Michael O'Callaghan

NEWMARKET, UK--So which way would the breeze blow this time? Just like the spring, teetering between the frost that coated the sales grounds on Friday morning and the imminent return of the swifts, the Tattersalls Guineas Sale caught the juvenile market at a pivot of the weathervane. After a traumatic experience last year, the sector had opened a new cycle with a solid start at the Craven Sale here, followed by a quite astounding rally at Doncaster where records tumbled across the board. This catalogue, which doesn't always benefit from...

DONCASTER, UK--Look, we all know to refrain from any bold pronouncements in such an uncertain world. But the same market that was last year first to be broadsided by the pandemic has now made consecutive statements: first one of cautious optimism and now, remarkably, one of record-breaking confidence. For if we left Newmarket last week reminding ourselves that a single swallow does not a summer make, then flight after flight seemed to fill the air at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale. Whatever the ups and downs that inevitably still await,...

During the nine-year stretch from 2006-2014, no fewer than five European-bred and -raced gallopers were successful in the BMW Hong Kong Derby: Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}, 2006); Helene Mascot (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2008); Collection (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2009); Akeed Mofeed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}, 2013); and Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), 2014). Sunday's 2000-metre feature at Sha Tin includes five horses--four European-bred, one US-bred--that were imported with this very race in mind. Here is a brief recap of how they have gotten to this point. For handicapping...

Group 3 winner Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), owned and trained by Michael O'Callaghan for his first two starts, will contest the Aug. 9 G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh under new ownership, as he was purchased privately by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, Racing Post reported on Monday. The son of Macarthurs Park (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) will be supplemented to the six-furlong feature. For O'Callaghan, the £28,000 Goffs UK Breeze Up juvenile broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths at first asking at Naas on July 22. He followed up in the...

Exactly a month before Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) won the G3 Molecomb S. he was parading around the sales ring as one half of the Kilbrew Stables draft at the Goffs UK Breeze-up Sale, which had been delayed from its traditional late April slot. Andrew and Riona Lynch of Kilbrew Stables took just two horses to Doncaster and in fact it was the other one, a colt by Mehmas (Ire), who was initially the star package as he vastly exceeded his yearling price when selling for £165,000 to King...

Colin Keane came to Goodwood for the first time on Wednesday and his debut ride was one of a rider who had been here many times before as he guided Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) to success in the G3 Markel Insurance Molecomb S. Held up in rear off the pace burn-up in front, Michael O'Callaghan's July 22 Naas maiden scorer was still sitting chilly at the back passing two out but when the gap was big enough he was through with relish to seize the advantage 100 yards from...