Ballydoyle And No Nay Never One Two In The Red Rocks

Ballydoyle's season cranked up a gear at Leopardstown on Sunday as the No Nay Never pair Battle Cry (Ire) and Samuel Colt (Ire) completed a one-two in the G3 Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” S. Runner-up in the Listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk in October, Battle Cry who is a son of the listed scorer I'll Have Another (Ire) (Dragon Pulse) was switched off in rear early by Ryan Moore. Launched wide in the straight, the 10-1 shot overhauled his stablemate passing the furlong marker for a half-length success, with five lengths back to My Mate Alfie (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third.

Reflecting on the winner's last sighting, when being withdrawn from Doncaster's G1 Futurity Trophy after being upset in the stalls, Aidan O'Brien said, “He just panicked, but never did it before and hasn't after. He'd prefer better ground and looks like he'll get a mile. It's tough out there and you have to get home there today. He could be a horse for the French or the Irish Guineas.”

Pedigree Notes
Battle Cry is the first foal out of the dam, a 200,000gns purchase by Cormac McCormack at the 2020 Tatts February Sale who was also placed in the Listed Zetland S., Listed Pretty Polly S. and G3 Zukunftsrennen. A half-sister to the recent G3 Prix Penelope third Je Zous (Ire) (Zoustar {Aus}) from the family of the G1 Matron S. and G1 Phoenix S. heroine La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}) and In the Wings' sire Fracas (Ire), her yearling is a full-sister to the winner.

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
BALLYLINCH STUD RED ROCKS 2000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-G3, €55,000, Leopardstown, 4-7, 3yo, c/g, 7f 18yT, 1:39.31, hy.
1–BATTLE CRY (IRE), 131, c, 3, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: I'll Have Another (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ger, MSP-Eng, $127,768), by Dragon Pulse (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jessie Jane (Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire)
3rd Dam: Silver Skates (Ire), by Slip Anchor (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €33,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-0, $117,364. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Samuel Colt (Ire), 131, c, 3, No Nay Never–Lesson In Life (GB), by Duke Of Marmalade (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€340,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Camas Park & Lynch Bages (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,000.
3–My Mate Alfie (Ire), 131, g, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Bear Cheek (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€70,000 Ylg '22 GOFOR). O-A K Whelan; B-BT Bloodstock & P O'Callaghan (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €5,500.
Margins: HF, 5, 3. Odds: 10.00, 4.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Take Me To Church (Ire), The Liffey (Ire), Chicago Critic (GB), Atlantic Coast (Ire), Bright Stripes (Ire).

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Diverse Catalogue Revealed For The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale

The catalogue for the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale, set for Thursday, May 23 and Friday, May 24, was announced on Friday. Featuring 252 lots, the sale will begin at 10 a.m. on May 24, with the breezes beginning the day prior at 8:30 a.m. at Fairyhouse Racecourse.

Graduates of the sale have been flying high in recent years, with G3 Anglesey S. winner Kairyu (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}), listed winners Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) and Fun With Flags (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), all alumni of the 2023 edition. 'TDN Rising Star' Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) is also a 2023 graduate, and she is entered in both the G1 1000 Guineas, and the Irish equivalent, as well as the G1 Oaks at Epsom.

Among the lots on offer are: a Ribchester (Ire) half-brother (lot 6) to GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}); Group 3 winner Jaameh (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB})'s Mehmas (Ire) half-brother (lot 176); a half-sister (lot 14) by Starspangledbanner (Aus) to Group 1-placed Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}); and a Persian King (Ire) half-brother (lot 3) to G1 Prix Jean Prat hero and stallion Territories (Ire). Wootton Bassett (GB)'s lot 78 is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road); American Grade I winner Sophie P (GB) (Bushranger {Ire}) is the dam of a colt by No Nay Never (lot 240); and there is also a Vino Rosso colt (lot 89) out of Grade III winner Dreaming Of Liz (El Prado {Ire}). A 2-year-old with a Classic connection is a Blue Point (Ire) filly (lot 12) out of a sister to multiple stakes winner and G1 Irish Oaks second Venus De Milo (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}); while Earthlight (Ire) is represented by a filly (lot 62) out of a sister to multiple Group 1 winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said, “The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale is Ireland's only breeze-up sale, and I'm confident the quality of this catalogue will meet the expectations of our clients. The quality on offer at this sale has risen year on year, with stakes class performers and Classic contenders among our graduates in recent editions. I'm certain our purchasers will be satisfied with the choice, diversity and depth of the catalogue. We look forward to working alongside the team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, and extending a warm welcome to our clients from Ireland, the UK and further afield in May.”

