Coolmore Stud

Kelly Thomas enjoyed a banner year with Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who she bred at her Maywood Stud, going unbeaten in a spellbinding two-year-old campaign that featured Group 1 wins in the Prix Morny and Middle Park S.  In this week's Q&A, Thomas revealed how some people in the industry have shared with her that she has become an inspiration for smaller breeders. She also lifted the lid on her own hopes and dreams for Vandeek this season and explained her philosophy to breeding.  You have had lots to...

Coolmore Stud's Mark Byrne has acknowledged that many breeders will be in two minds about covering their mares after what he described as one of the most "unusual" years of trade in 2023 but but encouraged supporters of the stud to retain the faith by saying "it's not always dark at five o'clock." Byrne was speaking during the Irish Stallion Trail where visitors to Coolmore got a chance to see newbies Paddington (GB), Little Big Bear (Ire) and The Antarctic (Ire). Parallels were drawn between the quandary facing breeders in...

The first reported foal for dual Group 1-winning 2-year-old Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) arrived on Tuesday, Coolmore Stud announced. A bay, she is out of the Frank Hutchinson-owned Arabic Charm (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who won two races. "She's a very good first foal with plenty of strength and lots of quality," said Coolmore's Eddie Fitzpatrick. "A great start for both the mare and the sire." The winner of the G1 Prix Morny, G1 Middle Park S., G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Marble Hill S., Blackbeard was...

   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 Imaboutago in Florida.   Debut Winner For Calyx In Florida Wesley Ward sent out Imaboutago (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) to a debut victory at Gulfstream Park for e Five Racing Thoroughbred on Friday (video). Bred by Ennistown Stud, the juvenile filly is out of Newtown Pippin (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and brought €12,000 as a Goffs November weanling from Rockview Stables, before making 105,000gns as...

A nomination to brilliant four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be auctioned to raise funds on behalf of injured jockey Graham Lee during the first day of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale on Monday, Dec. 4, Coolmore announced on Wednesday. The lot will be up for bid immediately prior to the first 'Sceptre' lot (1527).  Lee was injured in a fall as the horses left the gates at Newcastle earlier this month and sustained neck and spinal injuries. "Our partners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, George Von Opel...

Multiple group winner The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Anna Law {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}), a full-brother to crack sprinter Battaash (Ire), has been retired and will stand under the Coolmore banner at Castlehyde Stud in 2024, Coolmore announced on Wednesday. A fee for the G1 Middle Park S. second and G1 Prix Morny third will be announced later. "He's fast, a very good-looking individual and his own-brother Battaash is probably the best five-furlong sprinter of recent times," said Castlehyde's Paddy Fleming. "On a mark of 113 as a 2-year-old, the...

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 Bolshoi Ballet in a the Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga Race Course.   A Song And A Dance At Saratoga Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) delivered his second Grade I in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga on Saturday (video). Successful in the GI Belmont Derby two years previously, the 5-year-old entire...

'TDN Rising Star' Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) encountered G1 Prix Morny contender Ramatuelle (Justify) when hitting the board in June's G3 Prix du Bois at Chantilly and backed up a win in last month's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles at Vichy with an impressive performance and a career high in Saturday's G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville. The 22-5 chance was steadied to race at the tail of the field and found a comfortable rhythm tracking all seven rivals through the early fractions. Making smooth headway...

   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 a pair of new stakes winners by No Nay Never on Saturday. No Nay Never Sires Stakes Double Coolmore sire No Nay Never sired a stakes double in America on Saturday, to bring his international total to 49 stakes winners. First it was No Nay Mets (Ire), a colt from his 2021 crop, taking the Royal Palm Juvenile S. at Gulfstream Park (video), a Royal Ascot...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column covering Mar. 15-21, is highlighted by the victory of new 'TDN Rising Star' Preliminary (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables already celebrated the victory of Equitize this past week, and the white-and-red-striped colours were back in the limelight with the 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance of Preliminary in the ninth race in Hallandale Beach on Thursday for trainer Chad...

   In this new series, the TDN takes a look at the success of European-based sires in North America, on a semi-weekly basis. This week's column (Feb. 18-Feb. 25) is highlighted by the victory of Godolphin homebred Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Albert M. Stall Memorial S. at Fair Grounds on Feb. 18. A worldwide influence for class, Dubawi celebrated his 250th stakes winner with Lake Lucerne's two-length victory for Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione in a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes in New Orleans eight days previously. The 6-year-old...

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...