (Ire) mare Delphinia (Ire) set a new record at ¥590 million [roughly €3.34 million] for the highest-priced yearling ever sold at the premier Japanese sale.   It was Rodeo Japan-a guise for an anonymous Japanese owner-who came out on top in the bidding war for lot 100, who boasts a strong...

Well, he's clearly not Frankel, but City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) at least stayed on a winning course as he provided more nervous tension than dazzle at Sandown on Saturday. Labouring rather than surging up the hill to the culmination of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, Ballydoyle's Derby hero proved that he had the grit to get the unique British double done as he ultimately satisfied the abundant odds-on takers. Connections were quick to admit that he had underwhelmed here, so we were again left with a sense...

Every now and then, a horse comes along who never seems to set a foot wrong. From record-setting freshman sire to perennial top 10 stallion, Uncle Mo is one of those horses. Additionally, it seems every time the Coolmore America/Ashford Stud sire reaches a new benchmark, he moves the bar just a little--or a lot--higher. The first-ever stakes winner for Repole Stables was a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut himself and has since been represented by 18 'Rising Stars' of his own, including three since May, and sired his 15th...