‘She Looks Smart And Will Be Early’ – Joseph O’Brien Stable Tour

Joseph O'Brien has an array of talent to look forward to this season, headed by G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hope Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Group 1 winner Above The Curve (American Pharoah) and smart additions to the stable in Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Ottilien (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

But a yard as big as Owning Hill needs a conveyor belt of youngsters coming through the ranks and O'Brien can boast just that.

Last season's stats back up such a statement. With 31 juvenile winners on the board in that campaign, O'Brien recorded a tally better than every other trainer bar his father Aidan, who was out on his own on 55.

O'Brien has a typically-strong batch of youngsters to look forward to this term and welcomes quality owners like Al Shaqab Racing, Yuesheng Zhang and Kia Ora Stud to the roster.

He commented, “Every year we are trying to increase the quality of horses we have in the yard. The way to do that is by having owners who have the same lofty ambitions that we have. Our owners want to compete at the top level and we are very lucky to have the support of some ambitious and successful people. Hopefully we can justify their support in us.”

O'Brien will not be represented in the opening 2-year-old maiden of the year at the Curragh on Saturday but describes himself as happy with the progression his youngsters are showing at home on the gallops and says that he expects them to be ready to rock and roll in the coming weeks.

He explained, “I think we are pretty much where we usually are with our 2-year-olds. We usually have our first runners in the mid to second half of April and will be aiming to have them in full swing for the summer. We like to think that our 2-year-olds would be better on their fourth run than on their first run and we like to get them to progress throughout the season.”

The 29-year-old has identified 31 juveniles below that have been showing up well at home on the world-famous gallops ahead of the new season.

 

Al Riffa: a major Classic contender | Racingfotos.com

 

2-Year-Old Colts
Unnamed
Pedigree: Acclamation {GB}) colt out of Ramone (Ire) (Marju {Ire})
Bought by: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club from Lynn Lodge Stud for €190,000 at Goffs Orby
Owner: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club
Comment: Looks a pretty mature horse and shows plenty of pace. We think he will be one of our earlier colts to run this year.

Unnamed
Mehmas (Ire) colt out of Box Of Frogs (Ire) (One Cool Cat)
Bought by Joseph O'Brien from James O'Mahony from Springwell Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 for 95,000gns
Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah
A hardy colt who came from Book 2 at Newmarket. He's owned by Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah and was purchased by Khalifa Bin Ahmed Alattiyah, so it is the same ownership as Al Riffa, who we are really looking forward to this year. Again, he'd look to be one of our earlier types at this stage and we're very happy with him. We've had a few by the stallion, the best of which was Magnanimous (Ire), who won the Glencairn S. for us before being sold to Hong Kong. I wouldn't have had a lot of horses by Mehmas but he was quite a good one and achieved a rating of 111 over here before doing well in Hong Kong, where he [now called Circuit Stellar] actually won again a couple of weeks ago.

Unnamed
Magna Grecia (Ire) colt out of Byron Bay (Fr) (Showcasing {GB})
Bought by Stride Racing at Goffs Orby for €65,000 from Camas Park Stud
Stride Racing
This horse is owned by Stride Racing, which was founded by Johne Murphy. He is showing us plenty at the moment. He'll run in the first half of the season and looks a nice six/seven-furlong type. Magna Grecia's first runner was a winner in France on Thursday. There hasn't been as much chat about his juveniles compared to some of the other first-season sires but I certainly couldn't fault anything we have seen from them and I think this horse in particular looks to be a pretty smart and mature colt by the stallion.

Unnamed
Gleneagles (Ire) colt out of Apache Storm (GB) Pivotal {GB})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien from Moyns Park Stud for 55,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2
We've been very lucky with Gleneagles and this guy is out of a Pivotal mare. We're pretty impressed by what we have seen from him to date. He could be a nice horse for a seven-furlong maiden.

