Jeff Smith

"I was speechless," says David Bowe of being presented with this year's Wild Geese Award at the ITBA's National Breeding and Racing Awards on Sunday night.  The award recognises Irish men and women who have forged successful careers in the bloodstock industry worldwide, and its recipients to date have included those working in Australia and America. Bowe didn't fly too far afield, though he did serve a stint in the States early in his career. For more than a quarter of a century he has been based just across the...

Jeff Smith's unbeaten G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. winner Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is pleasing trainer Clive Cox in his early preparation towards a potential start in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas back at the Rowley Mile. "He's done really well, he had a super break and he's been back cantering for three or four weeks," Cox said. "We're thrilled with the way he's developed over the winter, he's looking even stronger. "We were delighted with the campaign we enjoyed with him last year and we're all looking forward to...

Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never--Plying, by Hard Spun), a four-time Group 1-winning 6-year-old, will be covered by Frankel (GB) and is already back in the Northern Hemisphere, owner Yulong Investments confirmed to the TDN on Wednesday. Bred by Churchtown House Stud, she sold for €40,000 as a Goffs November foal and was originally raced by Jeff Smith of Littleton Stud and trainer Andrew Balding. Successful in the G1 Cheveley Park S. as a juvenile, both the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. went her way in 2021. Kept...

Unbeaten entering Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket but untried in black-type company, Jeff Smith's Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) came through the test with flying colours to count himself among the 2024 Classic contenders. Always travelling easily in the wake of Ballydoyle's front-running G2 Champions Juvenile S. runner-up Capulet (Justify), the 100-30 second favourite who hails from the Juddmonte family of a former giant to master this Rowley Mile in Zafonic took the measure of that 7-4 favourite when sweeping to the fore two out. Pushed out...

It's a rare Jeff Smith colour-bearer that has not been bred at his successful Hampshire nursery of Littleton Stud, but shopping around for new blood can pay dividends for breeders, and in the case of Alcohol Free (Ire), there have been handsome dividends indeed.  Four years ago, the weanling daughter of No Nay Never caught the eye of Littleton Stud manager David Bowe at the Goffs November Sale, where she was bought from her breeder Churchtown Stud for €40,000. By the time the four-time Group 1 winner exits from her...

Put in his place when five-lengths second to TDN Rising Star Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Salisbury's Listed Stonehenge S. over a mile last time Aug. 19, Jeff Smith's Stormbuster (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Barshiba {Ire}, by Barathea {Ire}) took a step forward on Friday to dominate Newbury's storied Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. Breaking well under David Probert to lead his three rivals, the 6-1 shot put another of Godolphin's TDN Rising Stars Highbank (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) into the red approaching two out and powered through the...

She wasn't supposed to like fast ground, but Jeff Smith's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) skipped the light fantastic on Newmarket's balmy July Course to stamp her class on Saturday's feature G1 Darley July Cup. Back to this six-furlong trip for the first time since winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. as a juvenile when under three-lengths ninth in Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S., the 14-1 shot was drawn in the right place with that race's winner Naval Crown (GB)...

G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) will revert to the mile distance over which she won those two features for the Oct. 16 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. after beating just one home in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter. The 3-year-old filly, who also won last year's G1 Cheveley Park S., was racing beyond a mile for the first time. "Going up to a mile and a quarter was always going to be a punt," said trainer...

It would be perfectly natural to feel some regret for having sold a mare in the same year that she foaled a subsequent treble Group 1 winner. But you will hear nothing of the sort from Michael Gaffney of Churchtown House Stud, breeder of Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never). "We are absolutely thrilled with what she has done. We are very proud of her and very pleased for her owner Jeff Smith," says Gaffney. "It's a huge thing for us to have bred a filly like her--we are not...

Just minutes after losing the argument for keeping the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Oisin Murphy was playing Mr bouncebackability as he steered Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) to clear-cut glory in the G1 Coronation S. It will certainly be a Royal Ascot Friday the reigning champion jockey, who has generally been put through the emotional wringer this month, will never forget with such extreme highs and lows all within the space of less than an hour. To add another aside to this tumultuous...

Within the same week that Thady Gosden joined his father John on the joint-training licence at Clarehaven, across town a metaphorical baton was passed from father to son at one of Newmarket's most historic stables, Park Lodge.  This has been both home and place of business to James and Gay Eustace for a little over 30 years and the time has come for their eldest son Harry to convert his extensive and diverse apprenticeship into becoming a trainer in his own right. James has thus stood aside for Harry to...