Look De Vega

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....

We're sliding down the scale slightly for this second part of our look at the sires standing across Europe to those with an advertised fee of £15,000 to £50,000 (approximately €17,000 to €57,000). And how can we not start with the champion sire of 2024, Dark Angel? At €45,000, his fee is the lowest it has been for a decade, and of course the years are marching on, but if there is one thing we have learnt about Dark Angel in his 18 seasons at Yeomanstown Stud it is that...

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...

For the third time in four years, Sioux Nation was the busiest Flat stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland in 2025, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The son of Scat Daddy, who stands at Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud in County Cork, was usurped last year by his ill-fated stud-mate, Calyx, but he returned to the top of the charts during the latest breeding season, having covered 282 mares. The busiest stallion of any description was Whytemount Stud's Affinisea on 314, ahead of Boardsmill...

Half-siblings to Classic winners Look De Vega and Coeursamba are among more than 800 horses catalogued for the five-day Arqana October Yearling Sale, which begins in Deauville on Tuesday, October 21. Part 1 of the sale, which takes place over Tuesday and Wednesday, also includes a St Mark's Basilica three-parts-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Laurens, half-brothers to the Group 1 winners Woodshauna and Kew Gardens, and a full-sister to G1 Prix Marcel Boussac victrix Zellie.  Also featured is the first foal, a filly by Frankel, of the G1 Matron...

John O'Connor on securing Lope De Vega's Classic-winning son  The equine transfer market is no less difficult to navigate than its footballing equivalent and John O'Connor pulled off a coup that even powerhouse clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona would have been proud of in luring last year's breathtaking Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega (Fr) to Ballylinch Stud.  Look De Vega will stand alongside his sire Lope De Vega (Ire) at the County Kilkenny stud. This is on a par with Lionel Messi's son starring for Barcelona...

It's not often a stallion based outside the continent gets graded winners in the U.S. keeping pace with the leading sires here. Ireland's Lope De Vega (Ire) is not only keeping pace, but more than holding his own. When Carl Spackler (Ire) won Sunday's GI Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, he became the second U.S. Grade I winner in 2024 for his sire, joining Program Trading (GB), who won Churchill's GI Turf Classic Stakes on Derby day. For comparison, only one stallion (Gun Runner) has three Grade I winners in the...

DEAUVILLE, France--The August Yearling Sale catalogue provides a unique glimpse into the past, present and-perhaps most importantly-the future.  On the cover you have last year's brilliant Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact (Ire) alongside what bookmakers deem to be the most likely winner of this year's renewal, Look De Vega (Fr). Both colts were sold at this sale. When you turn the pages, there are over 300 yearlings who could chart a similar path. And the world knows. Not least Japan's superstar trainer Yoshito Yahagi. It was at...

A majority interest in Qatar Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega (Fr) has been purchased by Ballylinch Stud in association with Al Shaqab Racing. A son of Ballylinch sire Lope De Vega (Ire), Look De Vega is as short as 4-1 for the Prix de lArc de Triomphe and will continue his racing career in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing. He will retire to Ballylinch at the end of his racing career to stand alongside his world-famous sire.  John O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud, commented, "We...

"What is important for a man can only happen in spite of him," writes Marcel Proust in In Search of Lost Time. This cherished quote sprang to mind after contacting Joelle Mestrallet to ask if she would agree to an interview for the TDN in the wake of the awesome victory of Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the Prix du Jockey Club. Without knowing her well, I was aware of her modesty and the fact that she enjoys keeping a low profile. As much as this...

With two Classic winners to his name already this season, Lope De Vega (Ire) peers down at his peers from on high in the stallion table. In an era of great depth to the European sire ranks, it is hard to begrudge the son of Shamardal his time in the spotlight with an increasingly burgeoning record of excellence. The Aga Khan's Rouhiya (Fr) landed the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for Francis-Henri Graffard, followed by Sunday's easy victory for Look De Vega (Fr) in the Prix du Jockey Club. The latter...

On the 15th anniversary of the passing of Vincent O'Brien, his successor at Ballydoyle, Aidan O'Brien, extended his record at Epsom to 10 wins in the Derby. Vincent O'Brien's daughter and son-in-law Sue and John Magnier were not at Epsom on Saturday but several of the late, great trainer's grandchildren were in the winner's circle to greet City Of Troy. Their own family is now so strongly enmeshed with the man who shares their grandfather's surname but is no relation to the creator of Ballydoyle. Just like City Of Troy,...