Celestial Reign (Ire)
Zoffany (Ire) colt out of Sarawati (Ire) (Haafhd {GB})
Bought by Jim Cockburn and Richard Ryan for €200,000 from Pigeon Park Stud at Goffs Orby
Teme Valley
We've obviously had a very successful partnership with Jim and Richard Ryan of Teme Valley over the past number of years and we're hoping that this guy could follow in the same footsteps of some of the good horses we've had for them in the past.

Unnamed
Frankel (GB) colt out of Midnight Crossing (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland off Kirtlington Stud for 330,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1
Yuesheng Zhang
It's nice to have a horse for Mr. Zhang and the Yulong team. He was bought by Mick Donohoe and will be a horse for the second half of the season but we're very pleased with him. He's our first horse for them and it's great to have a well-bred colt for them. Hopefully we can have some success together.

Al Mudhaffar (Ire)
Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 145,000gns off Corduff Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Al Shaqab Racing Partnership
He looks a nice colt and is one of the first runners I have for Al Shaqab which is exciting. I have a couple more for them so it's great to have that support. We're excited about the season ahead with them.

Unnamed
Ten Sovereigns (Ire) colt out of On Ice (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Homebred
Coolmore partnership
A very nice homebred. We have been impressed by what we have seen of the progeny of Ten Sovereigns and this guy in particular looks to be smart. He is a brother to the stakes-winning Galleria Borghese (Ire) (Caravaggio) and is exciting. I have a bunch of horses by Ten Sovereigns and I'm quite impressed by them. They appear to have plenty of pace and look as though they will get six and seven furlongs. This is just one that I picked out by the sire but there are quite a few by him who are working nicely. This guy is going to be 16.1hh, he's a big strong horse.

Unnamed
Teofilo (Ire) colt out of Alnaas (GB) (Dansili {GB})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 300,000gns from Pier House Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Lloyd Williams
A nice horse and one for later in the season. He's owned by Lloyd Williams and obviously he has been lucky with Teofilo, most notably with Twilight Payment (Ire). This looks to be another nice colt and is one for the second half of the season.

Unnamed
Camelot (GB) colt out of Wholesome (Lemon Drop Kid)
LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing
He's a lovely, quality horse. Being by Camelot, he'll be a seven furlong to a mile type of horse and we've been quite pleased by what we have seen from him. We've had lots of winners over both codes for LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing so hopefully this is another to do them proud.

Unnamed
No Nay Never colt out of Height Of Elegance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Bought by Philip Antonacci and Joseph O'Brien for €235,000 from Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby
Euro Liny Syndicate
He's a brother to Queenship (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}), a filly who did well for us a few years ago, and Shadowed (Ire) (Caravaggio), who runs at the Curragh on Saturday. He's owned by the Euro Liny Syndicate and is a very nice colt.

Unnamed
Churchill (Ire) colt out of Summerseat Flyer (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire})
Bought by Stride Racing for €50,000 from Camas Park at Goffs Orby.
Stride Racing
This looks a lovely colt. He's going to start off over seven furlongs and we really like what we are seeing from him. He'll be ready to run in May or June.

Unnamed
Invincible Spirit (Ire) colt out of Uleavemebreathless (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire})
Bought by MyRacehorse from Lynn Lodge Stud for €100,000 at Goffs Orby
MyRacehorse
He could be a six/seven-furlong type and we're quite pleased with everything we have seen of him.

Unnamed
Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of A Mist Opportunity (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus})
Bought by Blandford Bloodstock and Joseph O'Brien at the October Yearling Sales at Arqana for €135,000
Nick Williams and partnership
He was bought with Stuart Boman in Arqana and looks a nice colt for the first half of the season. He's trained up nicely.

Unnamed
Wootton Bassett colt out of Zalia (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB})
Bought by Alex Elliott for €165,000
Nick Williams and partnership
He came from Baden-Baden in Germany and was bought by Alex Elliott. Again, he is owned in a partnership with Nick Williams and is a nice colt for the second half of the season.

