Michael Donohoe

BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe secured Grade I-producing mare White Hot (Galileo {Ire}) at the Keeneland November Sale Wednesday for Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong Investements. Yulong's Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray confirmed the news to The Thoroughbred Report overnight. Hammering down for $2.1 million, White Hot, the dam of GISW Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), was offered in-foal to multiple leading sire Into Mischief by Stone Farm (hip 170). The purchase was part of a quartet of mares that went to Yulong for a combined total of $3,525,000. All options remain open...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale gained momentum throughout its opening session and concluded a day of competitive bidding Wednesday evening with 11 seven-figure mares and a median up 30% from its 2022 counterpart. "It was a good day. It was a really good day," said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. "We were really pleased with the session overall. The theme of the century seems to be that the quality sells and there was really high demand for the quality. There was...

White Hot (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (hip 170), the dam of 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), was knocked down to the BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe for $2.1 million to take the lead at the Keeneland November Sale Wednesday afternoon. The 10-year-old mare, offered by Stone Farm in foal to the all-conquering Into Mischief, comes with a world of pedigree, as she is a half-sister to 2011 G1 Investec Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and MGSW/MG1SP Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the dam of...

DEAUVILLE, France--It would seem that Arqana has pulled off the impossible. Ask ten different people at the sales a certain question and you'd usually end up with ten different opinions. But there is one thing on which everyone patrolling the sales grounds in Deauville can apparently agree, and that is that a pretty stellar line-up of horses has been assembled for the Arqana Breeze-up Sale. The only thing they can't agree on is which horse is likely to top the sale. We'll know that by Saturday evening, and it is...

Few stallions who stand in and around the €15,000 bracket can boast a book of mares quite like Lucky Vega (Ire). The Group 1-winning juvenile has been supported by his owner Yuesheng Zhang from the outset and, judging by the Chinese businessman's spending at the premier mare sales through BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe last year, that backing is set to continue.  While the majority of the prominent owner's European-based mares will visit Lucky Vega this year, a number will also be spread out between Frankel (GB), Baaeed (GB), Sea The...

   One of the finest turf trainers in America, Phil D'Amato has done exceptionally well with his European imports in recent years, highlighted by Grade I winner Going Global and more recently American Oaks scorer Rhea Moon.     In this week's Q&A with Brian Sheerin, D'Amato explained how, with the help of Niall Dalton, Craig Rounsefell and BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe, he has built one of the most competitive stables in America.      Read about his approach to finding 'diamonds in the rough' on a budget, his training methods and...

NEWMARKET, UK--Stradivarius (Ire) and friends set the scene for the sale which has a little bit of equine everything on offer. Seven stallions in their first or second seasons at stud paraded through the ring at Tattersalls ahead of the official start of trade, led by Caturra (Ire), a son of Mehmas (Ire) who had made 110,000gns when sold at Tattersalls as Book 2 yearling and has now joined the roster at Overbury Stud alongside the popular Ardad (Ire).  The TBA-organised parade and various open house sessions at local stud...

Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) was the first to cross the seven-figure threshold when hammering for an even 1 million guineas to the bid of the Michael Donohoe seated alongside Yuesheng Zhang during the second of the Sceptre Sessions during the Tattersalls December Mare Sale Tuesday in Newmarket. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Jim Bolger for owner/breeder Ennistown Stud, was a maiden winner second time out at Naas and belied rough odds to be runner-up in the G3 Meld S. and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in September and...

Plenty of imports into the clogged Southern California shipping terminals of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been left idle these past few months, collateral damage in a supply-side bottle-neck. Imports into the Southern California stable of Phil D'Amato, on the other hand, have been far more effectively commandeered. "It's a really good strategy for owners to help them make money and have fun in the process," says D'Amato, caught mid-morning between scrutinizing his trainees jog a dusty Santa Anita horse-path under a blazing hot sun and a scouting trip...

   Michael O'Donohoe of BBA Ireland and leading owner Zhang Yuesheng have been making waves off the track in recent weeks after buying a number of high-quality broodmare prospects to visit the Chinese businessman's Group 1-winner Lucky Vega (Ire) at the Irish National Stud.    Zhang Yuesheng also has Royal Ascot heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who Donohoe bought from Coolmore for 305,000gns in 2020, to look forward to in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.    As well as speaking about Zhang Yuesheng's growing operation in...

When a colt retires to stud, a regular theme of the promotional drive to attract mares involves a bullish statement by the owner pledging to support the stallion with their own mares, as well as a commitment to invest in the stallion's progeny at the foal and yearling sales. Yulong Investments' Yuesheng Zhang has hit the ground running with his commitment to his young sire Lucky Vega (Ire), who kicks off his Northern Hemisphere stallion duties at the Irish National Stud early in 2022. Spearheaded by BBA Ireland's Mick Donohoe,...

NEWMARKET, UK--Well, if the astounding yearling market is to make any kind of sense, then this one needs to prove every bit as strong. And the early signs, after the opening session of the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale, are that those who invested so heavily in new stock at the October Sale can pin their hopes on other dividends beyond the notorious limits to domestic prizemoney. Year-on-year comparisons at an auction like this must carry a caveat, granted the random element in the calibre and distribution of the best stock. But...