Darley Europe
Griffin Johnson may not be well known within horse racing circles, but that doesn't mean he can't help the sport. For decades, racing has been fighting a losing battle when it comes to attracting a younger audience. That's where Johnson comes in. He is a social media influencer who has 9.7 million followers on TikTok and 2.6 million on Instagram. He's also a horse owner. Johnson is part of the West Point Thoroughbreds group that owns GI Arkansas Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby contender Sandman (Tapit). He'll be at...
Stallion parades are scheduled for Dalham Hall Stud on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Thursday, Jan. 16, at noon and 2 p.m., Darley announced. Among the stallions featured are returning shuttle stallions Harry Angel (Ire), second-crop sire Pinatubo (Ire) whose eldest foals are now 3-year-olds, and the popular Triple Time (Ire), who covered over 150 mares in 2024. Other stallions available to view are Palace Pier (GB), Too Darn Hot (GB), Cracksman (GB), Perfect Power (Ire) and Modern Games (Ire). If you are unable to attend the stallion parades, please reach...
Another breeding right in Darley's standout first-season sire Blue Point (Ire), who is already fully booked for 2024, will be auctioned on their website on Wednesday, Dec. 13-14. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. UK time and run until 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14. The son of Shamardal has been represented by 51 individual winners so far and is the sire of a pair of colts to strike at the highest level--G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Rosallion (Ire), and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Big Evs...
by Heather Anderson and J.N. Campbell With New Year's celebrations firmly in the rearview, racing eyes turn to Dubai, as the $7.5-million Dubai World Cup Carnival kicks off at Meydan Racecourse. The DWCC culminates on Super Saturday, Mar. 4, the warmup for the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup card slated for Mar. 26. Of the seven races carded, five are black-type level and there are a quartet of stakes contests set to be decided in the desert on Friday. Anchoring the action is the $250,000 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1...
Five-time Group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and the Classic-winning Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) all have had their first mares scanned in foal, Darley Europe announced on Monday. Each stallion also has a full book. A crack miler, Palace Pier stands for £55,000 at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket. Also, a winner of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Space Blues commands €17,500 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland. Rounding out the trio, Victor Ludorum landed the G1 Prix...
Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}) will stand for an unchanged fee of £250,000 at Dalham Hall Stud and anchors the 2022 roster for Darley Europe. His fee is the most expensive in Europe. He enjoyed a notable success at the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships, with three winners in a single year, the first sire to reach that mark in the 37-year history of the Breeders' Cup. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf went to Modern Games (Ire), Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile was won by new Kildangan Stud resident...
The Darley Europe roster, featuring new stallions Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}-Nightime {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal-Lava Flow {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) and Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal-Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}), has been announced. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most fees have been reduced, some by 25% or more. Leading the overall roster is veteran Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}), who will stand for £250,000 at Dalham Hall Stud. The sire of four Group 1 winners this year along, including the brilliant MG1SW Ghaiyyath, his progeny have...
Darley stallion Charming Thought (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who operated out of Dalham Hall Stud for a fee of £5,000 this year, became the latest European freshman sire off the mark when the Tick Tock Partnership's Alicestar (GB) claimed a debut score going a shade over six furlongs in Wednesday's Southwold Novice Auction S. at Great Yarmouth. 5th-Great Yarmouth, £5,400, Nov, 7-22, 2yo, 6f 3yT, 1:13.47, g/f. ALICESTAR (GB) (f, 2, Charming Thought {GB}--Atheera {Ire}, by Shamardal) found cover in fifth from the outset of this unveiling. Angled into the...
Highweight Manduro (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}-Mandellicht {Ire}, by Be My Guest), sustained a fatal heart attack at Haras du Logis on Saturday, Darley announced. The five-time highweight was 18 and stood for €7,000 at Haras du Logis this year. Bred by Rolf Brunner, the half-brother to SW, G1 German Oaks third, and Group 1 producer Mandela (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) brought €130,000 at the 2003 Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale and would race his entire career in the colours of Baron Georg von Ullmann. Two-for-two in his juvenile season and named Germany's champion...
Darley stallion Buratino (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who operates out of Kildangan Stud at a fee of €5,000 (on Oct. 1 special live foal terms), registered an overdue first winner when Hambleton Racing 38's Tinochio (Ire) landed the spoils going five furlongs in Wednesday's British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S. at Hamilton. The MG1SP G2 Coventry S. victor had so nearly cut through on Tuesday, but Michael Mulvany trainee The Blue Panther (Ire) was denied in the final stride of a Navan maiden heat. 2nd-Hamilton, £6,400, Nov, 6-24, 2yo,...
With Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in her box at Clarehaven, John Gosden could have been forgiven for giving up on the 2020 G1 Prince of Wales's S. but instead he unleashed a secret weapon in the hugely-progressive Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and duly collected regardless. Despite the striking manner of his success in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Haydock just 10 days previously, it was still a surprise to see that his trainer believed he was worthy of being pitched in at this level and now we know...
G1 July Cup hero Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})'s first foal arrived on Jan. 22, a filly out of Karijini (Ger) (Siyouni {Fr}), Darley announced. Born at Brighwalton Stud, the chestnut's second dam is a full-sister to European highweight Stagecraft (GB) (Sadler's Wells). "[She is] a very nice foal, very strong for a maiden mare," said Brighwalton Stud's Stud Manager Sean Keane. "Good body, well put together, short coupled, good shoulder, healthy and strong. I'm very happy with her." Harry Angel will stand for £20,000 in the upcoming season.