Naas Racecourse

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old filly Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never--Pembina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) impressed with a 3 1/4-length debut tally tackling five furlongs at the Curragh last month and was equally adept over the six-furlong strip at Naas to secure Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. en route to next month's G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Positioned in a close second after the initial strides, the 2-1 joint-favourite loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to assert superiority...

Monday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Naas was under the co-sponsorship of Coolmore's No Nay Never in 2017 and 2018, when Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) launched their Group 1-laden careers by earning 'TDN Rising Star' status in the six-furlong contest, and this term's renewal went the way of Coolmore and Westerberg's Deneuve (Ire), a daughter of No Nay Never, who emulated those illustrious distaffers by digging deep for a debut success and a 'TDN Rising Star' of her own. The 13-8 favourite...

Plusvital will continue to sponsor the Listed Devoy S. at Naas Racecourse in 2022. Now in its third year, the sponsorship will also offer €500 worth of Plusvital breeding products to the winning breeder of the Devoy. Group 1 winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) won the Devoy in 2021. Ciara Watt, General Manager of Plusvital said, "We are delighted to extend our partnership with Naas Racecourse for a third year through our sponsorship of the feature race the Plusvital Devoy S. on the opening weekend of the Flat season. Breeders...

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...

The field for the 24-strong €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. was revealed on Friday. Led by the unbeaten Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), the race will begin at 2:25 p.m. at Naas Racecourse on Aug. 2. Her Ger Lyons stablemate Recurrent Dream (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) sports a win over the course and distance, and they will be joined in the lineup by their yardmate Jarvis (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}). The Brighton winner Dusky Prince (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) and the aforementioned Recurrent Dream are both running for the €50,000...

In conjunction with the Irish EBF Ballyhane S., Naas Racecourse has partnered with Barretstown, a children's charity, which has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A JustGiving page has been set up here and Naas is requesting minimum donations of €5. Each donation will be placed in a draw-to be held on July 30--and assigned one of 24 horses in the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. on Aug. 2. The fundraiser will close on Juy 28 at noon. The person assigned to the winning horse will receive a €5,000...

The value of the second running of the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. has been increased from €200,000 to €300,000, the Irish European Breeders' Fund, Ballyhane Stud and Horse Racing Ireland announced on Monday. The median auction race is now the most valuable 2-year-old race that will be held in Ireland in 2021, with the race aimed at EBF eligible 2-year-olds with a sire's median price of no more than €75,000 from last year's yearling sales. It will be conducted over five furlongs and 205 yards at Naas Racecourse on Bank...

The €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S., run at Naas on Aug. 2, has 278 juveniles entered after the latest forfeit stage, Naas Racecourse announced on Friday. Restricted to juveniles that are EBF eligible and whose sire established a median price of not more than €75,000 at the 2020 yearling sales, the race's winning breeder will receive a free nomination to one of the Ballyhane sires courtesy of Ballyhane Stud. In addition, if the winner is by a Ballyhane Stud stallion, there is a €50,000 bonus on top of the €200,000...

Classic preparations continue apace on Saturday, with Lingfield staging the Listed Oaks and Derby Trials and Naas hosting the G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind S. Godolphin did not fare well in the main events at Chester this week, but are well-represented again in both Lingfield trials with the Derby hopeful Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), such an eye-catching runner-up in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial on the same card that the filly Nash Nasha (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) captured a well-contested novice. Adayar will be a warm order...

Just days after launching The Goffs Million, a €1-million race for 2-year-old graduates of the Orby Sale to be held at The Curragh on Sept. 24, 2022, Goffs announced on Wednesday that the Goffs Sportsman's Challenge, worth a minimum €100,000, will be staged at Naas going six furlongs on Sept. 15, 2022. Like The Goffs Million, the continent's richest 2-year-old race, the Goffs Sportsman's Challenge will pay out to tenth place. It is open exclusively to graduates of the Goffs Sportsman's Sale, which will take place at Kildare Paddocks this...

Compas Stallions will sponsor four of the eight races on the season Flat opener at Naas on Sunday, Mar. 28, Naas Racecourse announced on Monday. Micheal Orlandi, founder and owner of Compas Stallions, will also recognise breeders by rewarding the winning breeder of each of the Compas Stallions-sponsored races with a free nomination to the named stallion of the race. A trio of handicaps and a maiden race will be named after four Compas Stallions-Cappella Sansevero (GB), Smooth Daddy, Kuroshio (Aus) and Far Above (Ire). Orlandi said, "We are delighted...

Irish equine nutrition company Plusvital will support Naas's 2021 flat season, which kicks off on Mar. 28, with sponsorship of the Listed Plusvital Devoy S. Plusvital will also provide equine care packs to all winning grooms of best-turned out awards at Naas throughout the season. There will be 12 flat meetings staged at Naas this season through Oct. 31 with a minimum of 92 races. Ciara Watt, general manager of Plusvital, said, "The team at Plusvital are delighted to develop our partnership with Naas Racecourse for the 2021 Flat season....