Newtown Anner Stud Farm

It has been a while since Jim Bolger had a real top-flight prospect and so it was welcome sight that greeted Cork's faithful on Sunday when his unbeaten filly Sparan Nua (Dawn Approach) took the G3 Darley Munster Oaks. After Newtown Anner Stud's recent acquisition had mastered her elders in the mile-and-a-half contest, her breeder and trainer was looking at next month's Curragh Classic. "She is still learning on the job and was green enough there today," Bolger said of the 11-4 favourite, who was stepping up after winning over...

Karl Burke trainee Convergent (Fascinating Rock), runner-up in last term's G1 Deutsches Derby, won the best-turned-out award prior to Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise John Porter Stakes at Newbury and claimed the main prize after overcoming traffic problems in the straight to register a third Group-race triumph. "If we can keep him sound and going the right way I think there is a Group 1 in him for sure," said Burke. "I suppose he could be the best we've had over these distances and before him it would be...

Karl Burke trainee Convergent (Fascinating Rock), who had hit the board in a stellar edition of May's G3 Chester Vase and July's G1 Deutsches Derby, gained his black-type breakthrough in the G3 Kilternan five weeks ago and climbed another rung up the ladder with a career best in Sunday's G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp. "The race panned out exactly how I wanted it to," said winning rider Clifford Lee. "It was a strong gallop, but he's one of those that doesn't want being in front too soon....

6th-Saratoga, $97,000, Msw, 8-17, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.07, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. TELEPORT (IRE) (c, 2, Lope de Vega {Ire}--Gravitee {Fr}, by Galileo {Ire}), who was part of an uncoupled entry from the barn Todd Pletcher, was elevated to the top spot after the stewards said that Scope (Gun Runner) fouled his stablemate in the stretch. After three scratches earlier in the day and one at the gate, the debuting Teleport--an 'Insight' runner--went off as the 3-2 race favorite. Controlling the tempo throughout, the chestnut colt was looking to close...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - George Weaver, Javier Castellano and Belgian (Beau Laim) combined to make all the right moves Thursday that yielded an 11-length victory in the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course. When a mid-afternoon downpour forced the $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds to be moved from the Mellon Turf Course to the main track, five of the nine horses entered were scratched. Weaver said he never considered taking Belgian, who he trains for Newtown Anner Stud Farm, out the contest. "He's handy enough on the dirt,"...

1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 8-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:23.64, gd. GERYON (IRE) (c, 2, Lope De Vega {Ire}--Oboe, by Mizzen Mast), sent off at 18-1 for this hotly-contested maiden, travelled smoothly without cover just off the pace throughout the early stages. Joining Kensington Lane (Starspangledbanner) inside the last half a furlong, the newcomer asserted to score by 1 1/4 lengths. "We have two colts that we like, this fella and Res Ipsa who ran at Leopardstown on Thursday," trainer Ger Lyons said. "Res Ipsa fluffed his lines so I suppose it took...

Newtown Anner Stud's Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Lady Lara {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}) fired the opening salvo on Irish Champions Weekend with a dominant, albeit wayward, victory in Saturday's Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. The 220,000gns October Book 1 graduate, who posted a three-length maiden victory over the same seven-furlong strip in her second outing last month, broke well from an outer gate and tracked the leaders in third through halfway. Taking closer order off the home turn, the 6-5 favourite quickened to the fore...

Building on her debut second over seven furlongs at Leopardstown last month, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Lady Lara {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}) returned to the same course and distance to stamp her authority on the card's opening maiden on Thursday. Another from Ger Lyons' talent-packed team of juvenile fillies, the 220,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase was restrained to track the leading duo by Colin Keane throughout the early stages. Let loose passing the two-furlong pole, the 5-6 favourite whose GII Honey Fox Stakes-winning dam...

Jockey John Velazquez made an appearance at Naas in Ireland late on Wednesday afternoon as he attempted to take home his first winner on the Emerald Isle. The Hall of Famer, who has never ridden on Irish soil before, signed on to guide Dermot Weld trainee De Janeiro (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the third race which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET--a six-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up. His mount finished off the board. Before appearing at Naas, the filly ran third at Fairyhouse for Newtown Anner Stud Farm...

Rebounding from a disappointing effort when beating only two rivals in the G1 1000 Guineas, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was an authoritative winner of Sunday's G2 Wempe 104th German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf. Sent off the 13-5 favourite, last year's G2 May Hill S. and G3 Prestige S. winner was handily-placed throughout by Adrie De Vries and stayed on strongly to take control a furlong out. At the line, the Karl Burke-trained homebred had 2 1/4 lengths to spare...

Newtown Anner Stud's homebred Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) improved off a debut third at Haydock to post an impressive 10-length tally over the same seven-furlong distance at Thirsk last month and made a smooth transition upped to pattern-race level with a game tally in Saturday's G3 William Hill Prestige Fillies' S. at Goodwood. Positioned in a stalking second after a smart getaway, the 5-2 favourite fanned wide with the field off the home turn and kept on relentlessly under a drive inside the...

After Saturday's exhilarating juvenile action at Doncaster and Saint-Cloud, Leopardstown pitched in late afternoon to offer up its own 2022 Classic hopeful in TDN Rising Star Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G3 Eyrefield S. Impressive over a mile at The Curragh when breaking his maiden Aug. 21, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred had disappointed when sixth of seven over the same track dropping a furlong for the Sept. 12 G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and had a point to prove in a deep...