Rugby World Cup Trip Attached to €300,000 Ballyhane Stakes

The fourth running of the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. on Monday, August 7 will be worth €300,000, with every runner in the race set to earn prize-money.

At a twin launch at Ballyhane Stud and the Lord Bagenal Hotel on Wednesday evening, representatives from Naas Racecourse, the Irish EBF and Ballyhane, ably helped by the stud's impeccably behaved new stallion Space Traveller (GB), also announced an accompanying prize for one lucky racegoer of a trip to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Entrance to Naas Racecourse for the meeting will be free.

A median auction race for juveniles whose sire had one or more yearling sold last year with a median price of not more than €75,000, the six-furlong contest has attracted 345 entries. A total of 29 Irish-based trainers have horses entered, with 145 entries hailing from Britain. Connections of the winner are in line to scoop €150,000, while the breeder of the winner will receive a free nomination to a Ballyhane stallion.

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, which will also sponsor free admission to the racecourse for the meeting, said, “It was great to see the Flat season kick off last weekend and we are once again eagerly awaiting the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes in August. The race may be a few months away yet but owners and trainers alike love to dream and it's fantastic to see such a strong number of entries for what will be the fourth renewal of the race at Naas. The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a valuable race and prize-money is so important to the owners so we are excited to be associated with such a popular day once again.”

Prior to the race, a draw will be made at Naas, assigning one racegoer to each horse in the feature race, with the name linked to the winning horse set to win a two-night package for the Ireland vs South Africa match, including return flights, hotel transfers, hotel B&B, pre-match lunch and two tickets. 

“The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a highlight of the August Bank Holiday weekend now and we are delighted with the huge number of entries we have received,” said Eamonn McEvoy, manager of Naas Racecourse. “Everyone at Naas is very grateful to Ballyhane for their support by also sponsoring the gate on the day and some lucky racegoer is going to leave on the day with a trip of a lifetime to see the best rugby team in the world at the World Cup. It promises to be a fantastic afternoon.”

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Godolphin Will Send Modern Games Back To Keeneland

A pair of Godolphin's stable stars are headed back to contest Grade I races in America, the owner confirmed in a tweet on Wednesday.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, the American champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will ship to Keeneland's Spring Meet to run over the Haggin Turf Course in the GI Maker's Mark Mile on Friday, Apr. 14. With the Moonlight (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. and was second in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., will contest the GI Jenny Wiley S. on Saturday, Apr. 15.

“The team are advancing nicely in preparation for the 2023 season,” Godolphin tweeted. “Stable star Modern Games will head straight to the G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland. With The Moonlight heads to the G1 Jenny Wiley.”

Set to begin his 4-year-old campaign, the bay colt has never lost in North America. As for With the Moonlight, the now-4-year-old filly swept the G2 Cape Verdi and the G2 Balanchine in February.

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Sir Mark Prescott To Join Hall Of Fame Panel

With over 2,000 winners to his credit since 1970, trainer Sir Mark Prescott has joined the Judging Panel for the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame after the passing of James Delahooke, the organisation said in a release on Wednesday.

“The Hall of Fame is a great initiative that promotes the best in our sport and stimulates further interest in the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket,” Prescott said. “I'm surprised and honoured to be invited to join such a tip-top Hall of Fame judging panel, and to be tasked with making such important decisions.”

Inductions are decided upon by a panel of horseracing experts. This year's class will be announced ahead of the QIPCO Guineas Festival, while the ceremony will take place during that event in May. The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket will also unveil an updated Hall of Fame exhibition at that time.

Click here for more information.

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Guineas Breeze-Up And Horses-In-Training Catalogue Released By Tattersalls

The catalogue for the 2023 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and Horses-in-Training Sale is now online. Breezes will take place at Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3. The horses-in-training portion of the sale, featuring 154 lots, will begin at 9:30 a.m. on May 4. There are 201 lots for the breeze-up sale, which begins at 2 p.m. later that same day.

Past graduates of the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale include crack sprinter and multiple Group 1 winner The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), G2 Beresford S. hero Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}), and Grade/Group 1 winners Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) and Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}).

At least 47 stallions with juveniles catalogued have sired Classic or Grade/Group 1 winners including Acclamation (GB), Australia (GB), Camelot (GB), Cotai Glory (GB), Dark Angel (Ire), Exceed And Excel (Aus), Invincible Spirit (Ire), Kodiac (GB), Mehmas (Ire), New Bay (GB), No Nay Never, Oasis Dream (GB), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Sea The Moon (Ger), Showcasing (GB), Starspangledbanner (Aus), Teofilo (Ire), Zoffany (Ire), and Zoustar (Aus) among others. There are also 19 first-season sires with offspring slated for sale, among them Advertise (GB), Blue Point (Ire), Calyx (GB), Eqtidaar (Ire), Inns Of Court (Ire), Invincible Army (Ire), Masar (Ire), Phoenix of Spain (Ire), Soldier's Call (GB), Study of Man (Ire), Ten Sovereigns (Ire), Too Darn Hot (GB) and Magna Grecia (Ire), who has already produced an impressive debut winner, and American sire Catholic Boy.

The Horses-in-Training Sale features last out winners Naaser (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) (lot 152) from The Castlebridge Consignment, and Jamie Railton will consign Maasai Mara (GB) (Roaring Lion) (lot 100). The 100-rated Kiwano (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) (lot 114) will go through the ring for David Simcock; while the Michael Appleby-trained Zealot (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 99), is also set to sell off of a mark of 109. Juddmonte, too, offers a draft, with seven horses going under the hammer, among them lot 128, a Galileo (Ire) colt named Caustic (GB).Two lots of note from Vicarage Farm are a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly (lot 154) out of a Nathaniel (Ire) half-sister to G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Pongee (GB) (Barathea {Ire}), as well as the granddam of top producer Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Also from their draft is lot 124, a 2-year-old colt by New Bay (GB) out of G2 Queen Mary S.-placed Hairy Rocket (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up enjoyed an exceptional year on the racecourse in 2022, led by historic G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner The Platinum Queen, one of seven group and listed performers bought at last year's sale. Classic prospect Crypto Force, multiple Group 1-winning stayer Trueshan, US Grade I winner Shantisara and Scandinavian Champion Hard One To Please also illustrate the quality and diversity that buyers have come to expect from the sale. This year's catalogue features a strong selection of quality 2-year-olds that we are confident will appeal to domestic and international buyers in all sectors of the market, alongside the largest horses in training section in the sale's history.”

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