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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Trainer Simon Crisford has hailed Choisya as “an absolute pleasure and a real joy to have in the stable” ahead of her appearance at the forthcoming December Mares Sale at Tattersalls. The daughter of Night Of Thunder is set to be one of the star attractions when Park Paddocks plays host to the second of the two Sceptre Sessions on Tuesday, December 2. An eight-time winner from 23 career starts, Choisya registered her career high when winning April's GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, a victory which sets her apart from every other daughter of the champion sire-elect to be offered at public auction. “The extraordinary thing about this filly is that she will be the first Grade I-winning daughter of Night Of Thunder ever presented at sale,” said Crisford. “It's a unique moment, not only for this filly but for Night Of Thunder, too. “I think she is [typical of Night Of Thunder's stock]. We've got a few Night Of Thunders and I always think they start off a little bit slowly but continue to improve and just get better and better with time.” Certainly, the latter comment applies to Choisya, who began life in handicaps from a BHA rating of just 84 in early-2023. It then took her until the August of her four-year-old campaign to make the breakthrough in stakes company, running out a comfortable winner of Haydock's Listed Dick Hern Stakes, before taking her form to another level entirely when making her Dubai debut early this year. “She really surprised us,” Crisford said of Choisya's exploits in the Middle East, which yielded consecutive Group 2 victories in the Cape Verdi Stakes and the Balanchine. “When we got her to Dubai, she absolutely loved training on an oval, flat track. It was going to be interesting to see what level of form she could achieve at Meydan – and she was an absolute revelation. In both races, the Cape Verdi and the Balanchine, she was utterly dominant and her training continued to improve.” He continued, “We felt that she deserved to have a chance in North America. We took her to Kentucky to see how she would perform against the very, very talented North American fillies. Of course, she then won that race [the Jenny Wiley], which was fantastic. It proved that what she had achieved in Dubai was absolutely no fluke whatsoever. “She continued to have a very good summer campaign, actually, but we decided not to race her back in Europe. She should have finished third in the [GI] Diana [Stakes] and she was then placed in her last Grade I effort [when third in the First Lady Stakes], so she's been a thoroughly consistent and admirable racemare.” Crisford who, along with son Ed, trained Choisya for owner Mohammed Al Nabouda, admitted that he will be sad to lose the stable's beloved globetrotter, but pride is the overwhelming emotion as she embarks on the next phase of her career. He summed up, “She's been an absolute pleasure and a real joy to have in the stable. Obviously, we'll be very sorry to see her go, but the time is now right and I think she'll let down into a fantastic mare. “Of course, she's still got racing ahead of her, if that's what people wanted to do. She's a very sound filly and she could race on. But, on balance, she'll be a super mare for somebody. She exceeded all of our expectations and maybe now is the right time for her to be presented for sale.” The post Night Of Thunder’s Choisya to Provide “Unique Moment” at Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The National Stud has confirmed 2026 fees for its five-strong stallion roster, headlined by new resident Diego Velazquez at £17,500. By Champion sire Frankel, Diego Velazquez's race record boasts multiple Group 2 victories and a Classic placing in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains before capturing the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois in commanding fashion this summer. A 2.4million Book 1 yearling, he also boasts a stellar pedigree, out of two-year-old Listed-winning mare Sweepstake (Acclamation), making him a three-parts brother to Group 1 winner Broome and multiple Group winning and Group 1 placed Point Lonsdale. Dual Royal Ascot winner and European Champion Sprinter Bradsell was very well received in his first season, covering 130 mares and his fee remains unchanged at £10,000 (Live Foal). His first book included Group winners Ebony Flyer, Maureen, Please Sing and Shumoos as well as the dams of Group winners Happy Power and Raasel. Lope Y Fernandez completes 2025 as Leading British First Season Sire with 18 individual winners led by Group 3 performer Isle Of Fernandez and Listed placed Spanish Waltz. His first two-year-olds have progressed throughout the season and include debut winners Chill Y Flama, Sahara Magic and Ray Mon Dough who will be targeted for