Starman

Where to begin? Perhaps to say that, though this sport faces myriad challenges, the mere thrill of actually going racing is the perfect antidote to such pernicious worries.  And it wasn't just the blazing sunshine and searing performance of Bow Echo on the Rowley Mile that has renewed the faith. A week earlier a trip to Ripon - justifiably dubbed 'The Garden Racecourse' - on a similarly sunny Saturday bit for a more ordinary race day provided no less enjoyable an experience.  It is easy to become despondent with what...

   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 Sandtrap at Aqueduct. Lope De Vega Fillies Capture Aqueduct Affairs Named a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard in her Salisbury debut for Ralph Beckett in September of 2024, Sandtrap (Lope De Vega) made her American bow a winning one at Aqueduct on April 18 (video). Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Zindaya (More Than Ready) races for Bridlewood Farm. Bred by...

The Irish Flat season is a matter of weeks away, with the opening day of the season kicking off at the Curragh on March 15, where the €100,000 Irish Lincoln takes centre stage. There will be Classic clues aplenty on April 12, when the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas Trials, along with the Ballysax Stakes, a key Derby trial, takes place at Leopardstown. TDN Europe's Brian Sheerin has had a look at some of the under-the-radar three-year-olds who could have a big role to play that weekend and indeed for the...

Day one of the Goffs February Sale got off to a blisteringly-hot start on Wednesday when the €3,898,500 turnover, which was headlined by a €220,000 Mehmas colt that went the way of Tally-Ho Stud, eclipsed the entire sum this sale generated 12 months ago by €41,000.  Henry Beeby promised that the pinhookers would "be out in force" this week and, true to his word, the majority of the most expensive weanlings sold on Wednesday were knocked down to some of the masters of that craft.  Few do it better than...

Shamardal's Soft Cover, in foal to Champion First-Season Sire Starman, is one of 307 lots in the Tattersalls February Sale catalogue. The sale, slated for Thursday, February 5 through Friday, February 6, will also feature the Tattersalls British EBF Stallion Parade & RoR Showcase at 11 a.m. Consisting of 106 fillies and mares in/out of training, 16 broodmares, 161 colts and geldings in/out of training, 15 yearlings and nine two-year-olds, the two-day sale will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. on Friday. Besides Soft Cover (lot 24),...

Roger and Tony O'Callaghan talk about Tally-Ho Stud's new addition Maranoa Charlie, buying into Group 1 winner Zavateri and more "We prefer not to say too much, we rather row in behind the horses and let them do the talking," says Tony O'Callaghan from his kitchen table at Tally-Ho Stud.  Both he and his son Roger don't bother to conceal the fact that this is their least favourite part of the job. There is, of course, a silver lining to the fact a journalist with an expectant face and a...

Tally-Ho Stud took the unprecedented decision earlier this month to announce that Starman, the runaway winner of the first-season sires' championship in Britain and Ireland, was fully subscribed at a fee of €40,000 - up from €10,000 this year - for 2026.  So, did the O'Callaghans make a boo-boo by setting the fee too low given they have effectively had to turn breeders away? How fully booked correlates to paying customers remains to be seen but you can bet your bottom dollar that Starman will cover in excess of 200...

Bloodstock agent Jason Kelly reflects on a memorable year highlighted by Group 1 scorer Maranoa Charlie There will be people who won't want 2025 to end. Bloodstock agent Jason Kelly is one of those people. The highlight among a slew of big-race successes was that of Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett), an inspired mid-summer buy who delivered a breakthrough Group 1 victory for Bond Thoroughbreds in the Prix de la Foret before being snapped up by Tally-Ho Stud, where he will stand for an opening fee of €20,000 next year. There...

Nobody wants to be late to the party. That statement applies to just about every aspect in business and is especially pertinent with a view towards breeding.  Everyone would love to send mares to Mehmas and Starman but, the reality of the situation is that many breeders' mating plans are dictated just as much by their pockets as it is by their head. The trick is cottoning on to the next Mehmas and the next Starman before they go north - and that can be easier said than done.  Luckily...

Tally-Ho Stud's new recruit Maranoa Charlie, a Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett, has been introduced at a fee of €20,000 for the 2026 breeding season. Trained in France by Christopher Head, the three-year-old is a four-time Group winner, those victories including the Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend.  This year's champion first-season sire-elect Starman has received a significant boost in fee, which rises from €10,000 to €40,000, while his stud-mate Mehmas, who was himself champion freshman sire in 2020, has been held at his 2025 fee of €70,000....

Starman's meteoric rise through the first-season sire rankings led to the Tally-Ho Stud resident dominating proceedings on a red-hot opening day of the November Foal Sale when, as well as accounting for the €125,000 top lot, the young stallion was responsible for four of the top 10 most expensive horses sold on Monday. The top lot [55], a colt consigned by Oghill House Stud, went the way of Brendan Holland, who also landed a Starman filly just three lots [52] previously from Summerhill Stables for €85,000.  "He is a nicely-balanced...

A total of nine wildcards, including group winner Half Sovereign (Ten Sovereigns), have been added to Arqana's Vente d'Elevage catalogue. They will be offered on the first evening of the sale on Saturday, December 6. Offered as lot 195 from Consign, Ltd., the G3 Prix Miesque winner is from the same family as dual Group 1 winner Jack Hobbs, as well as group scorers Pollenator (Motivator), Stellaria (Kizuna), and Golden Pond (Don't Forget Me). Arcadia Elevage consigns G3 Prix de Flore second Ginalyah (Chachnak) (lot 205). Rated 106, she is...