No Nay Never

They walked around the paddock one behind the other, like a little brother following his big brother around. The swaggering Gstaad led the more demure Bow Echo, looking as though at least a year separated them in age.  But when the time came to tussle there was no brotherly love lost as the pair fought with each stride to the line, delivering the battle royal we had hoped to see but perhaps had not dared to dream would happen. Whichever way the photo went, a Guineas winner would be crowned...

Aidan O'Brien's pattern-race resume at Royal Ascot had yet to include the G1 King Charles III Stakes and the Ballydoyle maestro completed the set when Ryan Moore produced the gelded three-year-old Mission Central (No Nay Never) fast and late to follow up Great Barrier Reef's Coventry success and secure a quickfire double for his sire in the five-furlong charge. The race is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in the autumn. "They went hard, which suited him, and Ryan [Moore] gave him...

After taking up the rare position of bystander for the Queen Anne, Aidan O'Brien was back in business two races into Royal Ascot 2026 as Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) conquered the G2 Coventry Stakes. Partnered by Wayne Lordan with Ryan Moore on the sire's Confucius, the 6-1 shot who had taken the Marble Hill last month navigated his path from stall three far away from the stands' side to bring up a 12th renewal of the race that launched the trainer at the meeting in 1997. "Confucius is...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Tribalism in Arcadia. No Nay Never Colt Finds His People BR Thoroughbreds' Tribalism (No Nay Never) graduated going a mile at Santa Anita on May 30 (video). The Michael McCarthy trainee was bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds Limited. Second on debut at Keeneland, Tribalism was a $280,000 buy-back out of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The third foal and first winner for the multiple stakes-placed...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Siyouincanada at Churchill Downs. Oh, Canada! Making his first start in the colours of breeder LNJ Foxwoods, Siyouincanada took charge from the bell and stormed home to win by 2 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs (video). Trained by Joe Sharp, the son of Siyouni is out of the winner Polished (Kitten's Joy). Siyouincanada is the second runner and first winner for his dam,...

By the time Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) had crossed the line in front in Sunday's G3 Kilkea Castle Marble Hill Stakes, the weighing room collective had to admit it was Ryan Moore's world and they were just living in it. Taking his weekend Curragh tally to six-from-six including four at Group level, the supremo had to work a bit harder this time to justify picking the TDN Rising Star over the stable's other No Nay Never colt Carry The Flag but was ultimately proved right again. The pace-setting runner-up,...

1.45 Curragh, Mdn, 2yo, f, 6fT SNOWING (IRE) (No Nay Never) is one of three from Ballydoyle and not the first choice, but as a half-sister to the high-class multiple Group 1-placed miler Maljoom (Caravaggio) probably the most intriguing. A 950,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase, she is joined by Ryan Moore's pick Sun Goddess (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a relative of Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica) who was runner-up at Naas, and Heaven's Glory (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a full-sister to this month's Listed Lingfield Oaks winner Cameo.

Ryan Moore has sided with True Love (No Nay Never) of the high-profile Ballydoyle pair at the head of the market for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh. After a dozen were declared, Newmarket's 1,000 Guineas heroine who is drawn in one was the selection of Coolmore's number one rider with Wayne Lordan on the Fillies' Mile and Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Precise (Starspangledbanner). Seventh three weeks ago, she will exit from stall seven. Godolphin's Abashiri (Frankel), who was fifth at Newmarket, was confirmed by Charlie Appleby...

1.12 Navan, Mdn, 2yo, 5f 180yT TANTARDINI (No Nay Never) makes his racecourse bow in the maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Gstaad and is Wayne Lordan's pick of the Ballydoyle duo. The fourth foal out of the Sun Chariot, Falmouth and Prix Rothschild winner Roly Poly (War Front) and grandson of the four-times Group 1-winning  Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Misty For Me (Galileo) from the family of U S Navy Flag is joined by Sergei Diaghilev (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a full-brother to the triple Group-placed Endorsement.  ...

Introduced in Albert Einstein's maiden at Naas on Saturday, Ballydoyle's costly colt Confucius (No Nay Never) upstaged that much-vaunted stablemate in terms of winning time to become his sire's 13th TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. Out quickly in the near-six-furlong test staged on ground probably quicker than the official description of good, the 1.7million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase who was narrowly denied on debut at The Curragh last month was strong on the clock throughout as he saw off the smart Jack Davison-trained newcomer Alaskan Bear (Kodiac)...

Where to begin? Perhaps to say that, though this sport faces myriad challenges, the mere thrill of actually going racing is the perfect antidote to such pernicious worries.  And it wasn't just the blazing sunshine and searing performance of Bow Echo on the Rowley Mile that has renewed the faith. A week earlier a trip to Ripon - justifiably dubbed 'The Garden Racecourse' - on a similarly sunny Saturday bit for a more ordinary race day provided no less enjoyable an experience.  It is easy to become despondent with what...

If Saturday had been all about the local heroes, by Sunday the major prizes were scattered more widely as first Jancis then True Love smuggled the silverware across the Irish Sea.  For the combined team of Ballydoyle and Coolmore, winning European Classics has become almost commonplace - a key part of the mechanism that keeps the wheels turning on the largest and most successful breeding operation in the world. The 2,000 Guineas was just missed but the 1,000 Guineas was in the bag.  The magnificent specimen that is True Love...