Shane Foley

Charles O'Brien trainee Wizard Of Odds (Ire) (Arizona {Ire}--Starlight Symphony {Ire}, by Oratorio {Ire}), who ran fifth in outings at the Curragh and Listowel earlier in the campaign, stepped forward to garner Friday evening's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Down Royal, becoming the first winner for his freshman sire (by No Nay Never). 3rd-Down Royal, €18,000, Mdn, 7-19, 2yo, 7f 25yT, 1:28.67, gd. WIZARD OF ODDS (IRE) (c, 2, Arizona {Ire}--Starlight Symphony {Ire}, by Oratorio {Ire}), who ran fifth in outings at the Curragh and Listowel earlier in the...

When you think of trainer Eric McNamara, winners at some of Ireland's major jumps meetings spring to mind.  However, there has been a notable diversification at the County Limerick yard in recent times, largely driven by the input of his children Conor and Kate. Recent Flat maiden winner Raw Ability (Ire) is a perfect example of that change.  The cleverly-named daughter of Belardo (Ire) made an impressive start to her career when winning at Gowran Park at odds of 40-1 and she features among some of the choice lots at...

There are few people in this industry that you'll never hear a bad word spoken about. Ross O'Sullivan is one of those people. That is just about the greatest compliment that you can give a man who competes as fiercely, and successfully, as the trainer does. But something tells you that O'Sullivan would trade winning popularity contests for taking out big race prizes all day long and Royal Ascot would be a good place to start. The trainer has Warrior Brave (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) and Follow Me (Fr) (Shalaa...

Providing a timely boost to the G1 Poule d'Essai Pouliches prospects of Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), John Hennessy's Sea The Boss (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Shaella {Ire}, by Casamento {Ire}) captured Saturday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Irish EBF Jannah Rose S. at Naas to set her course towards the Irish Oaks. Only eighth behind that Ballydoyle peer in the G3 Staffordstown Stud S. at The Curragh when last seen in October, the Jessica Harrington trainee who was also behind Content when fourth in Leopardstown's Listed Ingabelle S. in September enjoyed...

Starfield Stud resident Far Above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Jessica Harrington-trained son Rock N Roll Rocket (Ire) made a winning debut over five furlongs in Friday's €25,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Cork. 1st-Cork, €25,000, Mdn, 5-10, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.41, gd. ROCK N ROLL ROCKET (IRE) (c, 2, Far Above {Ire}--California Tee {GB}, by Kheleyf) was positioned in mid division after an alert getaway in this debut. Inching forward from halfway, the 16-1 chance came under pressure with a...

The Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE), which has produced luminaries of the saddle like Johnny Murtagh, Seamie Heffernan, Chris Hayes and Shane Foley, has been forced to cull two thirds of its workforce in order to save the institution's future. A massive 21 of the 31 staff have been told they are no longer needed at RACE and the decision is understood to have come as a major shock to the workforce. The 10-month residential trainee jockey course, which has also been completed by top-notch jump jockeys such...

Jessica Harrington-trained 3-year-old filly Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation--Gold Zain {GB}, by Aqlaam {GB}) posted a close-up fourth in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup when last seen and was rewarded for her consistency with an all-the-way win in Sunday's G3 Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan S. at Naas. The March-foaled chestnut closed her juvenile campaign with a second in the G3 Round Tower S. at the Curragh and followed up a win in Navan's Listed Committed S. on sophomore return with a second here in the G3 Lacken S. in...

At first there are tears and then the words come tumbling out.  "We got a bit of bad news before the Curragh," Con Marnane explains. "Theresa's cancer is back again. That's why the whole thing was so emotional." Theresa is Con's wife and it is her yellow and black silks, made famous by Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) winning the Albany, that were carried to that stirring victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. by Givemethebeatboys (Ire) at Irish racing's HQ. He is one of two Royal Ascot-bound Bungle Inthejungle...

Continuing the stellar form of the Jessie Harrington stable, Theresa Marnane's Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}--Dromana {Ire}, by Dutch Art {GB}) edged a thriller for Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh. Off the mark a fortnight earlier at Navan, the 11-1 shot was towards the fore from the outset under Shane Foley before being left in front two out. Headed by TDN Rising Star and 13-8 favourite Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) a furlong later, the bay battled hard between that rival and Ballydoyle's Listed...

Jessica Harrington has never won the Derby but that could change this season judging by the performance Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) posted in winning a key trial at Leopardstown on Sunday.  Sent to post an 8-1 shot for the Group 3 Derby Trial S., Sprewell travelled into the race better than anything under Shane Foley, and quickened clear to win a cosy three lengths at the winning line.  It was a taking performance from the Churchill colt, owned by Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Abdulrahim, who was cut to 20-1 for Epsom. ...

Last seen being inched out by Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in The Curragh's G3 Round Tower S. in August, Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation) returned with a vengeance at Navan on Saturday to stamp her authority on the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed S. Held together early by Shane Foley racing freely in third, the 10-1 shot brushed aside Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) passing two out en route to a categoric six-length dismissal of that G2 Futurity S.-winning TDN Rising Star, with the 4-5 favourite The...

Conspicuous by his colour if not his presence in the betting market, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's recent acquisition White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}--Diagnostic {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) overhauled the customary representation of the O'Briens and Bolger in Leopardstown's G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. to provide the John Joseph Murphy stable with a red-letter day. Anchored at the tail of the field early by Shane Foley, the almost-white grey who had opened his account by 6 1/2 lengths over seven furlongs sporting Murphy's own silks at Dundalk in November loomed...