Merry Fox Stud

"Look away Mick Appleby, but there has arguably been no finer exponent of the new and improved all-weather programme in the last decade than the Gosden stable, home to a handful of Classic/Group 1 winners who learned the ropes at the likes of Kempton and Newcastle in the depths of winter." That comment featured in our first installment of Winter Watch, followed by a promise to put that illustrious roll of honour under the spotlight at a later stage when it seemed appropriate. Now, following a week in which John...

Just five lots after the 2,900,000 million Camelot (GB) miss, a Siyouni (Fr) filly beat that price to become the priciest of her sex on the day when selling for 3,700,000gns to Godolphin as lot 407. A half-sister to G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the bay is out of the multiple stakes placed Shambolic (Ire) (Shamardal) from the draft of Newsells Park Stud. Co-bred by Newsells Park and Merry Fox Stud, the filly is kin to multiple Grade I winner Laughing (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), as well...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shambolic {Ire}, by Shamardal), who made all for a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with an impressive 2 3/4-length debut tally tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh in her only prior start, maintained her perfect record with a carbon-copy performance in Thursday's G3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown. The prohibitively priced 1-4 favourite was slick from the inside gate and seized an early two length advantage in this black-type bow. Untroubled through halfway, she was shaken up with 1 1/2...

Craig Bennett of Merry Fox Stud, joint-breeder of arguably the most exciting juvenile filly in training Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), recalls how a visit to Coolmore Stud a number of years back made a lasting impression.  Not for the sheer expanse of the operation, or the might of the stallions the world-renowned County Tipperary stud could offer potential breeders, but for how Coolmore marks its successes. "When I went to Coolmore a couple of years ago, I can remember looking out at one of the paddocks where the stallions...

There was an abundance of pre-race hype surrounding the Aidan O'Brien-trained debutante Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shambolic {Ire}, by Shamardal), who was hammered down to 8-13 favouritism for Friday evening's Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh, and she rewarded that faith with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in the seven-furlong test. Relaxed under Ryan Moore during the preliminaries, she was professional on the lead throughout and extended her margin of superiority, keeping on powerfully under mild coaxing, inside the final quarter-mile to easily account for Dollerina...

Lot 301 became the sixth seven-figure lot during Wednesday's Book 1 session at Tattersalls when selling for 1.6 million to Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Yet another son of Dubawi (Ire), the colt is a half-brother to GI Turf Classic S. hero Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and the duo are out of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid mare Willow View. Also, a half-brother to G3 Prix La Rochette heroine Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), he was bred by Merry Fox Stud and consigned by Fittocks Stud. Under the second...

Largely unconsidered as the 26-1 outsider of six, Merry Fox Stud's homebred 2-year-old filly Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) created waves with a late burst for glory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. She had previously bettered a June 11 first-up fourth going seven furlongs at Compiegne with a June 21 Saint-Cloud maiden score over the same trip in her only other start last time and raced fifth of the six runners from flagfall here. Nudged into contention with 500 metres remaining, Acer Alley came under increased pressure...

The pedigree of a Thoroughbred is but a one-dimensional grid to the naked eye. What one chooses to see beneath it depends entirely upon them. Good horses are produced by accident, it's true. But in a business where the overwhelming majority of foals, even from the most prolific crosses, never win a black-type race, bloodstock consultant Gary Hadden makes it a habit to look beneath the surface when planning matings, always looking for ways to increase the odds in favour of his clients. "The thing that everyone probably starts with...