Ballylinch Stud

Owner-breeder Arturo Cousino has promised to cheer on Jancis (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) when she lines out in the G1 Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival after admitting to have been completely lost for words when his star filly landed a Group 3 at Leopardstown last week. What that victory meant to the 63-year-old, whose family is steeped in racing and breeding history in his native Chile, can scarcely be put into words. Literally. "Honestly, I couldn't believe it," Cousino recalled of that Brownstown Stakes success. "When I saw her...

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...

Godolphin's Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), racing under a five-pound penalty, maintained his unbeaten record with a 3/4-of-a-length tally in Friday's Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown. 4th-Sandown, £40,000, Nov, 7-5, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.96, g/f. ANNO DOMINI (GB) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), penalised five pounds for annexing his June 13 debut at Newbury last time, was quickly into stride and tracked the leading duo for most of this return. Taking closer order in the straight, the 11-10 favourite quickened...

Godolphin's hitherto unraced Shadow Of Light (Ire) (Lope De Vega (Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}), a homebred three-parts brother to dual Group 1-winning sire Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), shed maiden status at the first attempt with a one-length victory in Thursday's Weatherbys EBF Maiden Stakes at Great Yarmouth. 2nd-Great Yarmouth, £9,950, Mdn, 7-4, 2yo, 6f 3yT, 1:13.60, gd. SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB) (c, 2, Lope De Vega {Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire} {G1SP-Eng}, by New Approach {Ire}) broke on the front end and accepted a lead in fourth after the initial...

Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane programme opened with a bang when Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred 2-year-old filly Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Polydream {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) unleashed a debut performance of note to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in Sunday's Prix de la Reine Blanche Longines Polyvega was a shade slow from the stands' side stall and raced in fourth after the initial strides of this debutantes' heat. Cruising forward on the bridle once past halfway, the 3-1 second choice was shaken up to seize control approaching...

Godolphin's 525,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to last month's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Kathmandu (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), made a winning debut in Thursday's Get 100/1 On England At BetVictor EBF Novice S. at Newbury. 2nd-Newbury, €12,000, Nov, 6-13, 2yo, 6 1/2fT, 1:18.73, g/f. ANNO DOMINI (GB) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) was squeezed for room early and raced four lengths off the pace through halfway in this debut. Bounding forward to launch...

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...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's twice-raced Halfday (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Daytime {GB}, by Frankel {GB}), who followed up a debut second at Deauville with a breakthrough score at Chantilly in December, continued on the upgrade with a dominant display in Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. The 27-5 chance broke in fourth, but was relegated to last of the six contenders after extended opening exchanges. Bustled along off the home turn, she made relentless headway in the straight to launch her challenge entering the final furlong and was ridden clear...

Recent winners of Chantilly's G3 Prix Sigy include subsequent Group 1 scorers Signs Of Blessing (Ire), Quiet Reflection (GB) and Sands Of Mali (Fr) and this year's renewal went the way of last term's Listed Prix Saraca victor and G3 Prix de Cabourg second Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}--Simple Magic {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who displayed elite-level potential defeating a solid cast of nine sophomore rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong dash. Last term's G1 Prix Morny sixth, who encountered a testing surface and dank conditions here, broke swiftly and...

Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti trainee Gala Real (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) notched an 11-length tally when shedding maiden status at Lyon-Parilly last November and continued on the upgrade with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance in Friday's Prix Durban at Saint-Cloud. The 73-10 chance, who had previously finished last of seven runners in her July 16 debut over seven furlongs at Chantilly, employed patient tactics from flagfall in this 10 1/2-furlong distaffers' test and settled off the tempo in sixth for the most part. Inching closer on the home turn, the daughter...

By Brian Sheerin and Katie Petrunyak Danish buyer Morten Buskop was left thanking his lucky stars on Sunday that his unnamed but long-standing client was more stubborn than him as he came out on top for the €190,000 Zarak (Fr) foal who led the way at the second session of the Arqana breeding stock sale.  There's nothing quite like seeing the sales house back up when a highly regarded horse walks into the ring and it became evident pretty quickly that the Haras de Montaigu-drafted colt had plenty of suitors...

Lope De Vega (Ire), whose new top-level winners in 2023 include Program Trading (GB) and Arapaho (Fr), has had his fee held at €125,000 for the fourth year. Four of the Ballylinch Stud stallions will stand in 2024 at the same price as they were advertised this year, while the fee for Waldgeist (GB) has been reduced. Ballylinch Stud's managing director John O'Connor said, "The Ballylinch stallion roster had another flagship year in 2023, with our proven sires Lope de Vega, New Bay and Make Believe being responsible for some...