 

Joseph O'Brien | Tattersalls

 

2-Year-Old Fillies
Unnamed
Advertise (GB) filly out of Treeline (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB})
Bought for €300,000 by Dan Hayden for Blue Devil Racing from Rathbarry Stud at Goffs Orby
Blue Devil Racing
This is a very nice filly and was bought by Dan Hayden for Mark Holiday of Blue Devil Racing at Goffs. She was an outstanding physical and, at the moment, looks pretty smart. She's going to be an early filly.

Sioux Me (Ire)
Sioux Nation filly out of Emerald Isle (Fr) Exceed And Excel {Aus})
Bought by Bronson Racing for €72,000 from Mountarmstrong Stud at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
Bronson Racing
We've had some success with Sioux Nation already and this is a particularly forward filly by him. She shows lots of speed and is owned by Bronson Racing, which is Neil Sands and family, so it would be great if she turns out to be nice for them. She will be one of our earliest fillies.

Unnamed
Zoustar (Aus) filly out of Madernia (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire})
Bought by Kia Ora Stud for 110,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2
Kia Ora Stud
It's great to have horses for Kia Ora Stud. She will run in the first third of the season. We had a nice colt called Alexis Zorba (GB) by Zoustar last season and hopefully this filly can show up well as the season goes on.

Unnamed
Karakontie (Jpn) filly out of Kodiak West (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})
Bought by Justin Casse for $75,000 off Gainesway at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale
Magnolia Racing
She looks a pretty forward type of filly. She's a Karakontie out of a Kodiac mare which is an interesting cross and we're looking forward to her this season.

Unnamed
Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of Summer Daydream (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB})
Bought by Hanshen Tham of Pattern Bloodstock for 85,000gns from Grangemore Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Hanshen Tham
She was bought by Hanshen Tham, who had Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) with us last year and is obviously a very good judge. We've had quite a bit of success together and hopefully this filly can continue that. Thornbrook will run in the Guineas trial at Leopardstown on Apr, 2, all being well.

Unnamed
Zoffany (Ire) filly out of Kiss Me Daily (Fr) (Reliable Man {GB})
Bought by Badgers Bloodstock for 75,000gns from Ballyhimikin Stud at Tattersalls Somerville Sale
Dean Reeves and Sven and Carina Hanson
She looks to be very nice and is very natural in her training. She will be a mid-summer filly but she is doing things particularly easy.

Grand Job
Justify filly out of Sure Route (GB) (Ishiguru)
Bought for $105,000 by Fergus Galvin off Four Star Sales at Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Coolmore partnership
This filly is showing up well and is showing a lot of pace. We won't run her too early but we like what we see from her.

Unreasonable (Ire)
No Nay Never filly out of Silent Thoughts  (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Newtown Anner Stud
She is a sister to Neptune Rock (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who won a stakes race for us last year. She was bought by PJ Colville on behalf of Newtown Anner Stud for 375,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 and is a very natural filly. She's done everything very easily and looks pretty smart at this stage.

Promptly (Ire)
Kingman (GB) filly out of Amser (GB) (Frankel {GB})
Homebred
Scott Heider
She is a homebred of Scott Heider's, who we have had a lot of success with. Ted Durcan and David Lanigan bought the mare in foal to Kingman for 160,000gns and it's a lovely Juddmonte pedigree. She is a filly for the mid-season but has done her training very nicely to-date.

Bonbon (Ire)
Footstepsinthesand (GB) filly out of Under Offer (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB})
Glamour And Glory Racing
She's a sister to Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who is a smart filly for us. She is owned by the Glamour And Glory Syndicate, which is headed by Tamso Doyle. This is a forward type and could be one of our first fillies to run this year. She shows plenty of speed.

Kelbelle (Ire)
Inns Of Court (Ire) filly out of Ziggy's Secret  (GB) (Sakhee's Secret {GB})
Bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €100,000 off Tally-Ho Stud at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede
She was bought by Anthony Bromley for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede who we have had quite a bit of luck with. Anthony is a great judge and this is a lovely filly. She will be a mid-season type but looks a lovely prospect.

