Racing World Mourns Death of Lady O’Reilly 

Highly successful and longstanding owner-breeder Lady Chryss O'Reilly, the owner of Haras de la Louviere in Normandy, has died at the age of 73.

As recently as Saturday, she was represented as the breeder of two Group 2 winners in Britain and Ireland. At Newbury, Witch Hunter (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won the Hungerford S., while Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), bred in partnership with Ecurie des Monceaux, won the Debutante S. at the Curragh.

As ever, Lady O'Reilly was present at Arqana in Deauville during the last week, where her consignment of yearlings once again put her among the top ten vendors of the August Sale. Haras de la Louiviere also topped Arqana's V.2 Sale on Tuesday with a Kodiac (GB) colt out of Rainbow Vale (Ire) who was sold for €200,000 to Arthur Hoyeau.

Born in America in 1950 as Chryssanthie Goulandris, she held dual US and Greek citizenship. Her parents John Goulandris and Maria Lemos hailed from two Greek shipping dynasties, and she shared her passion for racing and breeding with two of her uncles: George Goulandris owned the 1962 Oaks winner Monade (Fr), while Constantin Goulandris was the former owner of La Louviere and bred two champion trotters.

As well as operating under her own banners of Skymarc Farm and Petra Bloodstock Agency, Lady O'Reilly was also one of the breeding partners in Ecurie des Monceaux. With her husband, the businessman and former Irish rugby international Sir Anthony O'Reilly, she previously owned Castlemartin Stud in Ireland, and she was a former chair of the Irish National Stud.

Lady O'Reilly's achievements as a Thoroughbred breeder span almost 50 years and include the Group 1 winners and influential sires Highest Honor (Fr) and Lawman (Fr), as well as the latter's fellow Classic-wining half-sister Latice (Ire). She also bred the 1996 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Helissio (Fr), G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Chinese White (Ire), and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Lightening Pearl (Ire) among a host of stakes winners. She was inducted into the ITBA Hall of Fame in 2013.

A hugely popular figure on the European scene, Lady O'Reilly supported a wide range of trainers, including Nicolas Clement, Pascal Bary and Henri-Alex Pantall in France, and Kevin Prendergast, Dermot Weld and Eddie Lynam in Ireland, where her distinctive black-and-white hooped silks with blue cap were carried to victory by the Group 1 winners Rebelline (Ire) and Voleuse De Couers (Ire). She also enjoyed much success with the late British trainer David 'Dandy' Nicholls, who trained for her the likes of group winners Sovereign Debt (Ire), Moss Vale (Ire) and Peace Offering (Ire).

Eddie Lynam, who trained the G2 Sapphire S. winner Soffia (Ire) among other black-type winners for Lady O'Reilly, told TDN, “She was a very kind woman. I was fortunate to have trained for her for 15 years, maybe more, and she was a pleasure to train for as she was very knowledgeable. She will be sadly missed in racing throughout the world, never mind here, where we were very fond of her. She used to come and visit and she was great fun. We did everything bar win a Group 1 for her: we were second in a Group 1 and won a Group 2, Group 3, Listed and all the rest.

“She was great for racing, she was chair to the National Stud here in Ireland and she was a fabulous breeder. My family and I were all very fond of her and we will miss her. My thoughts are with Sir Anthony and the rest of her family.”

Henri Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux shared Lynam's view. He said on Thursday, “It's a sad day. She's been amazing and she's a huge loss for many people. She was such a supportive and kind person and she made our industry nicer and more human. This is a big shock but she has enjoyed the last days of her life doing what she loved.”

He continued, “Through Patricia Boutin I got to know Chryss at the beginning of my career and she helped me like she helped so many young people. When we started Monceaux she was very happy to go into partnership. She was here all the time. She was a fantastic person when you had to give her bad news, and she was so happy when there was good news. On Saturday we won the Debutante Stakes together as breeders, and she and Patricia and I were in a box together in Deauville and she had a big smile on her face. It is my last memory of her and it is very special.”

Arqana's Eric Hoyeau and Freddy Powell paid tribute to Lady O'Reilly in a joint-statement which read, “It is with deep sadness that we have heard the news this morning. Lady O'Reilly was at the sales this week, greeting everyone entering the B yard with a smile. Many of her friends stopped by to chat with her; we believe that her last few days were happy ones, surrounded by her cherished Thoroughbreds and horse people. 

“Chryss has been selling in Deauville for decades and everyone will remember her champions Highest Honor, Helissio, Lawman or Latice. Last Saturday, she was delighted when two of her graduates won Group 2s in England and Ireland, then on Tuesday, La Louviere sold the V.2 top price.

“We would like to express our deepest condolences to her family, her friends and all the people who cared for her horses on her stud farms. Deauville sales will never be the same without her.”

Such notable success on the racecourse and in the sale ring in the last few days of her life are just reward for an individual who put so much time and thought into her own operation and the sport itself. That Lady O'Reilly had raced so many of the horses whose names appear on the page of her sale-topping Kodiac yearling, including his damsire Moss Vale and second dam Rainbows For All (Ire), speaks volumes for her enduring contribution to the world of Thoroughbred breeding. 

