Blackbeard

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...

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...

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE - Pound for pound, Camas Park Stud has produced the goods like no other consignment at the Arqana August Sale in recent years.  Queen Mary third Balantina (Ten Sovereigns), Saratoga Oaks runner-up Evershed (Churchill) and genuine Derby hope Isaac Newton (Camelot) are just some of the August Sale graduates that have been strutting their stuff on the track this year alone for an outfit that sold the 2022 European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear on this sale ground.  Put simply, few people run a tighter ship than Tim...

Circle the wagons and sally forth as one, for Deauville is in view, which means only one thing: it'll soon be Christmas. There is, however, a circuitous route to be navigated before we reconvene under the Normandy lights in December. And right now, surely even the older members of the travelling show can lift an enthusiastic heart, along with the odd glass or two, as the summer holidays merge happily with the beginning of the European yearling sales at Arqana and some damn good sport across the road at the...

Coolmore has introduced three new names to its Irish roster for next year with Paddington (GB) heading the list of newcomers at €55,000. The son of Siyouni (Fr) won six of his eight races this year, including four Group 1 victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace, Eclipse, and Sussex S. Little Big Bear (Ire), winner of the G1 Phoenix S. at two followed by the G2 Sandy Lane S. this year before finishing runner-up in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, will stand for €27,500. The Antarctic (Ire), a...

Little Big Bear (Ire) has been named Europe's champion juvenile for 2022 and becomes the 12th European champion 2-year-old to have been trained by Aidan O'Brien. The son of No Nay Never, who was bred by Camas Park Stud and Summerhill, achieved his top rating of 124 for his seven-length rout in the G1 Keeenland Phoenix S. at the Curragh. The victory was the culmination of four straight wins in five starts, including the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot and the G3 Anglesey S. "We always thought from...

Whether it was Bayside Boy (Ire) at Ballylinch, Minzaal (Ire) at Derrinstown or King Of Change (GB) and Dubawi Legend (Ire) at Starfield, one of the main takeaways from this year's Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail was that the pedigree buffs and bloodstock fans love nothing more than getting a glimpse at the new stallions this country has to offer.  "Don't dream of putting a picture of that lad up on Twitter otherwise I'll have Eddie O'Leary tweeting that it's not the only pig down in Ballyhane," - Joe Foley. Few...

Off the back of a star-studded season, No Nay Never will stand for €175,000 in 2023, which represents a €50,000 rise, while his dual Group 1-winning son Blackbeard (Ire) will join him on the Coolmore roster next year at a price of €25,000. No Nay Never has had an exceptional year. Older filly Alcohol Free (Ire) landed the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, but it has been his Coolmore-owned and Aidan O'Brien-trained juveniles that have set tongues wagging this term. Like his father, Blackbeard landed the G1 Prix Morny in...

Kirsten Rausing's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Shadwell's outstanding colt Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) head the nominations for the 32nd Cartier Racing Awards, which will be held at London's Dorchester Hotel on Wednesday, November 9. Both trained in Newmarket throughout their careers, Alpinista and Baaeed have won 11 Group 1 races between them. They are joined on the short list for Cartier Horse of the Year by John Fairley's treble Group 1-winning sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Moyglare...

LEXINGTON, KY--Meditate (Ire)'s barnstorming display in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf provided one of the strongest indications yet that No Nay Never would produce Classic types as well as deadly speedballs, according to the winning trainer Aidan O'Brien. It has been a season to remember for No Nay Never with Little Big Bear (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire) winning three Group 1 juvenile races in Europe over six furlongs between them. However, in pulling over two lengths clear of her rivals to win the Keeneland Group I in stylish...

Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never--Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}), a dual Group 1 winner this season for Aidan O'Brien, will miss the Breeders' Cup with a knee injury and has been retired to Coolmore Stud. "Blackbeard was a little off after exercise this morning in preparation for the Breeders' Cup," O'Brien said. "Unfortunately, when we had him X-rayed the radiographs showed a small chip in his right knee and a decision has been made to retire him. He's a typical No Nay Never; strong, early- maturing and very...