Unnamed
Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly out of Faay (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Made 80,000gns from Whatton Manor Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Shapoor Mistry
Bought by Anthony Stroud for Shapoor Mistry, who we had a lot of success with courtesy of Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). We also have a nice 3-year-old filly for them as well. This is a nice prospect for them.

Unnamed
Kodiac (GB) filly out of My Brunette (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})
Bought by Philip Antonacci from Wardstown Stud for €32,000 at Goffs Orby
EuroLindy Syndicate
She looks quite forward and gets into those auction races as well. She looks an early runner and is precocious.

Unnamed
Kessaar (Ire) filly out of Chellalla (GB) (Elnadim)
Bought by John McCormack for €110,000 off Galbertstown Stables at Goffs Orby
Healthy Wood Company, Ltd.
She is a lovely filly and will be one for the middle to second half of the season. We've been lucky with John before and we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in the second half of the season. I have two Kessaars this year, the first I have had by the stallion, so we will be learning about them this year.

Unnamed
Starspangledbanner filly out of Balakera (Ire) (Dansili {GB})
Bought for €330,000 off Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby
John Oxley
She was bought by Justin Casse for Mr. Oxley, who owned Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) with us. She looks to be a pretty forward type of filly and shows plenty of pace. She will run in the first half of the season and we like what we have seen from her.

Unnamed
Exceed And Excel (Aus) filly out of Sa Mola (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr})
Bought by Justin Casse from Killourney Mor Farm at Goffs Orby for €130,000
Eric Long
This filly is owned by Eric Long, who also owns Zoinnocent (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) with us. She is another nice-moving filly who we are excited about. She'll be out in the first half of the season.

The post ‘She Looks Smart And Will Be Early’ – Joseph O’Brien Stable Tour appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘He’d Be On The A-Team’ – Ger Lyons Stable Tour

Ger Lyons has been competing at the top table of Irish racing for well over a decade and recorded breakthrough Classic success in 2020 when Siskin (First Defence) stormed to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas glory under Colin Keane at the Curragh.

The pair didn't have to wait long to record their second when, just five weeks later, Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) landed the Irish Oaks.

Lyons has a typically-strong team of older horses to go to war with this season. Tough Talk and Hellsing appear to be the pick of the 3-year-old colts while Zarinsk, Amazing Show and Mauiewowie are just a handful of 3-year-old fillies that the trainer is looking forward to this term.

As well as an array of classy older types, Lyons has a galaxy of well-bred youngsters to unleash this term, but revealed that he will be adopting a kinder approach with his 2-year-olds this term.

He said, “I won't have my first 2-year-old runners until April. I am letting them grow in front of my eyes and cuddling them along. You can see them growing week after week at this time of year and we haven't dipped any of our 2-year-olds yet.”

In the first edition of TDN Europe's stable tour series that will concentrate on 2-year-old talent, Lyons has put forward 14 juveniles to note ahead of the new season as well as outlining plans for some of his older horses below.

 

Hellsing: a smart prospect | Racingfotos.com

 

2-Year-Olds
Name: Quadruple (GB)
Breeding: Frankel (GB) filly out of Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB})
Purchaser: Homebred
Owner: Juddmonte
Comment: She's a lovely and straightforward filly. We are not rushing any 2-year-olds this year and will let them come to themselves in their own time. She is only new to me but she seems very straightforward and anyone who has ridden her has been pretty excited by what they are feeling. You'd like to think she could be smart.

Halberd (GB)
Showcasing (GB) colt out of Battlement (GB) (Dansili {GB})
Juddmonte
He is a lovely grey horse. His dam is a half to Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and he looks a smart, precocious type. He'd look an early sort and he'll tell me when he's ready. He's very straightforward and, at this early stage, he's one I like–but that could be the kiss of death!

Bellezza (Ire)
Siyouni (Fr) filly out of Terrific (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Moyglare Stud
A lot of quality and by the right type of sire. She has a lot of size and scope, as her brother Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) has, and he would be one of our big bullets to fire in the 3-year-old ranks this year. She has grown humongously–she was big when we got her but she is still growing and filling into herself. I'm letting her come in her own time but she is as sweet as a nut and is definitely one that's exciting us.

