The Irish Flat season is a matter of weeks away, with the opening day of the season kicking off at the Curragh on March 15, where the €100,000 Irish Lincoln takes centre stage. There will be Classic clues aplenty on April 12, when the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas Trials, along with the Ballysax Stakes, a [...]

Bloodstock agent Nico Archdale has shared news of his brain cancer diagnosis and revealed that the outpouring of well-wishes from the racing and bloodstock communities have provided him with the necessary strength to meet what has been a frightful start to the new year with steely determination.  Archdale is perhaps best known for his role [...]

The air may be full of Cheltenham Festival chatter but, in Rathasker Stud at least, there is only one race on everyone's lips these days: the Derby.  It's not hard to understand why. Pierre Bonnard, the ante-post favourite for the Epsom Classic at odds of 6-1, was bred by Maurice Burns, who jokes that he [...]

Jockey Elizabeth Gale speaks about following her heart by moving to Ireland, her ambitions in the saddle and more Sometimes it's good to let the heart rule the head. Just ask apprentice and conditional jockey Elizabeth Gale who, despite going against what many warned could be a detrimental move to her career in the saddle, [...]

Not content with conquering some of the biggest prizes on offer over jumps and on the level, Jessica Harrington is taking aim at the feature race on the snow at St Moritz this weekend with stable stalwart Dark Viper. The four-year-old Dark Angel gelding has built up a bit of a reputation for filling the [...]

Rigsdale Stud knocked it out of the park last year and Barry Kennedy, who runs the operation alongside his partner Anna Murphy, speaks about his ambitions for the farm Few breeders navigated their way through last year's yearling sale season with such sniper-like precision as Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy of Rigsdale Stud. A homebred [...]

Day one of the Goffs February Sale got off to a blisteringly-hot start on Wednesday when the €3,898,500 turnover, which was headlined by a €220,000 Mehmas colt that went the way of Tally-Ho Stud, eclipsed the entire sum this sale generated 12 months ago by €41,000.  Henry Beeby promised that the pinhookers would “be out [...]

Henry Beeby says that Goffs “can't wait to get going for the year” ahead of the February Sale which features progeny by Havana Grey, Mehmas, New Bay, Night Of Thunder, Sands Of Mali, Sea The Stars, Walk In The Park and Starman as well a brother [lot 53] to recent Grade 2 mares' hurdle winner [...]

Talk about a dream start. Louis Blanchet and Ruben Elbase, the latest duo to strike up a training partnership in France, couldn't have wished for a better beginning to their venture when sending out Nargiz to win a maiden at Pornichet racecourse last Thursday. The daughter of Lope De Vega carried the distinguished colours of [...]

Some clarity was provided to the supporters of Sands Of Mali on Thursday after the High Court ordered Steve Parkin's legal team to release covering certificates to the breeders that have sent mares to a stallion who was reported to have sold to Yeomanstown Stud for €8 million in a silent auction held by Tattersalls [...]

When you spend 3,200gns at the horses-in training sales on a 42-rated handicapper, the barometer of expectation cannot be set very high. Win a little race somewhere? Great. Win a couple? You're a genius. Win seven in a row and bid for a modern day record-equaling eighth success on the trot? You must be having [...]

Martin Hassett, who worked with Coolmore for 36 years before concentrating on training, sent out Moonverrin to win at the Dublin Racing Festival National Hunt racing returned to its roots on Sunday when small-time trainer Martin Hassett hit the headlines with 20-1 shot Moonverrin battling to victory in the Grade 2 Mares Bumper at the [...]