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John O'Connor with Soviet Star
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Ballylinch Stud is set among an impressive 1000 acres on the Mount
Juliet Estate in County Kilkenny. It was originally built as the home
of The Tetrarch who retired here to stud in 1914.
Since 1988 Ballylinch Stud has been managed by John O’Connor, a
highly qualified Veterinary Surgeon who graduated from University
College, Dublin. John has also worked in France and Australia and has
worldwide connections which enable him to do regular business in the
USA, Japan and all over Europe. |
The stud is now home to five top class stallions all of whom were Group
1 winners on the racecourse. Soviet Star is the sire of 8 individual
Group 1 winners including the Ballylinch Stud bred 2009 Premio Lydia
Tesio winner Eva's Request. King's Theatre is a top class dual purpose
sire who is proven in every sphere having sire USA Grade 1 winner
King’s Drama and Grade 1 hurdle winners Nobody Told Me and Nas Na
Riogh. Whipper, a Group 1 winner and 2, 3 and 4 years has his first
crop of three year olds in 2010 and they include Classic hopes Atasari
and Royal Bench. In 2008 we welcomed 2007 Prix de Jockey Club winner
Lawman to stud here at Ballylinch, being the best son of leading young
sire Invincible Spirit out of the outstanding mare Laramie he was
welcomed by breeders at home and abroad and covered an excellent first
book of mares, his first foals arrived in 2009 and were well received
at the foal sales by leading breeders all around Europe. In 2010
we welcome the Group 1 winning son of Giant's Causeway, Intense
Focus to stud. Winner of the fastest Dewhurst stakes in over 40
years in 2008 he also possesses a superb pedigree and is sure to be one
of the most popular first season sires this year.
The stud’s intention is to build up a band of 20 to 25 group
winning mares. Among the first to be purchased was Group 3 winner
Ingabelle who later went on to produce Ballylinch homebred Group 1
Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Priory Belle. Grade 1 winner Gravieres was
purchased out of training at the Keeneland sales and has gone on to
produce Group 1 placed Coliseum. Group 1 winning purchase Pharaoh’s
Delight has produced Listed winner Pharmacist who herself is the dam of
2 stakes winners including 2006 Breeders Cup Turf, Grade 1 winner Red
Rocks. Prix de Diane winner Caerlina was also purchased as a young
broodmare and Group 3 winner Shigeru Summit went on to produce Listed
winner Shizao. Listed winning purchase Majinskaya produced the Champion
Irish two year old filly Danaskaya, multiple Listed winner and Group
placed Modeeroch and Group placed Chinese Whisper. More recent
additions to the broodmare band include Gilded, winner of the Group 2
Queen Mary S., the dams of Group winning two year olds Etlaala and
Always Hopeful, Listed winning and Group placed Slip Dance, multiple
Listed winner Royal Alchemist, and Mise the dam of Group 1 winner
Nahoodh.
The main policy at the stud is to sell the colts and retain the
fillies to race. Ballylinch have built up a strong reputation for
producing top class sales yearlings who go on to produce high
performances on the racecourse. In 2007 we sold Group 3 winning two
year old of 2008 Luminous Eyes, and in 2008 a Ballylinch bred colt by
Montjeu out of our homebred Champion Two year old filly Danaskaya
topped the October Yearling Sale Part 1 in Newmarket when selling for
650,000gns.
Ballylinch Stud also undertakes horses for boarding, foaling, breaking
and sales preparation, please contact us for further information. |
