Joe Foley

NEWMARKET, UK--As the prices dipped from Friday's bumper session to a more modest level, so did Newmarket's weather, which settled into relentless icy rain for almost the entire concluding session of foals at Park Paddocks. Such gloomy exterior conditions could not dim the demand for bloodstock in the ring, however. We're not even into December yet, but Tattersalls can be satisfied with heartening levels of trade at the halfway house of its lengthy December Sale, with just four days of fillies and mares to come from Monday. On Friday, Genesis...

By Chris McGrath NEWMARKET, UK--Well, maybe these guys just don't have radios or newspapers. Maybe they haven't heard about the challenges at least affecting the domestic environment: chronic deficiencies in prizemoney, new volatility in the economic landscape. Or perhaps the international investors who might be relatively immune to such concerns have forced even the local market to new highs by putting such a squeeze into Books 1 and 2. Who knows? Just conceivably, this show of faith in our industry could yet prove the foundation for a sustainable bull run....

Joe Foley of Ballyhane Stud has been named the new Chairman of the Irish European Breeders' Fund at the organisation's annual general meeting, while Tom Gaffney of Castlehyde Stud is the new Deputy Chairman. On the Board of the Irish EBF since 2002 as a governor, Foley was appointed to the Deputy Chairman role in 2017. He replaces outgoing Chairman John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud. Gaffney has served on the Irish EBF for 21 years representing Coolmore Stud and also has a wealth of experience from his role as Chairman...

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...

Following its successful inaugural running in 2020, the valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane S. has attracted an entry of 369 juveniles for its return on Aug. 2. With guaranteed prize-money of at least €200,000, the juvenile contest, which is run over six furlongs at Naas on the August Bank Holiday Monday, has understandably proved popular. It also offers a bonus of €50,000 if the winner is by a Ballyhane Stud stallion. "We are delighted to co-sponsor with the Irish EBF and have been thrilled with the response from a large variety...

Ballyhane Stud, home to five stallions, has released its fees for 2021, with newcomer Sands Of Mali (Fr) set to stand at €6,500. Established sires Dandy Man (Ire) and Elzaam (Aus) were both represented by Group 1 winners this year, and Dandy Man's fee will remain at €15,000, while Elzaam's has been set at €5,000. Ballyhane Sud owner Joe Foley said of his stalwart Dandy Man, "Our flagship stallion has had another stellar season with another Grade 1-winning colt in River Boyne (Ire) and four stakes-winning 2-year-olds including the explosive...

Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis-Kadiania {Fr}, by Indian Rocket {GB}) has been purchased by Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud, where he will join the stallion roster for 2021 alongside the likes of Dandy Man (Ire) and Prince Of Lir (Ire). The news was first reported by Racing Post. Owners Cool Silk Partnership announced earlier this week that the Group 1-winning sprinter had been retired from racing. Sands Of Mali won the G2 Gimcrack S. at two for trainer Richard Fahey and built on that promise at three. He won the G3...

The inaugural Irish EBF Ballyhane S. at Naas Racecourse on Aug. 23 has had its purse upped to €320,000 from €200,000-making it the richest Irish 2-year-old race of the year--and a consolation race has been added due to high demand. The Irish EBF Ballyhane S., open to the progeny of sires with a median of no more than €75,000 at last year's yearling sales, attracted an initial 563 entries-an Irish record. The winner will receive €150,000 and prizemoney will be paid to all 20 runners, with the final five finishers...

The US Jockey Club's announcement of an impending cap on the number of mares a stallion can cover has received a mixed reaction among breeders in Britain and Ireland. As reported in yesterday's TDN, colt foals born in 2020 who eventually retire to stud will be restricted to covering 140 mares in a season. No limit will be set for stallions already at stud or for those born before 2020. The US Jockey Club figures for 2019 show that 43 stallions served books of more than 140 mares. In Britain...

On a typically busy day last week at Ballyhane Stud, Joe Foley was asked by a visitor, "What do you actually do?" It's a good question, and one which it would be hard for the master of Ballyhane to answer definitively. That's not because he's idle, but because there are few facets of Irish breeding and racing in which Foley is not actively involved. On that particular day he had just delivered 100 questions—some of them fiendishly difficult—for the popular quiz named in memory of his friend Mark O'Hanlon and...

LEIGHLINBRIDGE, Ireland—It's all systems go at Ballyhane Stud with the breeding season underway and its new stallion Soldier's Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) already in demand, and on Tuesday the Co Carlow stud hosted the official launch of a valuable new race sponsorship. The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes, to be run over six furlongs at Naas on Monday, Aug. 3, is open to juveniles by a sire registered with the European Breeders' Fund whose median sales price is no more than €75,000, with weights allocated on a sliding scale according to...