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No Nay Never Gelding Becomes Hong Kong Derby Royalty

Chan Kam Hung's Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never–Sweet Charity {Fr}, by Myboycharlie {Ire}) continued his Hong Kong progression in stirring fashion with a come-from-behind victory under Zac Purton in the HK$26,000,000 BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on Sunday. The time of 1:59.85 was a new record for the race since the distance was changed to 2000 metres in 2000, with Massive Sovereign bettering the mark of Hong Kong phenom Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s 2:00.15 set in 2020.

The winner's neck defeat of the Group 1-placed Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) also marked a one-three finish for horses bred and formerly trained in Ireland, as G3 Gallinule S. second Ka Ying Generation (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), ran third by three-quarters of a length.

Once the gates flew, 39-1 longshot Ka Ying Generation, with Andrea Atzeni at the controls, hustled up to anchor the vanguard, with Purton's mount second to last through the first 400 metres in :25.53. The pace quickened from there, with the first 800 metres covered in :49.45, but the 17-5 shot was keen to do more, just to the outside of favoured Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}), who had scooped the first two legs of the 4-Year-Old Classic series. That duo soon reached the main body of the field, while Ka Ying Generation continued on by his lonesome at halfway.

Atzeni gave his mount a nudge and soon opened up four lengths on his rivals on the final bend. By the 300-metre mark, he was six lengths clear, and it was not immediately apparent that any of his foes had the requisite turn of foot to run him down. Purton, who won his first HK Derby with Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) in 2015, was undeterred and steered Massive Sovereign through traffic and he soon had the game-but-tiring frontrunner dead to rights. Unleashing a brilliant closing kick, the eventual winner hit the front four strides from the line, and fended off the rush of Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup second Galaxy Patch to his outside. Ka Ying Generation clung grimly on to complete the trifecta.

The winner covered his final 600 metres in a sharp :33.84, while the first three home all broke the two-minute mark for the 2000 metre distance. Helios Express's bid flattened in the final stages and he finished eighth.

“It's very exciting,” said former Hong Kong champion trainer Dennis Yip, who was winning his first HK Derby. “I think the Derby for me is more important than the championship [in 2012/13]…but this one for my life is the big one.

“He's a very special horse with a very good mind. The last 200m I was very nervous but I rely on Zac. He is the champion jockey in Hong Kong and everything was good with the horse.

“This horse, the first day he arrived in Hong Kong, he [Purton] sent me the video [of Massive Sovereign winning at Leopardstown] and told me he thought he was a nice horse and asked me if he could ride him.”

“I didn't really have a horse for the Derby until this bloke won so, like when I won on Luger, it was a late pick-up ride into the race,” said Purton.

“I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have found such a horse to win it. To win the race itself, it's the most prestigious race in Hong Kong and I've had a frustrating run in this race and a frustrating season, so it's nice to get another big one–and probably the biggest one among the local races overall.”

A winner of a Dundalk all-weather affair at third asking last April, Broadhurst, as he was known prior to his arrival in Hong Kong, ran second in a Naas handicap later that spring for the Coolmore partners and trainer Aidan O'Brien. Originally a €620,000 Goffs Orby yearling, he was gelded after winning a Leopardstown handicap in September, and changed hands privately before making a striking debut at Sha Tin over this course and distance under Purton on Mar. 3 (video).

The G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin over this distance on Apr. 28 is next in the cards for Massive Sovereign.

“I've already entered him for [the FWD QEII Cup] at the end of April,” Yip added. “I will see how the horse pulls up. If he's good and he improves, I will go this way. I'm very happy, it's amazing for my life. What a memory.”

Pedigree Notes

Coolmore Stud's No Nay Never now has 58 stakes winners (34 group) worldwide to his name, while Massive Sovereign is his first stakes winner in Hong Kong. Need I Say More (Aus), racing as Spirited Express in Hong Kong, ran third in the G3 HKJC Premier Plate. A winner of the 2013 G1 Prix Morny, the son of Scat Daddy bred 190 mares in 2023.

From the same family as French stakes winner Aktoria (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), herself the dam of multiple group winner Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Sweet Charity won the Listed Prix de Liancourt and was third in the GII Santa Ana S. in America. At stud, she has visited No Nay Never exclusively, with Massive Sovereign her first foal and first stakes winner. His 3-year-old full-sister Love Comedy (Ire), a €75,000 Goffs Orby yearling, is a winner in Japan. Juvenile filly Boxie (Ire) has yet to race, while Sweet Charity has another yearling full-sister to the HK Derby winner still to come.

