Galway breeder wins

SEAN Murphy from Monivea, Co Galway, has won the Connolly’s Red Mills The Irish Field Breeder of the Month competition for December. He bred Flooring Porter, winner of the Grade 1 Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle.

British sales postponed

BOTH Tattersalls and Goffs UK have amended their upcoming sales schedule due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions.

Tattersalls will be staging the forthcoming February Sale exclusively as a live virtual sale taking place on the scheduled dates of Thursday and Friday, February 4th and 5th with no horses, vendors or purchasers on site.

Tattersalls will also hold an additional conventional sales date at Newmarket on Wednesday, March 31st and Thursday, April 1st.

Goffs UK has postponed the National Hunt yearling (born 2020) session of the Doncaster January Sale and will instead offer a dedicated section for these horses at the Doncaster August Sale.

Extra race for Royal Ascot

A NEW race has been added to Royal Ascot this year, meaning there will seven races on all five days. The new race is called the Kensington Palace Stakes, a 0-105 handicap over the old mile for fillies and mares aged four and upwards.

Last year the Copper Horse Stakes, the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes and the Golden Gates Stakes were added to the programme and the Buckingham Palace Stakes was reinstated. These races have all been retained. The ‘Silver’ versions of the Royal Hunt Cup and the Wokingham Stakes have not been retained.

First foal for Waldgeist

THE first foal by Ballylinch Stud stallion Waldgeist has arrived at Stephanie Von Schilcher’s Carrigbeg Stud in Co Wexford. The filly foal is out of Not Misbegotten, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Nahoodh.

“She’s a beautiful strong filly, standing up and moving as if she’s already two weeks old,” said the breeder.

Navan inspection at 8am

THERE will be an 8am inspection at Navan today ahead of racing due to the threat of frost overnight. The track was frozen in places.