Michael Bell

The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) will carry Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing silks in next week's G2 Norfolk S. after a private deal was done for the track record-setting maiden winner, Racing Post reports. The Lir Jet was a €9,500 foal turned £8,000 Doncaster yearling before being purchased privately by Nick Bell. He was set to go through the ring at the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-Up Sale in late April before that date was scuppered by COVID-19, and instead he went into training with Nick Bell's father Michael Bell....

Racing in the colours of trainer Michael Bell's son Nick, The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) became the first winner for his Ballyhane Stud-based freshman sire (by Kodiac {GB}), posting a new track record at Great Yarmouth. 3rd-Great Yarmouth, £6,400, Nov, 6-3, 2yo, 5f 42yT, :59.00 (NTR), g/f. THE LIR JET (IRE) (c, 2, Prince of Lir {Ire}--Paper Dreams {Ire}, by Green Desert) was well supported at 9-2 for this extended five-furlong test and duly delivered to provide a first winner for his Ballyhane Stud-based freshman sire (by...

NEWMARKET, UK—It's hard not to feel like Christmas has just been cancelled. The Flat turf season doesn't revolve around Newmarket, of course. There are more than 14,000 horses in training in Britain and only about 2,500 of those are based in the East Anglian town, but that does make it the busiest training centre and, as the place where it all began, Newmarket lays claims to being the sport's unofficial HQ. Having emerged from the wettest and windiest of winters with the start of the turf now just days rather...