John O'Connor

Although his first crop is just four this year, Make Believe (GB) has made an impressive start at stud with his flagbearer, Mishriff (Ire), backing up his Classic-winning year with a recent win in the Saudi Cup. With the flat season due to start in a few weeks, racing pundits are already guessing at what possible route the winner of the world's richest race might take this year. For Make Believe, the breeding season has started in a strong vein and the team at Ballylinch Stud, where the sire stands,...

The Irish EBF and the Irish National Stud will be joint sponsors of four 2-year-old fillies' maidens this summer, the stud announced on Tuesday. The INS Stallion's Summer Series will give the winning breeder a free nomination for the 2021 season to the stallion named in each race in addition to the prizemoney allocation. The June 20 'Free Eagle' Irish EBF Fillies' Maiden will be held at Naas, followed by the 'Phoenix of Spain' Irish EBF Fillies' Maiden at The Curragh on June 26, the July 3 'National Defense' Irish...

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...

It is almost half a century since Ballylinch Stud took delivery of its previous winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In 1970, Sassafras (Fr) (Sheshoon {GB}) became the first horse to get the better of Nijinsky (Northern Dancer), beating the Triple Crown winner by a head at Longchamp before taking up residence in the beautiful tiled box which was once home to The Tetrarch (Ire) (Roi Herode {Fr}). That stable still stands away from the main stallion yard at Ballylinch and within its historic walls now is the...