MV Magnier

The King must by now be on pretty friendly terms with Aidan O'Brien, the trainer who has spent more time than any in his counting house. On Tuesday he handed him the trainer's prize for the five-furlong sprint named in His Majesty's honour and 48 hours later another was dished out for the longest Group 1 race run in Britain. The Gold Cup, with its 219-year history, is also one of the most cherished races of the week. In these eyes it ranks above all others, and a huge portion...

The ballot for the 2026 election of 22 Breeders' Cup Member positions was released Tuesday by Breeders' Cup Limited. Per their release, the Member election website will open at 9:00 a.m. ET Monday, May 25, and closes at 5:00 p.m. ET Monday, June 1. Of the 26 candidates on the ballot, 18 are incumbent Members standing for re-election. There are eight new individuals seeking election. The 20 individuals receiving the most votes will each serve four-year terms. Additionally, as the result of two vacancies, two terms lasting two years will...

MV Magnier shelled out 2.6 million gns for Group 1 winner Tamfana (Soldier Hollow) (lot 1743) later in the Sceptre Sessions on Tuesday. Bred by Gestut Etzean and Hans Helmut Rodenburg, the Menuisier trainee won the 2024 edition of the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes for Quantum Leap Racing VIII and Friends. Tamfana was picked up by Jeremy Brummitt for €20,000 out of the BBAG September Yearling Sale in 2022. Offered by Quantum Leap, the four-year-old was Magnier's third purchase of the day, after the classy Porta Fortuna at 4.5m gns...

Queen of the course and queen of the ring, four-time Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna (Caravaggio) was knocked down for 4.5 million gns to MV Magnier during Tuesday's Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the daughter of winner Too Precious (Holy Roman Emperor) has the option of racing again. Bred by Whisperview Trading, the four-year-old filly is out of a full-sister to multiple group winner Numerian, second in the G1 Australian Cup and G1 Doomben Cup. Porta Fortuna raced for Medallion Racing,...

Right arms and legs were made to be given for the Tattersalls December Foal Sale-topping Frankel colt who, at 1.15 million gns to Coolmore Stud, became the most expensive foal sold anywhere in Europe this year.  Like two old gunslingers facing off at dawn, MV Magnier took his position at the back of the cage while his opposition and eventual underbidder, Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge, sat almost directly opposite the Coolmore posse in the seats close to the exit of the ring.  Flanked by Barry Mahon, Mockridge did not go down...

A grey son of Frankel became the first seven-figure lot of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale when selling for 1,150,000gns to MV Magnier. Lot 882 was consigned by West Blagdon Stud and is a son of the G3 Prix de Lieurey heroine Cloudy Dawn (Kodiac). He was bred by James Wigan. Under the third dam is Group 1 winner and celebrated producer Grey Lilas (Danehill). "A great result for James Wigan - he is one of the best breeders there is," said MV Magnier. "It's a great farm and they...

5th-Belmont The Big A, $85,000, Msw, 10-17, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.11, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. PALADIN (c, 2, Gun Runner--Secret Sigh, by Tapit) scored his first career win here, albeit not in a way his connections likely believed he would after Renegade (Into Mischief)--first across the line--was disqualified to second. The even-money favorite for this unveiling, Paladin was never far from the front as he pushed Credit History (Nyquist) through an opening quarter in :23.20 and a half in :46.48. Asked to take command passing the half-mile, he had a slim...

Notable absentees from the first-day buyers' sheet at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the Coolmore partners made their second seven-figure purchase of Wednesday's session when going to 1,700,000gns for the No Nay Never colt out of the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Millisle (Starspangledbanner). Consigned by Watership Down Stud, lot 266 is the third foal out of Millisle, who also won the G3 Ballyogan Stakes as a three-year-old. Her first foal, Alfareqa (Frankel), successful once in five career starts, was herself a Book 1 yearling when bought...

At Tattersalls on Wednesday, MV Magnier confirmed that Delacroix will retire to Coolmore Stud for the 2026 breeding season.  The winner of the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes and G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, Delacroix is set to appear first on Qipco British Champions Day where he holds entries for the G1 Champion Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The three-year-old son of Dubawi and the brilliant racemare Tepin is the winner of six of his 11 races and he was beaten just a nose when second last year in...

A great day for the Cumanis' Fittocks Stud draft continued with the sale of lot 218, the Dubawi colt out of G1 Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe (Nathaniel), for 1,300,000gns. He became the first purchase at Book 1 this week for Coolmore. The colt's breeder Emma Banks, who sold his full-brother to Godolphin at last year's sale for 2,000,000gns, said, "I'm so lucky to have a mare that has produced two beautiful yearlings. Her [Too Darn Hot colt] foal is lovely and she's in foal to Wootton Bassett, so it's...

KILDARE, IRELAND - For the second time in Goffs Orby Sale history, a full-sister to Blackbeard led the way - this time with Coolmore's MV Magnier going to €1.9 million to secure the Glenvale Stud-consigned daughter of No Nay Never.  It was at this sale in 2022 when Run Away commanded top lot status when selling to Richard Knight for €2.3 million. In the meantime, Blackbeard has made a good impression with his first crop of yearlings while his little brother Charles Darwin has proved himself to be a chip...

There was a sense of deja vu at Kildare Paddocks on Tuesday as Glenvale Stud's No Nay Never filly out of Muirin (Born To Sea) stole the show at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, with MV Magnier having to stretch to €1.9 million - the highest price of the sale so far - to outpoint Jacob West. Whilst perhaps best known for producing the dual Group 1-winning juvenile Blackbeard and this year's G2 Norfolk Stakes winner Charles Darwin from her previous trysts with No Nay Never, Muirin also made headlines...