General Assembly (Ire)
Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt out of Black Rodded (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB})
Bought by Richard Ryan for 130,000gns at the Somerville Sale at Tattersalls from Ballyhimikin Stud
Teme Valley
He has been a very professional horse since the day he walked into the yard. He came in with a tall reputation for being the pick of the Somerville Sale and is just an awesome Railway-type horse who is just oozing quality. He will be as early as I need him to be and could be a Royal Ascot 2-year-old. That's the type of horse we view him as if he keeps doing what he is doing. Everything comes so easy to him. But, again, I haven't dipped any of my 2-year-olds so I don't know how good or bad they are, but I would be very positive about this colt. Richard Ryan bought him–he bought Rocking Tree as well–and he buys a nice type. He bought Hellsing (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who was a very good 2-year-old and one we're looking forward to for this year so, if he keeps sending us horses like that, we'll be very happy.

Rocking Tree (Ire)
Kodiac (GB) colt out of Rocktique (Rock Hard Ten)
Bought by Richard Ryan at Goffs Orby Sale from Glenvale Stud for €130,000
Teme Valley
Kodiac has been a phenomenal success and has even surprised me by how he has kept improving. This is a fine stamp of a Kodiac–strong, but not typical in that he has plenty of size and scope about him. He's very straightforward and has a good mind. He could be anything. Again, he was bought by Richard Ryan so, if he continues to buy that type of horse for us, he can fill the yard.

Beauty Thunder (Ire)
Night Of Thunder (Ire) colt out of Tawayna (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire})
Bought at Goffs Orby from Yeomanstown Stud for €100,000 by Gaelic Bloodstock
Beauty Stable
By one of my favourite sires, Night Of Thunder (Ire). You would think that he lacked size when we bought him but, the few colts that I have bought by the sire, they all looked on the small size at the sales. I said to myself, 'if he's like the ones I bought, he'll come,' and he's just to die for. Back in January, I was thinking that he was still on the small side but he is starting to sprout now and he's typical of the colts that I have had by Night Of Thunder. I should say that it is untypical of Thunder Kiss (Ire), who is by Night Of Thunder as well, but this lad is showing all the right qualities. I could see him being a nice 2-year-old for the middle part of the season. We have had a lot of luck for this owner but they buy for Hong Kong, so the horses spend their 2-year-old career with us before moving over there. That's what they like to do and the dream is to find them a Hong Kong Derby horse.

Unnamed
Zoustar (Aus) colt out of Ainippe (Ire) (Captain Rio {GB})
Bought by David Redvers at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £70,000 from Furnace Mill Stud
Richard Pegum
Richard has had horses with me before through David Redvers and the obvious connection with this colt is that we trained his dam, Ainippe. She was a very smart and fast filly. I've never had a Zoustar before this season and now I have a few of them in the yard. They are the most gorgeous physicals and this one is most gorgeous as well. He goes very well and would be a better-looking horse than his mother was. Zoustar is rocking the world down under in Australia and, again, I think they will need their time but this lad is more precious than the others. At this moment in time, you'd love what he is doing.

Unnamed
Blue Point (Ire) filly out of Cosmic Love (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire})
Bought by Grassick Bloodstock and Ronan Fitzpatrick at Goffs Orby Sale for €300,000 from Kilminfoyle House Stud
Mark Dobbin
We are going with Blue Point because he seems to be a first-season sire who is ticking all the right boxes. We're very positive about the ones that we have by him. She wouldn't be the biggest filly but hopefully she comes a bit in size. There's something about her that we like and she looks precocious. I would say she cost enough, but they were the sales everyone was operating in last year. Winning a maiden won't be good enough to justify her price tag and hopefully she is better than that. The talk on the street would be that Blue Point is doing it and the few that I have would suggest he's going to be alright.

