Latest news with #ToteBallyroanStakes
Powys County Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Sons And Lovers goes the distance in the Ballyroan victory
Sons And Lovers put up a smart front-running performance to repel Crystal Black in the Tote Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown and set up some potentially big targets on the international stage. A staying-on fifth in the 10-furlong Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot, Joseph O'Brien elected to try a mile and a half with his four-year-old, who was well backed as the 6-5 favourite . The popular Crystal Black tracked the winner all the way, but try as he might he could not quite get to Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount, going doing by half a length. O'Brien: 'He's had some very good runs this year and it was his first time going the trip. We were pretty hopeful that he would enjoy it. 'There is a race here for him on Champions Weekend (Kilternan Stakes) and we're also going to look at some international targets in the autumn. 'The owners have Absurde who ran well in Melbourne a couple of times and there is a good chance we could look at something like that for him. 'There are races all over the Middle East and there is also Dubai early next year. Everything is on the table at the moment.' Johan has been a tremendous servant to the Channon yard and the decision to travel to Ireland with the eight-year-old proved inspired in the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes, the other Group Three on the card. Having his first run since October, Jack Channon's charge was straight to the front under Ronan Whelan and the 2022 Lincoln Handicap winner refused to give way, holding on by half a length from 15-8 favourite Alakazi. Whelan said of the 12-1 winner: 'Obviously his form suggests he runs well fresh and the lads pinpointed him to come here fresh. 'He likes to get into a rhythm, so we were happy enough to bowl away and the way the track sets up played to his strengths today. 'He's a credit to connections and is getting better with age. It's nice to tick off a stakes race for them.' He added: 'The Channons have always been very good to me and it's great to repay them.' Aidan O'Brien's Montreal defied market weakness to run out a most impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden. With plenty of support for Ger Lyons' newcomer Res Ipsa, Montreal drifted out to 6-4, as Res Ipsa went off the 5-4 favourite. However, after missing the break Colin Keane was always fighting a losing battle on the market leader, with Wayne Lordan getting Montreal over to the rail from his wide draw and moving an effortless eight lengths clear in the straight. A son of Sea The Stars, Montreal holds entries in the Champagne Stakes and National Stakes and a look into the female side of his pedigree sees the likes of King's Best and Urban Sea. Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: 'He was going nicely at home before his first run, but he jumped slow and was just a bit green and immature. He's improved nicely in the two weeks at home. 'Wayne controlled it from the front, setting a nice even tempo, and kept gradually building it up. 'All the big options for the rest of the year are open to him and he'll be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year. He's put himself in the mix to come back here on Champions Weekend.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Sons And Lovers prevails in Ballyroan battle
The Joseph O'Brien-trained Sons And Lovers defeated last year's winner Crystal Black after a tremendous duel for the Group 3 Tote Ballyroan Stakes in Leopardstown, second leg of a double for the trainer and jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who has regained the lead in the title-race. Backed into 6-5 favourite, Sons And Lovers made the running, was joined by the runner-up early in the straight and the pair knuckled down for a battle, from which the Carriganog gelding emerged with a half-length to spare, and a similar distance to Siege Of Troy. 'He has some very good form and this was his first try at the trip,' said Joseph O'Brien. 'We were hopeful he'd stay and he saw it out well. 'There's a nice ran for him here on Champions Weekend (the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes). And we'll look at some international targets in the autumn. There's a good chance we might look at the Melbourne Cup. And there are options in the Middle East, and Dubai in the new year.' The earlier, Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes went for export for the first time since 2014 as the Jack Channon-trained Johan, having his first run since October and enterprisingly ridden by Ronan Whelan, made all. Registering the 10th win of his career, the eight-year-old held on late in a blanket-finish, beating the Johnny Murtagh-trained pair Alakazi and Chicago Critic with course specialist and last year's winner Mutasarref a close fourth. 'The Channon family have been very good to me over the years and I'm happy to repay them,' stated the delighted winning rider. 'Jack was quite confident about him and it's great that he's won a stakes race. 'This horse is best fresh and likes to get into a rhythm. So the track and the race played to his strengths. He seems to be getting better with age.' Off the track since last October but pipped by French 2,000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse in a Curragh maiden at two, Cadogan made a successful return in the nine-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, outpointing Slaney Drive by a length before surviving a stewards' inquiry, initiating the double for O'Brien and Browne McMonagle. 'He has always looked a talented horse but has been frustrating to train,' explained O'Brien. 'I've been happy with him for the last few weeks and, after this maiden win, we can look forward to an autumn campaign. He'll probably end up in a handicap, maybe on Champions Weekend and will have no problem stepping up to 10 furlongs.' Slowly away and very green on his debut over course and distance, Aidan O'Brien's Sea The Stars colt Montreal made no mistake in the opening two-year-old maiden, making virtually all under Wayne Lordan and powering clear to triumph by eight lengths. 'He was going nicely before his first run but jumped slowly and was very green,' said O'Brien's representative Chris Armstrong. 'He improved nicely since and Wayne gave him a lovely ride, controlling things from the front. He could be in the frame for the Champion Juvenile (Group 2) on Champions Weekend and will make a nice middle-distance colt next season.' In Sligo, Willie Mullins doubled-up with even-money favourite Mount Sinai (Brian Hayes), who was subsequently claimed by 'Shark' Hanlon, and Forty Kay, Paul Townend's only ride, who forged clear after Whispering Hopes blundered at the last in the Martin Reilly Hyundai Mares Maiden Hurdle. And it was a night to remember for Dara O'Sullivan who registered his first success on board Noble Name, owned and trained by his mother Claire O'Connell, in the bumper.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Sons And Lovers makes all to win Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown
Sons And Lovers put up a smart front-running performance to repel Crystal Black in the Tote Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown and set up some potentially big targets on the international stage. A staying-on fifth in the 10-furlong Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot, Joseph O'Brien elected to try a mile and a half with his four-year-old, who was well backed as the 6-5 favourite . The popular Crystal Black tracked the winner all the way, but try as he might he could not quite get to Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount, going doing by half a length. O'Brien: "He's had some very good runs this year and it was his first time going the trip. We were pretty hopeful that he would enjoy it. "There is a race here for him on Champions Weekend (Kilternan Stakes) and we're also going to look at some international targets in the autumn. "The owners have Absurde who ran well in Melbourne a couple of times and there is a good chance we could look at something like that for him. "There are races all over the Middle East and there is also Dubai early next year. Everything is on the table at the moment." Johan has been a tremendous servant to the Channon yard and the decision to travel to Ireland with the eight-year-old proved inspired in the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes, the other Group Three on the card. Having his first run since October, Jack Channon's charge was straight to the front under Ronan Whelan and the 2022 Lincoln Handicap winner refused to give way, holding on by half a length from 15-8 favourite Alakazi. Whelan said of the 12-1 winner: "Obviously his form suggests he runs well fresh and the lads pinpointed him to come here fresh. "He likes to get into a rhythm, so we were happy enough to bowl away and the way the track sets up played to his strengths today. "He's a credit to connections and is getting better with age. It's nice to tick off a stakes race for them." He added: "The Channons have always been very good to me and it's great to repay them." Aidan O'Brien's Montreal defied market weakness to run out a most impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden. With plenty of support for Ger Lyons' newcomer Res Ipsa, Montreal drifted out to 6-4, as Res Ipsa went off the 5-4 favourite. However, after missing the break Colin Keane was always fighting a losing battle on the market leader, with Wayne Lordan getting Montreal over to the rail from his wide draw and moving an effortless eight lengths clear in the straight. A son of Sea The Stars, Montreal holds entries in the Champagne Stakes and National Stakes and a look into the female side of his pedigree sees the likes of King's Best and Urban Sea. Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "He was going nicely at home before his first run, but he jumped slow and was just a bit green and immature. He's improved nicely in the two weeks at home. "Wayne controlled it from the front, setting a nice even tempo, and kept gradually building it up. "All the big options for the rest of the year are open to him and he'll be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year. He's put himself in the mix to come back here on Champions Weekend."
Powys County Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Crystal aiming to sparkle with Ballyroan repeat
Gerard Keane hopes a successful defence of the Tote Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday can open further doors for Crystal Black. The seven-year-old was unbeaten in all four starts last year, which saw the son of Teofilo triumph in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot before impressively landing this race by five lengths for his maiden Pattern win. Crystal Black made a return to action in the Alleged Stakes in April, finishing seven lengths adrift of Galen in fourth to end his winning streak. He subsequently underwent a wind procedure and Keane is looking forward to his stable star kick-starting his 2025 campaign, as he lines up a tilt at the final Irish Classic of season next month. 'He's coming along, he had a little bit of a hobday,' Keane said. 'So he's coming along well, we are happy with his work and as good as we can have him without a run. He's probably 90 per cent so it's a nice little race to start him back with. As long as he runs a nice race, we'll be happy. 'He's got an entry in the (Irish) Leger, so that is the plan if we think he is good enough to run in that, but that's in a month's time. 'That's the plan – Ballyroan, the Leger – and then after that we will see what's happening then.' Six-time Irish champion jockey Colin Keane is aboard for his father in the Group Three contest over a mile and a half. Sons And Lovers goes for Joseph O'Brien, the Noel Meade-trained Group-winning Layfayette also starts and Jessica Harrington has entered Sea The Boss. Johnny Murtagh's Siege Of Troy and This Songisforyou, trained by Emmet Mullins, complete the six-runner line-up.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Crystal Black back in action for Ballyroan Stakes defence at Leopardstown
Gerard Keane hopes a successful defence of the Tote Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday can open further doors for Crystal Black. The seven-year-old was unbeaten in all four starts last year, which saw the son of Teofilo triumph in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot before impressively landing this race by five lengths for his maiden Pattern win. Crystal Black made a return to action in the Alleged Stakes in April, finishing seven lengths adrift of Galen in fourth to end his winning streak. He subsequently underwent a wind procedure and Keane is looking forward to his stable star kickstarting his 2025 campaign, as he lines up a tilt at the final Irish Classic of season next month. "He's coming along, he had a little bit of a hobday," Keane said. "So he's coming along well, we are happy with his work and as good as we can have him without a run. He's probably 90% so it's a nice little race to start him back with. As long as he runs a nice race, we'll be happy. "He's got an entry in the Leger, so that is the plan if we think he is good enough to run in that, but that's in a month's time. "That's the plan – Ballyroan, the Leger – and then after that we will see what's happening then." Six-time Irish champion jockey Colin Keane is aboard for his father in the Group Three contest over a mile and a half. Sons And Lovers goes for Joseph O'Brien, the Noel Meade-trained Group-winning Layfayette also starts and Jessica Harrington has entered Sea The Boss. Johnny Murtagh's Siege Of Troy and This Songisforyou, trained by Emmet Mullins, complete the six-runner line-up.
