Joseph O'Brien

Fasig-Tipton's May Digital Selected Sale closed Tuesday afternoon with impressive 2-year-old debut winner Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew) topping the sale, bringing $500,000 from Bill Childs. He was consigned as Hip 24 from the draft of Elena Racing, agent. The Florida-bred colt won by an eye-catching six lengths on debut for Elena Racing, Inc. and trainer Jorge Delgado at Gulfstream Park May 6 in an open maiden special weight. Awesome Strong is from the first crop of Awesome Slew out of the Pleasant Tap mare Pleasant Ring. That mare is a...

DEAUVILLE, France--Deliverance came a day early for Katie McGivern at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale as lot 64, a Sioux Nation filly and lot 66, a filly by Siyouni (Fr), finished in the top five fastest times overall in the session. It was McGivern's fillies, the only two that she brought to one of the premier breeze-up sales in Europe, who emerged from the cavalry of 130 juveniles as being up there with the fastest on show. McGivern stuck her neck out in going to €68,000 for the Siyouni filly out...

Six days after the G1 Prix Ganay victory of her half-brother State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Teme Valley Racing's Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Repose) kept the family honour well and truly intact with an authoritative success in Naas' G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind S. Sent off the 3-1 joint-second favourite in what appeared to be a tight contest, the chestnut who had been fourth in Navan's Listed Salsabil S. on her 3-year-old bow Apr. 23 travelled sweetly in third early under Dylan Browne McMonagle. Cruising to Ballydoyle's 11-4...

A deal has been struck for globetrotting star State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Repose by Quiet American), who added to his truly unique record of Group 1 triumphs when battling to Prix Ganay glory at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, to stand at Rathbarry Stud once his racing days are finished. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, State Of Rest won the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. before beating the best of the Australians in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last season. His reappearance win at ParisLongchamp hardened his reputation as one...

Joseph O'Brien trainee State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) enjoyed a fruitful sophomore campaign last year and the 4-year-old's globetrotting exploits yielded wins in August's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational and October's G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. He was sent postward as a 63-10 chance for Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp and produced a battling display to secure a third elite-level triumph in the 10 1/2-furlong highlight. Third in the G2 Champagne S. and fifth in the G1 Futurity as a juvenile, he also hit the board in last...

MyRacehorse, a U.S.-based racehorse micro-share ownership operator, is expanding to the UK and Ireland with three 2-year-olds, including a 450,000gns Dubawi (Ire) colt purchased out of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale. Out of J Wonder (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), he is trained by Andrew Balding. John and Thady Gosden have a $300,000 Keeneland September filly by Mendelssohn for the GI Kentucky Derby/GI Breeders' Cup Classic-winning organisation. The trio is rounded out by a Zoffany (Ire) filly in the yard of Joseph O'Brien. She was purchased for €170,000 at Goffs Orby....

Coolmore and Westerberg's sophomore filly Above The Curve (American Pharoah) caught the eye when overcoming a slow getaway to finish strongly for third in a one-mile Leopardstown maiden last October. Back at the Foxrock venue for Wednesday's 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, a contest won in 2019 by MG1SW distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), she stamped her class on a field stacked with well-bred individuals to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an eyecatching display. The 6-5 favourite was more in focus at the break this time and settled...

Trainer Joseph O'Brien, the denizen of picturesque Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, is still over a year away from his 30th birthday. During his six-plus years as a trainer, one could argue that great moments like the upset 2018 G1 Irish Derby win by Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) or the 2020 G1 Melbourne Cup triumph by Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) hold their very special places. However, the exploits of State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) last season were unusually brilliant. The now 4-year-old colt raced thrice last season after...

Joseph O'Brien has already collected an impressive haul of international trophies in less than seven years with a trainers' license, including two Melbourne Cups and a Breeders' Cup, and he will look to expand that collection when sending Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to next weekend's Saudi Cup card. LECH Racing Limited's 5-year-old Baron Samedi rose rapidly through the ranks after being gelded in 2020, with four straight handicap wins followed by victory in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris, and he...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Breeder Scott Heider of Heider Family Stables shares with us the mating plans for his Irish-based mares at Norelands Stud.   PISTA (m, 5, American Pharoah--Mohini {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) to be bred to Dubawi (Ire) Winner of the 2020 G2 Park Hill S. and second in the G1 Prix de Royallieu, this Joseph O'Brien-trained daughter of American Pharoah is currently in foal to Ballylinch Stud's Lope de...

The two-for-two White Marlin (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has been added to the upcoming Tattersalls February Sale on Feb. 3-4. Consigned as lot 375A by Ronald Rauscher, the 4-year-old colt is rated 93p by Timeform after winning a Dec. 15 Dundalk maiden and a Jan. 14 handicap there, both over 1 ½ miles on the all-weather for trainer Joseph O'Brien in the colours of Ms. M. McDowall. In addition, the grey is a half-brother to G1 Flying Five S. heroine Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The duo are out of the...

ThoroughBid has catalogued 20 horses in training for the upcoming All-Weather Sale, slated for Jan. 16. Graduates of the online auction will qualify for £30,000 All-Weather Challenge. Among entrants, Mick Appleby's recent Shadwell-bred colt Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), winner at Newcastle Jan. 6 and four-time winner Here and Now (GB) (Dansili {GB}). From Ireland, Joseph O'Brien is offering up a pair of maiden winners--4-year-old colt Talbot (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Adelisa (Ire), a 4-year-old daughter of Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). All horses sold will go on to compete in the...