Unnamed
Blue Point (Ire) colt out of Gwael (A.P. Indy)
Bought by Kerri Lyons for 70,000gns out of Genesis Green Stud at Book 2 at Tattersalls
Sean Jones, David Spratt and Lynne Lyons
Kerri bought him and he's nice. He'd be quite typical of the filly that we have by Blue Point–you could nearly say they are brother and sister. They are doing their thing and the word on the street is quite positive about the stallion but I won't be rushing them. I'd be happy with him at the moment anyway.

Unnamed
Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) colt out of Alfea (GB) (Kentucky Dynamite)
Bought by Wyanstown House for €34,000 at the 2021 Goffs November Foal Sale from Farran House Stud
Vincent Gaul
He reminds me of a horse I used to train called Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}), who went on to be a very good horse in Hong Kong. He is a big, strong, powerful beast. I think Vincent Gaul bought him as a foal and there is something about this horse I just love. He can gallop and will be a middle-season plus horse. He'll be a real miler and there's something very taking about him, he does things very easily.

Unnamed
Bated Breath (GB) filly out of Rosie Cotton (Ire) (King's Best)
Ballygallon Stud
A gorgeous filly but more likely to be a 3-year-old rather than a 2-year-old. She is doing what we are asking her but gives us the impression that she will be lovely for the back end and beyond.

State's Evidence (GB)
Expert Eye (GB) colt out of Palmette (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB})
Juddmonte
I'd say he's typical of Juddmonte's in that he is smart. I have a very smart bunch for Juddmonte this year–roughly 17 in total–and he would be right up there as being rated among the smartest. He does things very easily and there is a lot of quality about him. He'd be on the A-team at this moment in time.

Dandy Lichious (Ire)
Dandy Man (Ire) colt out of Ana Lichious (Ire) (Makfi {GB})
Patrick Hanlon
He will be our earliest runner. He has been standing on his hind legs telling me he is ready to run since Christmas Day! He's not as ready as he thinks he is but he'll be one of our earliest runners and is a good-looking son of Dandy Man. He's not over-big but he is big enough and, as soon as the ground dries up, he'll be out.

Serious Notions (GB)
Advertise (GB) filly out of Darling Grace (GB) (Nayef)
Bought by Kerri Lyons for €68,000 from Kildarragh Stud at Goffs Orby
Rick Gaynor
A nice filly that Kerri bought. We are liking what we are seeing and is shaping up as a nice filly at the minute anyway. We like to throw six balls up in the air with the fillies that we buy at the sales in the hope that two come down as nice fillies and she could be one of the nicer ones. She looks the part and I hope she is nice because Kerri picked her and she's for a nice owner.

 

Tough Talk: beating Little Big Bear on debut | Racingfotos.com

 

Older Horses
I have a lovely bunch of 3-year-olds and up for the season. Of the horses who won their maidens last year, the Amazing Show (GB)s (Showcasing {GB}) of this world, they have all gotten very strong so I have a very exciting batch to look forward to.

Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) has already stepped up to listed class and you'd hope that some of the horses who won their maidens last year can do something similar. After that, you are hoping that they will keep building, that's the dream.

Hellsing and Tough Talk would be the outstanding colts. The bubble has not burst on them yet. Tough Talk had a setback last year but he has been in training for quite a while and is one to really look forward to.

Hellsing was just denied in the Goffs Million last year but did everything right by us. He is the most gorgeous horse and he will want a

mile minimum–he could even be a 10-furlong horse. He could be anything. He outperformed what we thought he would do at two because we always viewed him as an older horse in the making.

There is a list of fillies that we are dreaming about and they have all done very well. We pulled up early with Mauiewowie (GB)  last year because she won her stakes race and, typical of Night Of Thunders, we said we'd let her grow. She could be a Commonwealth type of filly and the Lacken S. could suit her prior to Ascot. She'll probably be better with a bit of juice in the ground. Here's hoping she steps up to the next level.

