Ballylinch To Stand New Bay

In the space of 24 hours in September, the Ballylinch stallions snagged a brace of Classics when first Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) won the G1 St Leger followed by the triumph of the redoubtable Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) in the G1 Irish St Leger.

Beat Hollow transferred to Ballylinch from Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud in 2012 and while he is busy being cast in a new light in the National Hunt sphere, Wicklow Brave's versatility reminded us that the 19-year-old son of Sadler's Wells is still perfectly capable of siring top-class Flat runners.

Beat Hollow will be joined at Ballylinch next season by another Juddmonte-bred from the same high-class stallion-producing family when G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) retires to the Co Kilkenny Farm. In similar vein to the recent arrangement announced for Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}), the 4 year-old will stand for a partnership, with Juddmonte retaining an interest in the horse and the China Horse Club also becoming involved.

“Juddmonte will be giving him plenty of support and we're delighted about that,” said Ballylinch Stud Manager John O'Connor at Goffs on Thursday. “We have taken a sizeable chunk and the rest will then be syndicated among existing share-holders in the Ballylinch stallions.”

New Bay holds all the credentials required to have earned a place at a leading stallion operation. His dam, the listed winner Cinnamon Bay (GB) (Zamindar), is a grand-daughter of Bahamian, whose descendants include not only Beat Hollow but also Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert) and Martaline (GB) (Linamix {Fr}), while another recent addition to the Juddmonte stallion ranks, Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), is a son of Oasis Dream's Classic-winning half-sister Zenda (GB) who, like Cinnamon Bay, is also by Zamindar.

Throughout his racing career, New Bay was a model of consistency, notching five wins in 11 starts from Andre Fabre's stable. His victories include not only his French Classic success but also the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, G2 Qatar Prix Niel and this summer's G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron. Furthermore, he was runner-up to another young Ballylinch sire, Make Believe (GB), by Dubawi's son Makfi (GB), in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, in what transpired to be a vintage edition of the Classic which also featured subsequent multiple Group 1 winners Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

“New Bay is a well-made horse and a very good mover,” O'Connor added. “Andre Fabre had a lot of regard for him and I've always respected his opinion–he really rated him. Coincidentally, Andre also trained Lope De Vega, who also won the Prix du Jockey-Club as well as the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.”

The eight-strong line-up at Ballylinch Stud is headed by Lope De Vega (Ire), the leader of the TDN third-crop sires' list in 2016 with $3,876,976 (€3,630,957) in progeny earnings and six group winners this term. The other new name for 2017 was also a tough campaigner, Newtown Anner Stud's 5-year-old homebred Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). His eight victories included the 2015 G1 QIPCO Champion S. and this year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, each time at the expense of subsequent G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

O'Connor continued, “New Bay raced until he was four and Fascinating Rock until he was five. I've always taken the view that I like horses to be sound mentally and physically, and we like them to be by a major international stallion. We wouldn't normally plan to stand two new horses in the same season but when the right horse comes along it's important to move on him.

“New Bay has a lot of the things we look for–I like the idea that he comes from a real stallion family and of course the support of [Ballylinch Stud owner] John Malone makes it achievable to target really top horses. We have a good track record of standing stallions when the original racing owner remains involved and that's something we'd like to build on.” New Bay will stand his first season for a fee of €20,000.