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW HONG KONG DERBY-Listed, HK$26,000,000, Sha Tin, 3-24, NH/SH 4yo, 2000mT, 1:59.85, gd/fm.
1–MASSIVE SOVEREIGN (IRE), 126, g, 4, by No Nay Never
                1st Dam: Sweet Charity (Fr) (SW-Fr & GSP-US, $170,312),
                                by Myboycharlie (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Sapfo (Fr), by Peintre Celebre
                3rd Dam: Granadilla (GB), by Zafonic
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€620,000 Ylg '21 GOFSEP). O-Chan
Kam Hung. B-Lynch Bages, Ltd. & Summerhill Bloodstock.
T-Dennis Yip. J-Zac Purton. HK$14,560,000. Lifetime Record:
7-4-2-0, HK$16,570,382. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Galaxy Patch (Aus), 126, g, 4, Wandjina (Aus)–Voltara (Aus),
by More Than Ready. (A$50,000 Ylg '21 MMLMAR). O-Yeung
King Man. B-Summerset Park Stud (SA). T-Pierre Ng.
HK$5,460,000.
3–Ka Ying Generation (Ire), 126, g, 4, Churchill (Ire)–War
Goddess (Ire), by Champs Elysees (GB). O-Happy Ka Ying
Syndicate. B-Whisperview Trading, Ltd. (Ire). T-Pierre Ng.
HK$2,990,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3. Odds: 3.40, 6.20, 39.00.
Also Ran: Chill Chibi (NZ), Unbelievable, Chancheng Glory, Speed Dragon (NZ), Helios Express (Aus), Helene Feeling (Ire), Star Mac (Aus), Elliptical (Aus), Ensued, Simple Hedge (Aus), Beauty Crescent (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

 

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Kelly Thomas Q&A: ‘Some Breeders Have Told Me That I Am Their Inspiration’

Kelly Thomas enjoyed a banner year with Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who she bred at her Maywood Stud, going unbeaten in a spellbinding two-year-old campaign that featured Group 1 wins in the Prix Morny and Middle Park S. 

In this week's Q&A, Thomas revealed how some people in the industry have shared with her that she has become an inspiration for smaller breeders. She also lifted the lid on her own hopes and dreams for Vandeek this season and explained her philosophy to breeding. 

You have had lots to dream about over the past few months. Where is the ceiling with Vandeek?

Gosh, who knows? Everybody is excited about what could be. What he has shown so far, if he can carry on the same trajectory for a little bit longer, you don't know where he will end up. 

In your heart of hearts, could you see him staying a mile or is he pure unbridled speed?

I think that, if a race was run to suit, the mile wouldn't bother him. If he is dilly-dallying at the back, he's not going to waste an ounce of energy and, then if it came down to a turn of foot at the end, you could almost see him doing it. He's a tall horse, has a really good stride and he relaxes in his races so I suppose you could say, from that perspective, he might be able to do it. His grandmother won over a mile in France so it's in the pedigree. But, what's he best at? Probably the distance he has been racing at, which is over six furlongs. 

There's nothing wrong with fast horses.

There's not. I like speed horses and that excites us. It seems to be what we have managed to do quite well with over the years so we stick to it. That's not to say we don't look outside the box as well when it comes to stallion choices and to buying mares. But speed is generally the way we tend to go and we try to breed commercially as well. You need to be able to bring something to the sales that will be attractive to buyers; something that is precocious, early and fast. That's the way we have been heading. 

The big thing I would say about your success story with Vandeek is that it would have given a lot of smaller breeders huge encouragement to keep going despite what was a very difficult year.

Absolutely. I've had so many text messages and phone calls from some people that I have never even met before. Some people have told me that I am their inspiration! All I could say, was, 'thank you very much.' It definitely has given a lot of people hope. But it's very difficult. Financially, it's a hard thing to do. We do all of the work ourselves and it's only recently that I have managed to get somebody in to help with the mucking out on the days that I am not here. That will help to take the pressure off my husband a little bit. We've always done it on a bit of a shoe-string. I did my Masters in Equine Science and I tend to draw on that knowledge a lot as well. I think it helps in keeping horses healthy and in their best condition which, in the long run, makes them more efficient. The biggest gamble you are ever going to take in this industry is breeding because you never know what you are going to get. If you are lucky, you get a nice foal but, if you are unlucky, you might get something that won't even make it through the sales ring. My Dad is in a different business to us and often says that this is the only profession where, often the product you produce might not be worth what went into producing it. That can put you in a very difficult position, especially if you have invested heavily. 