the Classic trials next spring. Backed by exceptional support in his first four years at stud, he will be represented by over 100 two-year-olds in 2026 and remains competitively priced at £6,000 (1st October SLF). Seven-time Group 1 winner Stradivarius' first yearlings delivered in the sales ring with a total average of £55,000, increasing to 72,000gns across Books 1 and 2. His fee remains unchanged at £10,000 (Live Foal) and his first two year olds will be in training with John & Thady Gosden, William Haggas, Joseph O'Brien, Andrew Balding, Owen Burrows etc. Building on his stellar strike rate of winners to runners Rajasinghe rewarded owner-breeder Phil Cunningham with two big Saturday winners in Two Tribes (International Stakes at Ascot and the Stewards Cup at Goodwood) and Run Boy Run (Ayr Gold Cup) and was rarely out of the results pages this year. The son of Choisir still holds the course record for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and will stand at £3,000 (1st October SLF) for his eighth season at stud. General Manager Joe Bradley commented, “Our stallion roster for 2026 offers real choice and value for breeders at every level. Rajasinghe and Lope Y Fernandez are making a mark with their progeny on the track, and Stradivarius has had fantastic results in the sales ring. We were delighted with the reception Bradsell received last year, and he has let down beautifully coming into his second season. Diego Velazquez adds another dimension as a son of Frankel with elite Group 1 form, proven toughness, and an exceptional physical to match. His addition underlines the depth and quality we're building at the National Stud and we look forward to welcoming visitors to the stud during the December Sales.” The post Diego Velazquez To Stand For £17,500 As The National Stud Announces Stud Fees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The Irish diaspora in the Bluegrass has lost one of its foundation stones with the death last Sunday of Roger (“Roddy”) O'Byrne, who presided for many years at McCarthy's Bar in downtown Lexington. O'Byrne, together with co-proprietor Peter Kiely, made their bar an institution not just for local horsemen but for the international bloodstock community. During an era when phoney “themed” bars round the world sought to exploit the national tradition of good craic, O'Byrne created a little piece of home for those compatriots of his own generation who served as pathfinders for the many to have followed since. The racing memorabilia adorning the walls of McCarthy's are not generic cultural symbols but the personal record of a colorful life, full of laughter and achievement. O'Byrne remained devoted to family and friends during his brave fight against the illness that has finally claimed him, back in his homeland. On both sides of the water, many will now be raising the kind of toast that he would have appreciated, and those in Lexington have the opportunity to do so after the livestreaming in McCarthy's of his funeral on Tuesday at 7 a.m. Refreshments will be provided after the Mass. That is a challenging hour even for his diehard customers, some of whom may find it easier to persevere overnight than to start at dawn! But like any good officer, he would not expect anything of his men that he would not be prepared to do himself…. McCarthy's Bar has evolved over the years and its popularity with college students nowadays has made some of the old hands feel their age. But the bar remains a haven for horsemen of every flag during sales and race meetings, having long served as the hub of the Irish expatriate community in moments of crisis, commiseration or celebration. O'Byrne hosted many a fundraiser for those in need; and it was here that another lamented compatriot, Gerry Dilger, chose to watch a second consecutive Dromoland Farm graduate win the GI Kentucky Derby in 2018. O'Byrne was among many in his family, from Kilmacthomas in Co. Waterford, to have made their mark on the Thoroughbred industry. One of his brothers, Demi, served Vincent O'Brien as veterinarian before becoming integral for many years to the Coolmore scouting team; and another, John, found triple Group 1 winner Rip Van Winkle (Ire) for the same interests at a yearling sale in Italy. And the Lodge Stud, run for the past 17 years by John's son Timmy, has been responsible for educating a long line of elite jumpers for J.P. McManus. Unsurprising, then, that O'Byrne was himself no mean judge of a horse. He sold McManus one fondly remembered by many in Danny Connors (GB), bought for just 1,500 gns before winning a Leopardstown bumper under Mr. W.P. Mullins in 1989. Switched to Jonjo O'Neill for his new owner, he was colly delivered by Mark Dwyer to win the 1991 Coral Golden Hurdle at Cheltenham. And only last April O'Byrne could celebrate the Grand National success of Nick Rockett (Ire), who had started out winning a Curraghmore point-to-point in his own silks. Nick Rockett was named for the uncle of the Kilmacthomas publican and was a second Grand National winner to have been traded by O'Byrne, following Miinnehoma (GB), who won the 1994 running after being found for just 5,800gns as a 3-year-old. Short odds, surely, that the parting glass for O'Byrne may produce a partnership to name a horse in his honor, too. Besides Demi and John, O'Byrne is mourned by his other siblings Jim and Mary, and countless others related by blood or friendship. The post Horsemen From Lexington To Waterford Mourning Roddy O’Byrne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
