In the Press

06 Jun

The Coronation Cup was billed as a titanic clash between the powerhouses of Ballydoyle and the Aga Khan but it was the emerging talent of George Scott who upset the pecking order to land a first domestic Group 1 success with Bay City Roller. Last year, this Group 1 contest produced a thrilling dust-up between Jan Brueghel and Calandagan, but while the prize-money was greater and Calandagan's reputation was loftier, the returning pair could not hold a candle to the new kid on the block as Bay City Roller flew home under Oisin Murphy for an authoritative ten-length win. Francis Graffard rued the decision to run Calandagan in increasingly soggy conditions but the relentless rain was welcomed by Scott, who was swayed by the weather to send the four-year-old to Epsom just 13 days after his second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. The decision proved inspired as the 17-2...

06 Jun

Staged in the relentless drizzle and mirk that arrived with vicious timing to dampen Derby day, Saturday's G1 Coolmore Coronation Cup came down to survival of the fittest with Victorious Forever's Bay City Roller (New Bay) overwhelming his rivals for a 10-length victory. With the 5-4 favourite Calandagan (Gleneagles) unable to raise a leg and Ballydoyle's leading hope Jan Brueghel (Galileo) struggling from the outset in ever-worsening conditions, it was left to Oisin Murphy to enjoy an armchair ride around Epsom on the four-year-old who had already proven his love of such ground. Once the eventually pulled-up Illinois (Galileo) and his stablemate Lambourn (Australia) were spent, the 17-2 shot who had been steered away from the far rail as per the norm powered to the line as the only runner able to post a respectable time. Jan Brueghel managed to get second without ever threatening, in the end 5 1/2 lengths clear of Lambourn with Calandagan beaten...

21 May

Back at the scene of his landmark success in the marathon G1 Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend, Victorious Forever's Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) proved the chief slugger of ParisLongchamp once again as he prevailed in a blanket finish to Thursday's G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. On an evening designed to pay tribute to the late Aga Khan IV and which had already provided the perfect outcome via Daryz in the feature renamed in his honour, Caballo De Mar was providing the icing on the cake hailing from the same dynasty nurtured by the groundbreaking owner-breeder. Notably in a smooth rhythm from the outset under Oisin Murphy, the 18-1 shot who had lost out narrowly to the veteran Sweet William in the Sagaro at the start of the month kept his compatriot Santorini Star (Golden Horn) within striking range throughout. The first to wrest away her advantage with 300 gruelling...

22 Jan

Dewhurst Stakes winner Gewan has been crowned European Champion Juvenile for 2025 with a rating of 121. Trained by Andrew Balding, the son of Night Of Thunder was recruited from the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale for i80,000 having been purchased originally from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He followed up a debut win at Newbury in July with an impressive defeat of Italy (Wootton Bassett) (112) in the G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York. His defeat of Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) at Newmarket to end the season followed a sole defeat in the G2 Betfred Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and confirmed him a leading Classic prospect for 2026. Following Gewan is the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Gstaad and Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), each with a mark of 119, while stablemates Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett) (116) and Action (Frankel) (115) also take high rank. O'Brien is...

28 Nov

Billy Jackson-Stops has been crowned Bloodstock Agent of The Year after four of his purchases struck in Group 1 company throughout 2025. The JS Bloodstock Consultancy man received the accolade from Geoffrey Howson, honorary president of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents (FBA), at Tattersalls on Friday. “I’m greatly honoured to be named Bloodstock Agent of the Year,” said Jackson-Stops. “One of the greatest achievements anyone can have in their industry is recognition from their peers, so to be acknowledged by Geoffrey and others at the FBA means the world to me.” October 4 proved a day to remember as Jackson-Stops enjoyed a top-flight, cross-hemisphere double. The elite-level brace was initiated by Royal Supremacy, a 65,000gns Book 2 signing with Andrew Balding who landed the Metropolitan in Australia. A little over five hours later, Caballo De Mar provided trainer George Scott with a maiden Group 1 triumph in the...

28 Nov

A host of big-race successes in 2025 has contributed to Billy Jackson-Stops scooping the bloodstock agent of the year award for the first time. The presentation was made ahead of the penultimate session of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Friday, with Geoffrey Howson, the Hon. President of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, handing over the prize. Jackson-Stops said, “I am greatly honoured to be named Bloodstock Agent of the Year. One of the greatest achievements anyone can have in their industry is recognition from their peers, so to be acknowledged by Geoffrey and others at the FBA means the world to me. “I must thank my wife, Lily. Without her, I could not have achieved anything close to what I've been fortunate enough to accomplish. Her ability to work, run a house, and largely raise our two children on her own is the reason I'm able to...

14 Nov

Bay City Roller made a compelling case to be a part of his powerful ownership's breeding operation when running away with Saturday's Preis von Bayern in Munich. The last Group 1 of the European season was a first of 2025 and a fourth in total for the colt's sire New Bay, one of Ballylinch Stud's leading lights.  Bay City Roller had smart credentials prior to his appearance in Germany, having landed last season's Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and finished just under a length behind the Arc hero Daryz in the Prix Eugene Adam in June, as well as filling the runner-up spot in two other French Group 2s. This emphatic performance, in which he made all of the running and powered seven lengths clear of Tiffany over a mile and a half, augurs well for the future. The colt has a distinguished page, which led to...

09 Nov

George Scott and Victorious Forever celebrated a second Group 1 success in the space of five weeks as Bay City Roller pulled seven lengths clear of his rivals to dominate the Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern at Munich.  The three-year-old was swiftly sent into the lead by rider Adrie de Vries and it was not long before victory looked assured as he powered relentlessly clear of his rivals in the final two furlongs. "It all just came together perfectly today and he was able to show just how good he is," said Scott, who landed his first Group 1 event when sending out Caballo De Mar to win the Prix du Cadran at the start of October.  "Fundamentally he stays very well and he loves to get his toe in. I think we’ve properly worked him out now. We know what's required of him next year and how...

29 Oct

Jackson-Stops Continues To Make Waves With Victorious Forever Billy Jackson-Stops and George Scott secured the progressive 94-rated Wave Rider (Belardo) on behalf of Victorious Forever at 420,000gns. An impressive winner over 1m2f at Pontefract when last seen, Wave Rider will be targeted at races in Bahrain, a jurisdiction that Scott has done so well in before with horses like Isle Of Jura. Jackson-Stops said, "Sheikh Nasser has won his own Cup a couple of times and it would be great to try and win it again. He has the form and the profile to be successful there. Harry [Charlton] is someone we know and trust and the horse has been looked after to the very best. Bahrain as a racecourse is on the up and we want to support that and send the right horses and ensure the quality of ability and competition remains high....

28 Oct

It was no surprise to see a number of leading Australian-based buyers flexing their muscles on some of the top middle-distance prospects and Ciaron Maher added a potentially smart Sea The Stars gelding to his team Down Under in the shape of Shadwell's 89-rated Mukhtalif. Will Bourne, who was assisted by Billy Jackson-Stops, landed the William Haggas-trained dual winner for 325,000gns. He said, "Mukhtalif is progressive and, having inspected the horse, you can see he’s a beautiful animal. We really like the fact that the stallion works in Australia. David Hayes had the Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars and Johnny McKeever bought the Metropolitan winner Just Fine out of this sale, and they’re both by Sea The Stars. This horse is a progressive stayer so he profiles perfectly for us and we’re happy to be taking him down there." Bourne added, “When you look at Ciaron’s...