Amazing Show won her maiden well and the form of that has worked out fantastic. I overfaced her in the Moyglare but, if you look at her now, she's a 500kg filly. That Moyglare entry shows you what I thought of her. While she is a long way shy of that, you'd like to think she can step up to be a Listed/Group 3 filly at a minimum.

Cairde Go Deo (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) is a dream filly. She needed to strengthen up from three to four if she's to get to the next level and I think that she has. I couldn't be happier by how well she has done physically. She could be shy of the top level but we'd be hopeful she can be competitive in Group 2s over a mile-and-a-half to start although she will get further.

The post ‘He’d Be On The A-Team’ – Ger Lyons Stable Tour appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Back To HQ

While the British flat turf season officially kicked off at Doncaster at the end of last month, the real beginning takes place on Tuesday as Newmarket open their three-day Craven meeting. Any self-respecting fan of racing will feel that familiar warmth at the prospect of the fixture that hosts the Nell Gwyn, the European Free, the Earl of Sefton and of course the Craven itself. Tuesday's card has two longstanding race titles in the Alex Scott Maiden S. which gets the action underway and the Listed Feilden S. which pitches the year's Derby hopes against one another for the first time on English soil. The sharp and early juveniles get their chance in the British EBF Novice S., while the seven-furlong British EBF Conditions S. which follows may have a 2000 Guineas prospect in its midst.

Two that are entered in the May 1 Classic are Ballydoyle's Duke of Mantua (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Godolphin's Noble Dynasty (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with the former coming here off a fourth as the topweight in The Curragh's Madrid H. Mar. 21 which has already produced the G3 1000 Guineas Trial winner Keeper of Time (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and conditions scorer Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

In the Feilden, Michael Pescod's Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) has to concede three pounds to all having won the Listed Ascendant S. at Haydock in September and he hails from the Hannon establishment which has done so well at this meeting down the years under Senior and Junior.

“He's been working very well,” the current incumbent of East Everleigh said. “I'm a little bit worried if the ground gets too quick as he's a big horse, that's all, but he needs a run and he had a good year last year. This is nine furlongs rather than a mile, but I think he'll get this sort of trip no problem.”

With Aidan O'Brien housing so many potential Derby contenders he has decided to cross the waters with the seven-furlong Curragh maiden winner Arturo Toscanini (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while Charlie Appleby saddles the Polytrack-winning duo Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Secret Protector (War Front). The latter has also captured the 9 1/2-furlong Meydan Trophy Feb. 11, while an intriguing renewal also features Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's mile course maiden winner Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal) from the Roger Varian stable and Ahmad Al Shaikh's Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who was last seen finishing third to Battleground (War Front) in the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood in July.

“He's a lovely horse and I'm really looking forward to getting him going,” trainer Andrew Balding said. “Obviously he'll come on a bit for the run, but he's in good shape for his first run of the season. He did have a niggle after Goodwood and we ran out of time, so we decided to leave him for the year.”

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Laura Pearson Hits Pause on Riding Career to Preserve Claim

Apprentice Laura Pearson is taking a break from riding until the start of the Flat season in March. Pearson, who currently has a five-pound claim, announced the news at Wolverhampton on Sunday. On top of the apprentice jockeys' title race with 22 winners, Pearson has 23 winners left before her claim is reduced to three pounds. Pearson made the call after discussing the issue with trainer Tom Clover and her agent Steve Croft.

“We've had a good chat about it, myself and the governor [Clover] and my agent–and you've got to look at the bigger picture and save my five for those nice handicaps on the Turf,” Pearson told Sky Sports Racing. “I'm going to be 'box-walking' … but in the long run, it's the right thing to do.”

“I always had my blinkers on for it,” she added of the all-weather championship. “We'll see if I can keep my nose in front, and come back and bounce a couple more out if I do get a little bit short.”

“It's been absolutely incredible,” she said. “I've just got to keep my feet on the ground and keep my head straight. The amount of different trainers who have given me the opportunity to ride for them [means] every day I'm coming out and riding more, and everybody's helping me.”

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