Stable News
24-09-2008 Spotlight: Ballygallon Stud
Ballygallon Stud was bought by Mr Strudwick in 1986 and is now home to about ten mares. Originally it was the stud’s policy to sell top quality yearlings and they topped the sales on about four of five occasions, most notably when selling Becket at the Tattersalls Houghton Sale in 1999. Becket went on to win the Group 1 National Stakes as a two year old for Aiden O’Brien. In 2004 they decided to switch from selling their breeding stock, to keeping them and racing them in the Ballygallon Stud name and colours. This paid off with immediate effect when the homebred son of Giant’s Causeway, Aragorn, captured the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby as a three year old for Neil Drysdale. He went on to score notable successes in the Shoemaker Breeder’s Cup Mile and the Eddie Read Handicap.
Chantilly Tiffany
This extremely attractive filly made the best start to her racing career when she won the Wood Ditton Stakes at Newmarket last year. After finishing fourth in a Listed race at Goodwood, she was able to get her head in front again in a conditions race back at Newmarket. We continued to campaign her at Listed level for the remainder of the season but she was just held for that illustrious black type.
She was kept in training as a four year old to try and get some black type and she achieved this on her first start this year, when finishing second to the progressive Heaven Sent in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies Stakes. She was fifth at Goodwood, fourth at Pontefract and then disappointed at Newmarket, where the ground was to quick for her. She then went to Ascot where she ran a cracking race in the Shergar Cup Distaff and finished second to Nans Joy. We took her to Dusseldorf on the back of this run and ran her in a seven furlong Listed Fillies and Mares race. She appeared to relish the softer conditions and having been handy early on, she quickened up two furlongs out and won the race by an impressive four lengths. Her last run was at Doncaster in a competitive Listed race. Again, she travelled well in the soft ground and was sat just off the pace. She took up the lead just over a furlong out and although she battled gamely, she was just touched off on the line and finished second. We are delighted with her progress this year and she will remain in training as a five year old, as like many Pivotal's, she seems to be progressing with age.
Chantilly Tiffany far side
Crystany
Crystany is a neat, attractive filly, who recently joined us from Henry Cecil’s Yard. She is a beautifully bred filly, being out the Nureyev mare Crystal Music, who won the Fillies Mile at two years and was second in the Irish 1000 Guineas at three years. Crystany won her Maiden at two years and was second in the valuable Carrie Red Nursery at Doncaster. She has been Listed placed twice this year whilst under Henry Cecil’s charge. We ran her in a competitive Handicap at Great Leighs in August, where she finished sixth. She then ran at Chester in a six furlong Listed race where she had a terrible draw and was caught flat footed in the early stages of the race. She has always worked well at home and as though seven furlongs will not be a problem for her. We plan to run her at Ascot in a seven furlongs Listed race on Saturday.
Crystany
Portobello Park
He is an attractive son of Montjeu, who is currently in full training. As his pedigree would suggest, he has taken a while to come to himself this year and we may not see the best of him until next season, when hopefully he will make up into a nice three year old.
Potobello Park’s dam won once at three years in France and was placed twice at four years including second in the Atalanta Stake. He is from the family of Baya, who won the Group 2 Prix de la Grotte and was second in the Group 1 Prix De Diane Hermes.
Portobello Park
Barbee
Barbee is a sharp, attractive daughter of Night Shift, who was our first two year old runner this year. She ran in a five furlong maiden at Great Leighs and finished third. She then finished third at Newmarket behind the subsequent Richmond Stakes winner Prolific, before duly winning her Maiden at Newcastle. She has disappointed on her last three starts, which is a little disheartening as she is a filly who works well at home. In saying that, she has had a long season and we will give her one more run before she returns to Ireland for a holiday. Barbee will remain in training as a three year old.
Barbee is from the family of Cusoon, who won the Winter Derby Trial Stakes and Braashee, who was champion older stayed in Europe in 1990 and won 6 races including the Prix Royal Oak and the Yorkshire Cup.
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