Ballylinch Stud

Last term's G1 Sun Chariot Stakes runner-up Blue Bolt (Blue Point), a rare Juddmonte purchase, is back on the path into elite-level company after breaking Andrew Balding's duck at this year's Royal Ascot meeting with a dominant performance in the latter stages of Wednesday's G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. "This has been the plan since she ran so well in the Sun Chariot at the end of last year," said Balding. "Barring her first start at Southwell, she has never run a bad race and we've had this in our...

Continuing the purple patch of Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle, the progressive Limestone (New Bay) edged the photo at the end of Wednesday's G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. One for the St Leger candidates, the mile-and-three-quarter contest lacked a clear-cut candidate this year and it was only in the dying strides that the colt who races for Valmont, Al Shaqab and Ballylinch Stud put his name on the honour roll ahead of Godolphin's Del Maro (Camelot). The official margin was a nose, with the long-time leader and outsider...

After months of longing for the turf season to get underway, it is now that time of year when you have to have your wits about you just to keep up with the results from around the world. With many owners and trainers now beginning the countdown to Royal Ascot, an area that is quickly taking shape - and changing shape - is that of the first-season sires' table, and there is no better advertisement for a young sire than to have a first-crop winner at the royal meeting. When...

Ballylinch Stud resident Bayside Boy (New Bay) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Ralph Beckett-trained son Blessed Voyager shed maiden status at the first time of asking in Friday's Dubai Duty Free EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury. The 11-1 chance, his sire's second representative to hit the track, was positioned within range of the leaders racing fifth through the initial fractions. Making smooth headway once past halfway, he launched his challenge on the stands' side entering the final furlong and was pushed out to...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Rebel Moon (Lope De Vega), a 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, was kept under wraps for most of Thursday evening's Irish Injured Jockeys Fillies Maiden at Gowran Park and needed every yard of the extended nine-furlong trip to secure an ultimately impressive debut win. "She's obviously a well-bred filly and, first time out, we were keen that she relaxed well," explained O'Brien. "We liked what we were seeing from her at home, but I thought she'd be a bit green for here first time. When Joey...

Francis Graffard unveiled another exciting prospect on Wednesday when Lord Clover (Siyouni) made light work of the mile maiden on Chantilly's Polytrack. Sent off the 3-5 favourite, the son of the Group 1-placed Lady Frankel (Frankel) did everything right following a tardy break to cruise by outclassed rivals a furlong out under Christophe Soumillon and on to a 6 1/2-length success from Magnus (Footstepsinthesand). The result was a landmark for Soumillon, with the Belgian recording a 4000th victory on the flat in France. The winner, who is engaged in the...

Victorious Racing's €1-million Arqana August graduate Warriors Whisper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) repaid some of that investment with a narrow debut victory in Saturday's Prix du Nice Havrais at Deauville. Under wraps off the tempo in eighth through halfway, the 9-10 favourite made smooth headway into contention with 350 metres remaining and was ridden out in the closing stages to deny Shelzawa (Zelzal) by a short-neck. Warriors Whisper is the third of five foals and second scorer produced by G3 Park Express Stakes victrix Normandel (Le Havre), who is...

Iberian, a group-winning son of Lope De Vega, has been retired and will stand at Haras du Mazet in France, according to published reports. The G2 Champagne Stakes hero's opening fee is €3,000. Bred by Ballylinch Stud, the five-year-old won the 2023 edition of the Champagne, and was also placed in that year's G2 Vintage Stakes. A winner of three of 13 lifetime starts, the Ballylinch and Teme Valley-campaigned Iberian was also second in last year's Listed Cammidge Trophy Stakes. Out of the stakes-winning High Chaparral mare Bella Estrella, the...

Godolphin and Charlie Appleby have made Kempton's Unibet Supports Safer Gambling Maiden Stakes their own in recent years, landing recent renewals with high-class winners such as Opera Ballo, Notable Speech and Measured Time. That dominance continued on Wednesday evening, when Palladas (Lope de Vega) made a striking debut in the one-mile contest. The €750,000 Tattersalls Book 1 yearling produced a power-packed performance that earned him TDN Rising Star status, presented by Hagyard. "He feels like a vert smart horse, he's got a nice turn of foot and he did it...

Whether you're a racing fan enjoying another glimpse of champions of yesteryear, or a breeder assessing the new intake to the sire ranks, the ITM Irish Stallion Trail is unmissable. From toddlers up, the throng of visitors to the 37 studs who opened their doors across the country on Friday and Saturday stand as testament to the draw of the annual showcase. Many readers of this publication will be in the fortunate position of being able to visit stallion studs at their leisure and to be welcomed with open arms....

The term 'blue hen' may have emanated from the game birds of the American state of Delaware, but its appropriation by the Thoroughbred breeding industry bears similarities to its origins in that it remains a badge of honour. There are few true blue hens across the world but one who has certainly earned that title is Vimal and Gillian Khosla's Green Room, who died in December at Ballylinch Stud at the age of 23. Bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte Farms, the daughter of Theatrical never made it to the racecourse...

Ballylinch Stud has released the 2026 fees for its five stallions, with Lope De Vega receiving an increase in price to €200,000 following another successful year with Group 1 performers such as Carl Spackler, Almaqam and Jonquil. "Lope De Vega reaffirmed his position as the world's leading stallion in 2025, once again topping the global tables for the number of worldwide stakes horses, a title he also achieved in 2024," said Ballylinch managing director John O'Connor. "His remarkable consistency and versatility across continents continue to inspire confidence in breeders and...