31 Mar

March marks the end of another long winter and another thrilling Cheltenham Festival. Now that the hedge-hoppers are out of the way, all eyes turn back to flat racing. The month began with attention at JS Bloodstock shifting once again to the Middle East—specifically to Meydan, where West Acre was making his third start in the desert. This time, he stepped back to Group 3 company after breaking the track record in the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint in January. He duly won again, though he had to dig deeper this time, reeling in the lightning-fast Pontus, who had stolen a few lengths early and looked poised for an upset. But West Acre, sent off as the 4/7 favourite, ground down his rival to win by three-quarters of a length. Next up: the Group 1 Al Quoz, where he’ll take on the best from Europe, the...

28 Feb

February marks the beginning of a new covering season, and Starfield Stud has proudly unveiled its latest stallion, Aesop’s Fables. The five-year-old son of No Nay Never, trained by Aidan O’Brien, showcased his talent early by winning the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at The Curragh as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old, he placed in the prestigious Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp before competing at Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup meeting, where he finished a commendable third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Aesop’s Fables concluded his racing career at four with a victory in the Listed Sole Power Stakes, followed by multiple Group race appearances before retiring to stud. His transition to stallion duties was brokered by JS Bloodstock, and he has garnered high praise during the Stallion Trails. With strong interest from breeders, his book is filling up rapidly for the...

31 Jan

As the new year begins, the thoroughbred industry shifts its focus to Australia’s northeast coast, where the prestigious Magic Millions Yearling Sale takes center stage for the first two weeks of January. Widely regarded as the leading yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere, this year’s event reflected a market still adjusting to post-COVID economic pressures. Australia’s racing industry has plateaued due to interest rate rises, and 2025 saw a slight decline compared to 2024. The clearance rate dropped to 83%, down from 87% the previous year, while the median sale price decreased by just over $6,000 AUD to $269,363 from $275,675. Middle East Racing Heats Up Closer to home than Australia, the Middle East’s racing scene intensifies in January with lucrative prize funds attracting top international contenders. Trainer George Scott has capitalized on the growing opportunities in Bahrain and Dubai, where his string of runners continues to...

02 Jan

December Bloodstock Sales Roundup: Elite Mares and Exciting Prospects December brings with it the highly anticipated breeding stock sales, offering a glimpse of some of the finest fillies retiring from the track. While some are purchased to continue racing, others are secured for breeding purposes. This year’s Tattersalls Mares Sale saw remarkable trade, with You Got To Me topping the sale at an impressive 4.8 million Guineas. The Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks winner and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up, a three-year-old Nathaniel filly trained by Ralph Beckett, was acquired by Amo Racing. Strong Market for Quality Bloodstock at Tattersalls The Tattersalls Mares Sale saw ten mares and fillies surpass the million-Guineas mark, underscoring the strong demand for high-quality bloodstock. Billy secured three lots for clients, including: Bean Feasa, a Group 3-winning daughter of Dubawi out of a Danehill mare, and a full sister to the influential Teofilo....

30 Nov

November Racing Round-Up: Rising Stars and International Success With yearling sales wrapped up, November is typically a quieter month, primarily focused on preparation for the upcoming mare and foal sales. However, there was still plenty of action on the track, showcasing some exciting prospects for the future. Rogue Sensation’s Bold Performance Rogue Sensation put in a strong display in Deauville’s Listed Prix Zeddaan, finishing a close second. The daughter of Too Darn Hot, out of an Oasis Dream mare, was a relatively inexpensive purchase at 50,000 Guineas for The Rogues Gallery syndicate from the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. Now boasting black type, she looks like an exciting contender for next year’s flat season. Tom Clover’s Newmarket Success Trainer Tom Clover celebrated an impressive victory on the final day of the turf season at Newmarket with a two-year-old gelding out of Sixtygeesbaby. The son of Starspangledbanner, purchased for 65,000 Guineas at...

01 Nov

October swung around in a flash and Goffs Orby was the first sale of the month to attend. Two purchases were made at Ireland’s premier sale, firstly a daughter of Kodiac out of a Mastercrafstman mare, Woodland Maiden, she is an own sister to Group and Listed placed Iveagh Gardens – she was knocked down for €115,000 and will head into training will Ollie Sangster for owner partnership Michael Blencowe and Valmont. Secondly a son of Night of Thunder out of the Listed and Group placed American Apples from the family of Pomology, the strapping colt was purchased for Victorious Racing to head into training with George Scott, knocked down for half a million euros the colt is an exciting acquisition for the owner and trainer duo. All roads then led to Newmarket for the heavily anticipated Book 1 where trade was at an all-time high....

30 Sep

It was at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale that bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops and trainer George Scott unearthed the unbeaten Champagne Stakes winner Bay City Roller, with a bid of €320,000 required to bring the hammer down. The pair are hoping for a similarly successful outcome after returning to the exact same spot on the top tier of the auditorium and bidding €500,000 for a striking Night Of Thunder colt offered by Forenaghts Stud. Bay City Roller was initially bought for Clive Washbourn but transferred to the ownership of Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing after a taking debut success. After signing the docket on Tuesday Scott revealed his latest purchase was set to join the Victorious Racing string that also includes his stable's Hardwicke Stakes winner Isle Of Jura. “He showed himself better and better over the last couple of days,” said Scott. “Night...

30 Sep

The hunt for the next Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) is on at this year's Goffs Orby Sale, with Henry Beeby saying that he is convinced the sales house has never assembled such a strong group of yearlings to be offered at Ireland's premier yearling sale this week. Trained by George Scott, Bay City Roller stretched his unbeaten record to three in the G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, and his connections harbour genuine Classic aspirations heading into the winter. Stakes winners Beechwood (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), She's Quality (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB})–who added to his tally in the Goffs Million on Saturday–along with German St Leger scorer Prydwen (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) have flown the flag for the Orby Sale this season but Beeby says he is convinced that the quality on offer throughout the whole this week...

25 Sep

"I love it when a plan comes together," the immortal words of John 'Hannibal' Smith uttered with regularity in The A-Team and probably echoed by Bill Dwan of the Castlebridge Consignment and Ling Tsui, and her bloodstock team, when the ploy to send her homebred handsome Sea The Stars colt to the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale yielded a €130,000 dividend. One of only two sons of the brilliant racehorse, whose Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel victor Sosie heads many ante-post lists for the upcoming Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, catalogued in Fairyhouse, his sire power and pedigree drew plenty of lookers to the door of his Barn J stable and they were not disappointed by what they encountered. With the bids raining down on the ring, there was heated competition for the colt whose roots are in Ballymacoll Stud, just a couple...

25 Sep

Quality came to the fore on day one of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when one of only two Sea The Stars (Ire) colts on offer this week went the way of agent Billy Jackson-Stops and trainer George Scott for i130,000. The Castlebridge-consigned colt was one of five yearlings to break the six-figure mark on a day where an 86% [down 2% on 2023] clearance rate provided some encouragement to middle to lower tier operators. However, many of the key metrics dipped further, most notably the 17% drop in the median to i25,000. Despite 24 more lots on offer for the corresponding day's trade, turnover also dropped by 4% while the average was down 8% to i29,906. The sale of the Sea The Stars colt at i130,000 carried on from a familiar theme to the bloodstock market in recent times where the quality offerings...