Property deal

The Irish Farmers Journal reports that Coolmore Stud bought Ravensdale House between Leixlip and Maynooth in Co Kildare two weeks ago.

The price was €4.75m for the period house and 223 acres of good land. The farm will be developed into a stud. Ravensdale was previously owned by the Bruton family.

New challenge

Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton expects to make her debut as an amateur jockey at Newbury next Thursday. Her ambition is to ride in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham next March.

Hunter chasing

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run is set to go down the hunter chase route when he returns to action later this year.

The 10-year-old, winner of the Gold Cup in 2011 and third in the following two renewals, has been off the track since suffering various injuries on his way home from running at Auteuil in May of last year.

Phoenix target

Buratino may take in the July Stakes at Newmarket before bidding for Group 1 success in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 9th.