Prince Of Lir

The European breeze-up sector prides itself as a source of quality, a notion that held particular weight in 2021 as graduates Native Trail (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) signed off their juvenile campaigns with victories in the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Middle Park S. Added to that, various graduates are currently more than holding their own at stud. This isn't a new development--older representatives such as Society Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) each sired Group 1...

One day after racing resumed in Britain on June 1, Mehmas (Ire) notched his first winner in the country less than an hour after he had recorded his first ever winner, in Italy. From thereon, the Tally-Ho Stud resident was pulling double all season, opening up an easy lead over his fellow European freshmen and bossing his way to a new first-season sire record which, with 56 winners, was 17 clear of that previously held by Iffraaj (GB). It is, frankly, a staggering tally, with 101 of his 121 named...

Ballyhane Stud, home to five stallions, has released its fees for 2021, with newcomer Sands Of Mali (Fr) set to stand at €6,500. Established sires Dandy Man (Ire) and Elzaam (Aus) were both represented by Group 1 winners this year, and Dandy Man's fee will remain at €15,000, while Elzaam's has been set at €5,000. Ballyhane Sud owner Joe Foley said of his stalwart Dandy Man, "Our flagship stallion has had another stellar season with another Grade 1-winning colt in River Boyne (Ire) and four stakes-winning 2-year-olds including the explosive...

NEWMARKET, UK—There may have been one significant Prince Of Lir (Ire) colt missing from those originally consigned for the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-up but the Ballyhane Stud resident still made his presence felt as the sire of three of the top eight lots of the sale. The G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) was withdrawn by Robson Aguiar and sold privately ahead of the delayed auction but that hold up has worked in other people's favour. Heading the list of those who found themselves in the ring on Thursday...

Having broken the all-aged track record on debut at Yarmouth June 3, The Lir Jet (GB) was a temptation that Qatar Racing couldn't resist and the operation's acquisition proved on the money as he emulated the 2009 G2 Norfolk S. success of his first-season sire Prince of Lir (Ire) on Friday. Registering the breakthrough first win for that freshman on fast ground at the East Anglian venue, the 9-2 shot had easier conditions to deal with here and also a trailblazing Wesley Ward runner as Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) powered...

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...

Monday heralded the first day of perhaps the strangest turf season any of us will ever witness. From Wednesday, Ireland has gone from racing behind closed doors to joining the rest of the Europe in learning to cope with no racing action at all. There is now uncertainty over when the next 2-year-old race will take place but three of this year's 30 first-season sires in Europe are already off the mark with a first runner, with Buratino (Ire), Prince Of Lir (Ire) and Markaz (Ire) each having been represented...

On a typically busy day last week at Ballyhane Stud, Joe Foley was asked by a visitor, "What do you actually do?" It's a good question, and one which it would be hard for the master of Ballyhane to answer definitively. That's not because he's idle, but because there are few facets of Irish breeding and racing in which Foley is not actively involved. On that particular day he had just delivered 100 questions—some of them fiendishly difficult—for the popular quiz named in memory of his friend Mark O'Hanlon and...