New Bay

DEAUVILLE, France--It's beginning to feel as if it's John O'Connor's world and we're just living in it. After selling 27 yearlings for almost 6.5 million gns at Tattersalls last week, Ballylinch Stud, which he manages, was then represented by a Group 1 double at Ascot's Champions Day when first Bayside Boy (Ire) won the Queen Elizabeth II S., followed by the triumph of Bay Bridge (GB) in the Champion S. Both are sons of Ballylinch resident New Bay (GB), and Bayside Boy was bred and is co-owned by Ballylinch, while...

NEWMARKET, UK--With almost 100 lots still to sell, the turnover for Book 2 had already surpassed the tally set in 2021 and, just as witnessed last week at Tattersalls, this second catalogue of four for the October Yearling Sale, bettered all markers of a year ago. There was a broader spread of buyers, but Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, whose principal Anthony Stroud had been so busy on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation during Book 1, was again active throughout, with the agency ending Book 2 as the leading buyer with...

NEWMARKET, UK--Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB) may occupy the top two spots in the sires' table, but not far behind them, and with Baaeed (GB) still to be unleashed on Champions Day, is Sea The Stars (Ire), who had his own moment in the spotlight at Tattersalls as the sire of the 800,000gns top lot. A Book 2 record was set in 2019 when the million-guinea barrier was breached for the first time, but Monday's leading light, who was sold less than an hour after the start of trade, was...

RATOATH, Ireland--Well, Highflyer certainly soared at Fairyhouse this week with Anthony Bromley signing for 16 yearlings, including two for €100,000 on Wednesday. However, it was Alex Elliott who was responsible for the top lot (243) at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, a €115,000 Tradewinds-drafted New Bay (GB) colt that was purchased on the same afternoon. No buyer had a busier two days than Bromley, though. Much like a man rushing to get his Christmas shopping done, he admitted to setting his stall out to fill the lion's share of...

The first major yearling sale of the autumn in Britain or Ireland, the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale provided entertainment from the beginning to the end, but most importantly, boasted impressive figures. Brian Sheerin was in attendance and discusses the major talking points from the sale. Figures on the up The team at Goffs UK could hardly have wished for a better start to the Premier Yearling Sale. The day one figures were off the charts. Of the 218 lots offered on Tuesday, 199 were sold, representing a clearance rate...

Jane Chapple-Hyam may have lived in Britain for many years but she is still a proud Aussie and thus played her part in bringing an international feel to last week's results at Royal Ascot. And what a part it was. The powerhouse Coolmore and Godolphin stables of Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby may have had more winners at the meeting, but Chapple-Hyam more than held her own on two winners, equal to William Haggas, Richard Fahey, Karl Burke and George Boughey, all of whom have greater reserves to call upon....

Just when you thought a fully-charged Royal Ascot couldn't be topped, along came Hollie Doyle.  The royal meeting was sadly missing The Queen for all five days this year but, France's republican tendencies aside, there are few in the racing world who would deny that Doyle is now the queen of Chantilly after reaching yet another milestone to become the first woman to ride a Group 1 Classic winner in Europe. Her great triumph came aboard Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for Imad Al Sagar, who was achieving an important landmark...

From State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) silencing his doubters once again to Irad Ortiz's week going from bad to worse, there was plenty to digest from day two at Royal Ascot. Brian Sheerin fleshed out the main talking points from another thrilling day's action.  Eldar Eldarov Owner Is Living The Dream  HH Shaikh Khalid, owner of Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), told ITV Racing that his dream in racing is to find a horse good enough to stand as a stallion. Eldar Eldarov could well be up to fulfilling...

The flag at Somerville Lodge in Newmarket is at half-mast. For the inhabitants of that famous stable it is of course a deeply personal gesture as Maureen Haggas and her family mourn the death of her father Lester Piggott. Over the decades they will have become accustomed to the fact that the head of their family was also a racing icon--a man not just whose name is the first jockey a random member of the public can call to mind, but for many longstanding fans of racing the man who...

TATTERSALLS, Ireland--Justin Timmons revealed the heightened importance to the Dolmen Bloodstock consignment selling well at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale after he welcomed his first-born into the world in the early hours of Wednesday morning before making the dash to Barn B on the eve of what he described as the biggest sale of his year. Dolmen Bloodstock consigned the top lot at last year's sale, a Dark Angel (Ire) colt who fetched 410,000gns, and now that there are nappies to pay for, Timmons is hoping for another profitable...

It is a question that has long fixated the bloodstock industry: which stallion can be caught as he rises to the top? As we know, those good stallions can be hard to find. Opportunity is naturally a key element to early success, but a stallion still needs to make the most of the chances afforded to him and for every one that lives up to expectations, there will be also be plenty who flop. As often said, horses are a great leveller and with that in mind, there is also...

On a crisp, bright morning at Ballylinch Stud last week, there was just cause for enthusiasm from managing director John O'Connor, and not just for the tea and cake on the table in front of us.  Not much more than a hop, skip and a jump from the office, via a path right past the headstone of The Tetrarch, the stallion yard is about to crank into top gear as the mares start rolling in for the season. There may only be four stallions, but there will be plenty of...