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Over 300 horses included in the €300,000 showpiece Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes
The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes will draw Tipperary racegoers and many from the UK.
Reporter:
Stephen Gleeson
26 Mar 2024 4:00 PM
One of Europe’s most lucrative juvenile races has once again attracted an initial entry of over 300 horses as the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas Racecourse continues to garner the attention of trainers and owners on both sides of the Irish Sea and beyond.
Now in its fifth year, the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes has already offered well in excess of €1m in total prize money and the race is firmly established in the calendar as a marquee race for two-year-olds. The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is for two year old horses only that are EBF eligible and whose sire established one or more yearling sales in the relevant year with a median price of not more than €75,000.
The total prize pool will once again remain at €300,000 with €150,000 to the winner and connections all the way down to tenth getting a share of the spoils. Hugo Palmer saddled last years winner Golden Trick whose first prize haul of €150,000 meant he was the biggest earner for Palmer throughout the 2023 season and the successful Bronte Collection syndicate appear beside 18 of the 2024 entries.
Of the 322 entries, 134 are fillies while among Palmer’s possible runners in this years renewal is another son of Galileo Gold, Seagulls Eleven. Also among the entries for the 2024 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes are the first three horses home from the opening two-year-old maiden of the season at the Curragh on Monday.
The Adrian Murray-trained Arizona Blaze defeated the Noel Meade-trained Rowdy Yeats with Monotone, trained by Jim Bolger, back in third. Arizona Blaze carries the colours of AMO Racing and the increasingly prominent owner headed by football agent Kia Joorabchian is involved in 14 entries.
King Cearbhall is another intriguing entry. The Paddy Twomey-trained colt represents the Red Lily Syndicate, many of whom have strong ties to Naas Racecourse with the syndicate enjoying a memorable year at Naas last year courtesy of the Twomey-trained King Cuan.
The entries, many of which are still unnamed, are made up of horses by a total of 87 different sires across the 322-strong list with Bated Breath, who sired both 2021 winner Sacred Bridge and 2022 winner Voce Del Palio. Indeed, a Caravaggio half-brother to the 2022 victor is entered at this early stage for the 2024 running.
Last year’s race saw a 1-2 for British-trained runners with Palmer’s Golden Trick seeing off the Kevin Ryan-trained Jungle Mate and a Ribchester half-brother to Jungle Mate may try to go one better this time around.
Trainer Richard Fahey is responsible for 13 of the 119 British-trained inclusions at the first entry stage and the globe-trotting trainer is determined to be well represented on the 5th August. Fahey said: “The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a fantastic initiative but a bloody hard one to win!
“We’ve put 13 horses in it this year and even though it is early in the year it is a no brainer to make these entries. The €250 entry for a €300,000 race is a massive incentive for owners and lets us all dream a little.”
Fahey added: “We haven’t managed to win the Ballyhane Stakes yet but we’ll be trying desperately hard again this year to run a few in it because it is great prize-money and at a good time of the year for these juveniles.
“Any owner that buys into a two-year-old at the sales wants to dream of winning big races. The €250 entry and conditions of this race, along with the massive prize-money allow for those dreams for the next few months.”
Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, said: “The race is now in its fifth year and it’s fantastic to see such a strong number of entries from both home and abroad and a big thank you to everyone who entered a horse.
“With a massive pot of €300,000 on offer and prizemoney down to tenth place it gives connections the chance to dream big at this time of year. We are looking forward to watching the upcoming juvenile races and seeing which horses come onto the radar for the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes in August.”
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Warrior: Dáithí Lawless, 15, from Martinstown, in his uniform and holding a hurley, as he begins third year of secondary school in Coláiste Iósaef, Kilmallock I PICTURE: Adrian Butler
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