It's the trendline industry eggheads are tracking with dread: a foal crop that has dropped nearly 60% from 1990, with wave-sized ripple effects. The number of races in the country has fallen a comparable amount over the same period. Some estimates have put the number of shuttered racetracks at about 50 since 2000. Nor is the U.S. alone. Over in the United Kingdom, modeling by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association projects the foal crop to fall by around 25% between just 2022 and 2026. A one-quarter drop in four years. Hardly the stuff of sweet dreams. Against a status quo that doesn't appear to be working, the time is ripe, it seems, for some outside-the-box thinking. What ideas, therefore, does the industry have on how to stem (or even reverse) these seemingly terminal declines? Last week, in a letter to the TDN, The Jockey Club outlined a three-pronged approach concerning tax policy and political lobbying, expanded marketing efforts and strengthened equine welfare and integrity programs. But if you ask Steve Koch, administrative vice president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA), a good place to start would be a program incentivizing more breeders to stay in the sport as owners. “Rather than just assume we're going to produce foals for the sake of foals, you've got to have reasons for people to run them,” said Koch, about the underpinnings of what he coins a “breed-to-race” program, an idea he recently penned as an editorial in the organization's magazine. “Ownership's the first problem,” he said. “If we have people tripping over themselves to raise a horse, then we're going to quickly start producing more foals.” Breed to Race At its heart, the breed-to-race idea is founded upon the old-school breeder-owner ethos that prevailed for decades, providing something of a sure-footing for the rest of the industry. “I'm a product of Claiborne Farm. I grew up there,” said Koch. “Claiborne Farm was the classic breeder-racer. We need to make sure we have plenty of those still around.” They're still around, but they're becoming more of an anachronism, usurped by the rise of the syndicate. As for what the breed-to-race program could look like, specifics are necessarily vague right now. If other breeders' incentive programs are any guide, the greatest benefits are typically found where the rewards are focused on non-restricted races, said Jill Stowe, a professor in agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky. “So, rewarding quality,” said Stowe, citing prior research on the matter. “Those types of purses increased demand for yearlings and increased sales prices. Whereas policies for breeders tended to increase the supply of foals, which all else equal has the effect of lowering prices.” According to Koch, the fundamentals of any breed-to-race program could resemble in effect the “export incentive program” the FTBOA unveiled recently, to reward Florida-breds that win in selected conditions outside the state. “We've had breeder incentives where we are driving the supply of future racehorses by writing checks to breeders so that hopefully, they'll produce more racehorses,” said Koch. “Decades of that experience has proven it does work.” Obstacles One key facet of a breed-to-race program is deciding what kind of minimum ownership stake the breeder must maintain in the horse. Once that's decided, then comes the real headache of how to determine exactly who owns what specific stake in a horse. With no national system to monitor ownership stakes, it's up to the states to do this work, leaving what seems a major grey area across the country. In California, it doesn't appear as though any entity–not the state racing board, nor the paymaster's offices, nor the clerks of the course–accurately tracks this information. A tentative look at other states have yielded similar results. Then comes the issue of who pays for a breed-to-race program. For those cash-strapped state breeding outfits, such a program might be tough. But there are possible workarounds. Florida breeder and FTBOA board member Richard Heysek, who bred Speed Boat Beach, sees merit in a breed-to-race program that would give some of the less-fashionable but proven