Kildaragh Stud

Britain had not had a prior runner in the first two editions of Monday's €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, which is part of the Smullen Series, and Richard Hannon trainee Bunyola Bay (Ghaiyyath) broke new ground to become the first and took a €100,000 prize back across the Irish Sea after making virtually all in the 9 1/2-furlong feature. "He's relatively inexperienced and it was his first time going around a bend today, but it was impressive and he had to be," said rider Sean Levey. "We've always...

Derrinstown Stud resident Minzaal (Mehmas) became the latest freshman sire off the mark when his Clive Cox-trained son Satellite Of Love made a winning debut in Division 2 of Saturday evening's Bodhi Solutions Exceeding Expectations In Construction EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes at Windsor. The £45,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling went postward as a 13-2 chance for the six-furlong contest and registered a 1 3/4-length verdict at the Berkshire venue. Breaking swiftly to race under a firm hold on the front end through the early fractions, he came under pressure approaching...

KHK Racing's Zanthos (Sioux Nation) hit the €1-million mark at May's Arqana Breeze-Up sale and recovered some of that initial outlay with a taking debut success in Saturday's Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Newcomers' Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket. In command throughout the seven-furlong newcomers' test, the 4-5 favourite was rowed along with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and kept on strongly under mild urging in the closing stages to easily outpoint Classic Cuvee (Siyouni) by an impressive three lengths. "She showed a nice turn of foot and lots of quality," said Simon...

Godolphin picked up where they left off yesterday when going to 1,600,000gns to secure Kildaragh Stud's Sea The Stars (Ire) filly during Thursday's session at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Lot 325, a full-sister to the G1 Prix de Royallieu heroine Sea Silk Road (Ire), became Godolphin's sixth yearling bought for more than a million at this year's sale, with the others including Wednesday's top lot, Grangemore Stud's full-sister to Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who fetched 2,900,000gns.   🤩 Godolphin add lot 325 to their haul...

Clive Cox trainee Diligently (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}--Anna Of Lorraine {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) had failed to strike in five prior outings, but timed his breakthrough success to perfection and swooped late to garner Thursday's £626,462 Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes at York. The February-foaled bay, a 30,000gns Tattersalls December foal turned £100,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling, was positioned in a handy seventh after an alert getaway in this six-furlong contest. Inching closer from halfway, the 22-1 chance was bustled along to go fourth entering the...

George Waud's Englemere (Ire) (Goken {Fr}--Ascot Family {Ire}, by Desert Style {Ire}), who finished within eight lengths of the winner when 14th in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary Stakes, ran second in a Sandown nursery last month and made the transition back to stakes company a winning one in Friday's Listed Highclere Thoroughbred Racing St Hugh's Stakes at Newbury. The 8-1 chance occupied a position at the tail of the larger far-side pack and remained in rear when the field's two groups merged soon after halfway. Making eyecatching progress into...

"Their welfare was our livelihood." Peter Kavanagh could easily be talking about the mares and foals out in the paddocks at Kildaragh Stud. In fact he is casting his mind back to childhood days on his family's cattle farm.  Though racing and breeding are increasingly observed through the prism of the data supplied by technology, a back-to-basics approach would stand any aspiring breeder in good stead, as would an hour spent listening to Kavanagh. There's a touch of the John Cleese about him: long legs which could easily propel him...

NEWMARKET, UK--For those of us of a certain age, for whom the years seem to flash by ever faster, that hill up to Tattersalls seems to get steeper every year. One family which has no trouble striding their way up to their draft just through the wrought iron gates is the Kavanaghs of Kildaragh Stud, and this week it's not just because, collectively, they have the longest legs in the business. On Saturday, the family enjoyed two terrific results, both as breeze-up consignors and breeders, when first the Tattersalls Craven...

Sunderland Holding's G1 Yorkshire Oaks fifth and G1 Prix Vermeille third Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Oriental Magic {Ger}, by Doyen {Ire}) added to her victory in June's G3 Pinnacle S. with a decisive three-length triumph for a career high in Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp. Employing patient tactics off the tempo in rear for most of the 14-furlong stamina test, the 38-5 chance made smooth headway on the bridle in the straight to seize control entering the final furlong and powered clear of toiling...

Jean-Claude Rouget trainee Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Speculating {Ire}, by Xtension {Ire}) created a favourable impression when notching a two-length debut triumph going six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in May and delivered a performance of raw power to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' badge over the same trip in Saturday's Prix de la Croix des Veneurs at Chantilly. Havana Cigar failed to make best use of his stands' side draw and was steadied at the tail of the six-runner field after missing a beat at the kick. Powering by rivals...

It's that time of year again, the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale--where whispers of Royal Ascot horses and potential breeze-up sensations fills the air.  There's scarcely anything more exciting than the eve of a major sale and they don't come much bigger than the Craven.  This is where Classic winners Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) were found and the roll of honour does not stop there. Everything is up for grabs at Tattersalls over the next two days and few people know this better...

As statements of intent go, the results for Charlie Appleby's stable over recent weeks speak loudly as to his determination to retain the trainers' championship in 2022. Twenty-three runners have emerged from Moulton Paddocks in the last fortnight, and 13 of them have returned home as winners, most importantly Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the champion 2-year-old in Europe last year whose triumph return in the G3 Craven S. got the season off on a proper footing. Of that baker's dozen, four were by the trainer's reliable old friend...