And given the current economic climate, have you made any changes to how you run your operation with regards to reinvesting in the broodmare band or maybe not putting some of your mares in foal?

We try to be economical and efficient in everything we do and we've never really spent a lot of money on stud fees. If we have wanted to use some of the more expensive stallions, we have tended to do foal shares. But, with regards to covering and not covering mares, when you only have five mares like we do, you have to keep plugging away. If you don't breed anything you don't have a chance of making any money. You have to keep the wheel turning otherwise you will have nothing to sell. If you were to leave one mare off for a year, you are guaranteed that one of the mares you did choose to breed from won't go in foal, so then there's two mares who aren't producing for you in a year. 

And Mosa Mine (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), the dam of Vandeek, could be viewed as a triumph for perseverance with regards to giving your stud a major payday given her Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt sold to Coolmore Stud for 450,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale last year.

The triumph of that is for a little stud like ours to produce a horse that will be trained at Ballydoyle. I think that is amazing. For us to have a horse trained at Ballydoyle and the prospects of Vandeek becoming a stallion in the same year, it's a dream come true really. A result like that is nice because we can invest a bit into facilities and look at buying our next broodmare. I haven't really felt the rain on my back this winter. It does put a spiring in your step, that's for sure. 

Remind us how Mosa Mine joined your broodmare band?

We bred Mosa Mine to begin with. She was a beautiful foal; in fact, we named her Bonny because she was a bonny wee thing. It was back in the days when we had just moved to this property and we had no stables at the time. She was a May baby and we foaled her in the field because the weather was kind. We sold her as a yearling but she probably didn't reach her potential on the track. We loved her and decided that we wanted her back. We thought she wouldn't make much money at the horses-in-training sale, and she didn't [£800], so that was great for us. 

And what does the future hold for her?

She's not in foal at the moment but she is going back to Havana Grey (GB). It's kind of an obvious choice but then again, you think can lightning really strike twice? But it's a proven recipe at the highest level and Havana Grey seems to be progressing all the time so it suits. When you look at the other proven stallions, you could be looking at the likes of No Nay Never, which is at a much higher price and therefore we'd have to consider a foal share. With Havana Grey, we could possibly think of retaining the next filly out of the mare if we wanted to. 

I know you said that you have a penchant for speed but what sort of stallions are your mares in foal to?

We've got a sister to Mosa Mine by Compton Place (GB) and she is in foal to Twilight Son (GB). We've gone for speed there in the thinking that the progeny could end up becoming quite a nice breeze-up prospect as Twilight Son had quite a good time of it at the breeze-ups last year. The family is quick and it might just suit. Then we have a Medicean (GB) mare in foal to Masar (Ire), so that is something a bit different. But then again, Masar showed quite a bit of speed as a two-year-old as well, so that helps. She has already produced a lovely horse by Masar called Move On In (GB),  who is trained by Ralph Beckett, and it was off the back of him that we sent the mare back to the stallion. She had an Ardad (GB) in between and he's gone to breeze. We also have a mare in foal to Perfect Power (Ire), so speed again. We have done well with first-season sires in the past.

Could you put your philosophy towards breeding into words?

Wow. That is a tough one but you have to enjoy it. This doesn't feel like work to me. I might be mucking out all day long but it doesn't really feel like work. It's a lifestyle. You have to take the highs and the lows and you mustn't take the lows personally. If you talk to other breeders, everybody suffers the lows. Not everybody gets to enjoy the highs, but we all suffer the lows. When you get the highs, you have to enjoy them without looking at them like a pleasure plane. You have to do your best by your horses; look after them, keep them healthy and well fed. We've a good team of vets, farriers and local feed merchants and that all helps. Above all else, you need the help and support of your friends and family. When it comes to deciding on your stallions, you have to go with what you like, what you can afford and what you hope will work, and you must make your own decisions. When I first started, there were times when I took advice on stallion choices. If it didn't work out, then that person would get the blame and I don't like that. I'd prefer to live and die by my own decisions and remain positive. I'm an optimist at the end of the day.

It's a refreshing story, especially in a year where there was a lot of doom and gloom. And, who knows, maybe you can inspire one more breeder to keep going and maybe they will breed a champion like Vandeek.

You never can tell where the next one will come from. You are very lucky when it happens to you but, you must remember, you can breed the best to the best and get the worst. I was talking to John Deere before and he was explaining how, you put a bunch of genes from the stallion and the mare into a bucket and you take a handful of each and, what you're left  with, that's what you get. It's true, really, isn't it? In saying that, I have chosen the mares I want to breed from so it's not exactly random but, when you do put the ones you like together, there is no predicting what you might get.

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