Craig Bennett

It might seem a bit late in the year to be talking mating plans, but last week's call to Gary Hadden turned out to be a very timely one indeed, with the man at the helm of Craig Bennett's Merry Fox Stud having not one but two significant developments to report. Tragically, the first such update regarding Bennett's beloved Cursory Glance was of the worst possible kind. The daughter of Distorted Humour, who won the G3 Albany Stakes and G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes in a career spanning just four starts...

Craig Bennett of Merry Fox Stud, joint-breeder of arguably the most exciting juvenile filly in training Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), recalls how a visit to Coolmore Stud a number of years back made a lasting impression.  Not for the sheer expanse of the operation, or the might of the stallions the world-renowned County Tipperary stud could offer potential breeders, but for how Coolmore marks its successes. "When I went to Coolmore a couple of years ago, I can remember looking out at one of the paddocks where the stallions...

Largely unconsidered as the 26-1 outsider of six, Merry Fox Stud's homebred 2-year-old filly Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) created waves with a late burst for glory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. She had previously bettered a June 11 first-up fourth going seven furlongs at Compiegne with a June 21 Saint-Cloud maiden score over the same trip in her only other start last time and raced fifth of the six runners from flagfall here. Nudged into contention with 500 metres remaining, Acer Alley came under increased pressure...