Colin Keane

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...

Juddmonte's dual G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares heroine Kalpana (Study Of Man) made a successful return to action by defeating five rivals, racing under a Group 1 penalty, in a hot renewal of Saturday's G3 Sky Sports Racing Aston Park Stakes at Newbury, repeating her win in last year's edition. In the money in all bar one of 14 prior starts, the 11-10 pick was forced to knuckle down in the 12-furlong contest and registered a neck verdict from the multiple Group 1-placed West Wind Blows (Teofilo). "Her fitness...

One of the least-exposed in the line-up for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York, Juddmonte's unbeaten Item (Frankel) flagged up his Epsom prospects when powering to success in the time-honoured Derby trial. Held up early by Colin Keane, the keen-going son of the Natalma Stakes winner Capla Temptress (Lope De Vega) moved smoothly to the long-time leader Action (Frankel) a furlong out and forged on for an authoritative 2 3/4-length success. There was another 1 3/4 lengths back to the other Ballydoyle runner Christmas Day (Camelot) in...

From the immediate family of Frankel, Juddmonte's Legacy Link (Dubawi) put herself in the Oaks picture in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York. Not seen since finishing fourth in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October, the John and Thady Gosden-trained granddaughter of Kind travelled smoothly tracking the front pair early. Committed three out by Colin Keane, the 6-4 favourite was joined soon after and headed by Felicitas (Teofilo) but battled to regain the advantage and forge ahead for a 3/4-of-a-length success. The Aykroyds' K Sarra (New Bay) was a further...

Completing an early Saturday afternoon treble for the Andrew Balding stable, Juddmonte's Blue Bolt (Blue Point) made a winning start to a potentially fruitful campaign in Goodwood's Listed Conqueror Fillies' Stakes. Last seen finishing runner-up to the unstoppable Fallen Angel in Newmarket's Sun Chariot in October, the Listed Sandown Distaff winner had to fight for Colin Keane with the long-absent Kon Tiki (Night Of Thunder) in determined mood but managed to thrust in front close home for a 3/4-of-a-length success. The returning Poule d'Essai des Pouliches second Shes Perfect (Sioux...

Juddmonte's Gilded Prize (Frankel) followed up a debut score at Chantilly in November with a TDN Rising Star effort back there on sophomore return last month and continued her rise through the ranks with an impressive pillar-to-post performance in Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. "She's definitely taken a step forward there," commented rider Colin Keane. "She's very big and still learning on the job. She's a filly with a big future and hopefully building towards Group 1 level." Francis Graffard added, "She's a very good filly and she answered...

Thursday's Prix du Val Saint-Georges at Chantilly shaped like a mini Group race and it was Juddmonte's exciting Frankel filly Gilded Prize who emerged on top to become her sire's 46th TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. Back over the same course and 9 1/2-furlong distance of her winning start in November, the Francis Graffard-trained daughter of the Beverly D. and Flower Bowl Stakes-placed Grand Jete (Dansili) moved easily over the Polytrack taking a lead early. Asked to intensify approaching the final furlong by Colin Keane, the 6-5 favourite opened up...

Christopher McKeever, the breeder of last week's Champion Bumper hero The Mourne Rambler (Well Chosen), has spoken of his disbelief in the aftermath of the success that saw him join a select group of Cheltenham Festival-winning breeders, achieved with a horse trained by his great friend of 60 years, Noel Meade. "I was here at home with the dog, my wife and a friend of mine," McKeever told TDN Europe on Tuesday, having watched the race not at Cheltenham but in County Meath, where he lives just a stone's throw...

CHELTENHAM, UK -- Craig Kieswetter has been a top-class sportsman in his own right but the former England and Somerset cricketer was emphatic in his assessment of what mattered most to him after his family's Il Etait Temps (Jukebox Jury) won the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.  "I'd rather win at Cheltenham than win a World Cup," said the South African-born Kieswetter, who, with his parents Wayne and Belinda and brother Ross, owns Ridgemont Stud in South Africa's Western Cape as well as Barnane Stud in Ireland.  Il Etait Temps,...

Juddmonte's Serenetta (Kingman), a half-sister to Arc heroine Bluestocking (Camelot) and this term's Sussex Stakes hero Qirat (Showcasing), backed up a debut third at Newmarket last month with a decisive victory in Wednesday's Racing TV Fillies' Novice Stakes at Kempton. The Ralph Beckett trainee justified odds-on favouritism and made most of the running to defeat Godolphin's Al Qaysiyya (Dubawi) by 1 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong contest. "She had a lovely run with Hector [Crouch] the first day and she seems like a smart filly," said winning rider Colin Keane...

Willie Mullins, Gavin Cromwell, Henry de Bromhead, Gordon Elliott and Ger Lyons' Glenburnie Racing are among the team captains confirmed for the Treo Eile Christmas Show on Thursday, December 11 at Emerald Equestrian Centre near Enfield. Also stepping up to the plate for the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic team event are a number of past or present jockeys, including Paul Townend, Jack Kennedy, Patrick Mullins, Jody Townend, Mark Walsh, Colin Keane, Nicola Burns, Robbie Power and Kevin Manning. The HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic, the feature class on the...

Juddmonte's Shipbourne (Frankel) arrived at Newbury on Friday with a buzz surrounding him and duly went through his maiden as connections would have hoped. Sent off the 10-11 favourite for the 6 1/2-furlong test, the son of Special Duty (Hennessy) followed the pace with ease under Colin Keane and took command inside the two. Sent clear from there, the homebred registered a 4 1/4-length success from Not That Guy (Cotai Glory). "He's a lovely big horse with the size and scope to match his pedigree, but he doesn't realise he's a...