 

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Roaring Lion Colt Battles To Criterium de Saint-Cloud Triumph

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion–Beach Bunny {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) backed up victories at Windsor and Kempton in August with a half-length second in last month's G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket and stepped forward to register a determined success in Saturday's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, becoming the first Group 1 winner from the lone crop of his sire (by Kitten's Joy). The 49-10 chance was swiftly into stride and led through the early fractions of this 10-furlong test. Headed on the turn for home, he came under pressure at the top of the straight to regain a slender advantage passing the quarter-mile marker and was driven out in the closing stages to deny fellow British challenger Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) by a head after a to-and-fro tussle, the duo six lengths clear of the remainder headed by Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

“He came second in the Royal Lodge so, in that sense, he has exactly the same profile to [2020 winner] Gear Up,” said trainer Mark Johnston after claiming a second win in the contest. “They are similar horses in other ways and this fellow clearly looks like he stays and will stay further. It's sad that the sire's no longer with us and we've had a lot of success with his first crop.”

Reflecting on Dubai Mile's performance, Johnston added, “It's fantastic the way he has come back and it was a tremendous ride by the jockey. I think we all thought we were looking for fourth place on the bend and Daniel [Muscutt] said he felt it would have been a mistake to rush the horse when he was headed and he gradually worked back into it. That was clearly the right decision. The horse has surprised a lot of people, including us, along the way because he has a style of racing where he looks green in every race. That was his fifth race and he still looks a little bit green, but he's clearly got a tremendous attitude. When he's got something to aim at he keeps finding a bit more.”

Looking ahead, the trainer continued, “[Owner] Ahmad Al Shaikh has some very clever ideas and has helped campaign the horse very well. He was due to be sold before the Royal Lodge, but the deal was never completed. He's in the [Tattersalls] Horses-in-Training sale next week and he may yet go there.”

Pedigree Notes
Dubai Mile is the ninth foal and scorer produced by stakes-winning G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of an unraced half-sister to G1 1000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Beach Bunny is kin to the dam of G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg victor King David (Den) (Elusive City). The March-foaled chestnut is kin to stakes-winning dual Group 3 placegetter Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Listed Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Sottsass (Fr). Beach Belle, in turn, is the dam of Listed King Charles II S. winner Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:20.57, hy.
1–DUBAI MILE (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Beach Bunny (Ire) (SW & G1SP-Ire, $263,884), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Miss Hawai (Fr), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Miss Tahiti (Ire), by Tirol (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€20,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston; J-Daniel Muscutt. €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 5-3-1-0, €184,225. *1/2 to Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MSW & GSP-Eng, GSP-Ity, $307,838; and Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Arrest (Ire), 126, c, 2, Frankel (GB)–Nisriyna (Ire), by Intikhab. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€440,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV). O-Juddmonte; B-Swordlestown Little (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €57,150.
3–Adelaide River (Ire), 126, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: HD, 6, NK. Odds: 4.90, 2.30, 3.50.
Also Ran: Gan Teorainn (Ire), Sylphid (GB), Cite d'Or (Fr), Ndaawi (GB), Covent Garden (Ire), Strako (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Roaring Lion Colt Becomes Mark Johnston’s 5,000th Winner

Ahmad Al Shaikh's twice-raced 2-year-old colt Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion–Beach Bunny {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}), a €20,000 Goffs Orby graduate, notched a landmark score for Mark Johnston when making all in Wednesday's British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Novice S. at Kempton. The March-foaled chestnut, who was let go as the 6-5 favourite, became the trainer's 5,000th winner when annexing the one-mile test by an impressive four lengths from 13-8 market rival Super Mo (Uncle Mo).

1st-Kempton, £6,800, Nov, 8-24, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:42.35, st/sl.
DUBAI MILE (IRE) (c, 2, Roaring Lion–Beach Bunny {Ire} {SW & G1SP-Ire, $263,884}, by High Chaparral {Ire}), a €20,000 Goffs Orby graduate penalised seven pounds for breaking through in an extended-mile test at Windsor earlier this month, broke sharply and raced on the lead from flagfall here. Scrubbed along to maintain control approaching the final quarter mile, the 6-5 favourite was safely clear passing the eighth pole and kept on powerfully in the closing stages to easily defeat 13-8 market rival Super Mo (Uncle Mo) by an impressive four lengths, becoming trainer Mark Johnston's 5,000th winner. “I liked him a lot when I won on him at Windsor, he was fairly raw and made his own running that day too,” said rider Daniel Muscutt of the G2 Royal Lodge S. entry. “He didn't really engage until horses came to him last time and he put himself in the right position again today. He travelled much smoother through the early part of the race, with a bit of company, and as soon as I gave him the office in the straight he dropped his head to the floor and galloped away. That seems to be a trait of the few Roaring Lions I have ridden. He's a big baby and has plenty of scope and, next year, he'll be a nice 3-year-old over a little bit further. He's got a great action, he's a well-balanced colt and covers a lot of ground. He's a nice horse and, hopefully, he'll keep improving.” Reflecting on his unique achievement, Johnston added, “It's obviously a bit different from breaking the [British] record in 2018, you could say no one has reached 4,194 winners, so it's not as if I'm breaking new ground. It's just another landmark and setting the bar higher for people to try to reach. The main thing is the whole business revolves around winners and a lot of winners means a lot of happy owners and, hopefully, we can continue doing the same thing. The most important thing is Charlie's now getting credit for something that he's been doing for quite some time in the business. It's certainly part of the plan that he will take over at some stage in the relatively near future, but we don't know when that will be.” Dubai Mile is the ninth foal and winner produced by stakes-winning G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of an unraced half to G1 1000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The March-foaled chestnut is kin to stakes-winning dual Group 3 placegetter Naadirr (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Listed Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Sottsass (Fr). Beach Belle, in turn, is the dam of Listed King Charles II S. winner Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Sales history: €20,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $9,379.
O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston.

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