sires a boost. “What's happening to all these really good sires that just aren't popular even though they're proven at producing winners?” he said. “I could name two dozen of them that you could barely give away a season, even though they consistently produce runners.” Which is where a possible funding model comes in. Heysek believes some of the larger farms could re-utilize some of the profits garnered through their headline stallions to pay for a program to help spur interest in their less popular (but proven) ones. “Why not do it as a pilot? See if it makes their number go up,” said Heysek. “It would give a little shot in the arm to the breeding industry, because right now, the big guys are eating up a lot of the small guys. And we're not going to have racing if we don't have the small guys.” If such a program existed, would Heysek buy some more mares? “I would get a couple more. Yes,” he said. “I'd much rather breed to Blame than I would a $10,000 first-season sire, because if I can't sell and make any money from it, at least I know I can race it and make money that way,” he said. Economist's View Research suggests there's potential worth to Heysek's thinking about the positive impacts on the less commercial stallions, said Stowe. “The one thing that struck me was that, if there's a breed-to-race incentive program, it could potentially change the breeding decisions that the mare owners make,” said Stowe. “I wonder if breeders would make different decisions if they were planning on retaining the foals to race, instead of taking them to the sales,” said Stowe. Would a breed-to-race program pay for itself? That depends on how the funds are generated in the first place, whether the funds are designed to grow or remain stable, “and how you want to measure success,” said Stowe. “In order for the program to pay for itself, you need to have a consistent pool of funds, and hopefully an increasing pool of funds. But then, there are also indirect benefits that could potentially be used as metrics of success,” said Stowe. Powell's View To get this thing off the ground, what's needed would be concerted, ongoing discussions at all levels, said Lonny Powell, the FTBOA's CEO and executive vice president. That, “and several states that are willing to experiment and collaborate on such a thing,” Powell said. “I do think three or four jurisdictions might be able to provide a testing ground, give the leg up on such a thing. The way our industry works, everybody else follows.” That's why “we'd be willing to sit down brainstorm this with our executive peers,” said Powell. “I know everybody's busy, got lots going on. But I think we could all relate to the importance of the conversation.” The post “Breed To Race”: A Way To Stem Foal-Crop Declines? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Rathasker Stud has outlined its hopes for breeders spying an opportunity with Bungle Inthejungle, Coulsty and Gregorian after releasing its fees for 2026. Bungle Inthejungle will lead the roster on €7,500 while Coulsty will stand for €5,500 and Gregorian at €4,500. A statement released by the stud on Monday read, “Bungle Inthejungle had another good year on the track siring seven new Stakes performers. Super speedy two-year-old Revival Power bolted up in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes having trainer Tim Easterby dreaming of winning the 2026 Nunthorpe as he did with Revival Power's full sister Winter Power. JM Jungle took the leap from top-class handicapper to Group 2 winner when making all to win the King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, delighting John and Sean Quinn and their owners. Jungle Peace progressed from a maiden winner to a Group 3 winner in California when blitzing her rivals in the Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita for Phil D'Amato.” It continued, “Coulsty had his first big crop of two-year-old runners in 2025 and up to the end of October he has sired 23 individual two-year-old winners. He's getting good, solid trainer's horses that train on well. These traits have been appreciated in the sales ring results of his 2025 yearlings with prices of €200,000 and €75,000, £72,000, £65,000, €60,000 being realised and showing an impressive return on his €5,500 stud fee. “Gregorian again showed his ability to sire high class racehorses and his Amo Racing owned Hollywood Treasure stormed home to win the Listed St Hughes Stakes at Newbury for Kevin Philippart De Foy. Again his yearlings sold well making £42,000 to Amo Racing, £25,000 to Shane Power and €20,000 to BBA Ireland. We have held our stud fees at the 2025 level and hope breeders can see the opportunity to breed good racehorses at affordable prices.” The post Bungle Inthejungle Heads Rathasker Stud Roser For 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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