A notable newcomer at Ballylinch Stud in 2016 is Make Believe, one of the best three-year-olds in France last year when he defeated subsequent French Derby star New Bay in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (the French 2000 Guineas) and later added the Group 1 Prix de la Foret, in which he set a new record time.

The pedigree of Make Believe is intriguing, because there is a remarkable sequence in his male line. He is a winner of the French 2000 Guineas, from the first crop of the Newmarket 2000 Guineas hero Makfi, who was from the first crop of the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Dubawi, a member of the only crop sired by the Dubai World Cup star Dubai Millennium. This is a branch of the Mr Prospector male line and breeders will be interested to note that his pedigree is free of both Sadler’s Wells and Danehill.

Make Believe’s sire Makfi, now standing in France, was the champion three-year-old miler in Europe in 2010 when he defeated Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and then went on to win the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Makfi’s first crops also include New Zealand Group 1 winner Marky Mark.

Make Believe’s three-parts sister Dubawi Heights, a daughter of Dubawi, was a star in California where she won the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita and the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Hollywood Park.

She and Make Believe are among four winners produced by the Suave Dancer mare Rosie’s Posy who won as a two-year-old and is a half-sister to the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup victress Tante Rose.

The next dam My Branch was also a very speedy filly, winning two listed races and finishing second in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

easy wins

Lightly-raced as a two-year-old, Make Believe easily won both his starts at that age, both over seven and a half furlongs, the Prix de Saint Desir at Deauville and the Prix Tanerko at Saint-Cloud.

On his reappearance in 2015 he was second in the Group 3 Prix Djebel to Ride Like The Wind, beaten only a head, and then ran an excellent race in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains to beat New Bay, with Highland Reel and Muhaarar both unplaced.

record time

Returning to Longchamp in October, Make Believe won the Group 1 Prix de la Foret in record time, defeating Limato and Toormore, and then he ended his racing career with a creditable fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland.

Ballylinch Stud celebrated its centenary in 2014 and this year offers six stallions, all Group 1 stars, the others being French Derby winners Lawman and Lope De Vega, Dream Ahead, Intense Focus and Beat Hollow.

Won four races, £462,855, from 7½ furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including Poule d’Essai des Poulains - P. le Parisien, Longchamp, Gr.1, Qatar Prix de la Foret, Longchamp, Gr.1, also placed second in Prix Djebel, Maisons-Laffitte, Gr.3. Retires to stud in 2016.

Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland

Contact: John O’Connor or David Myerscough or Mark Byrne

Telephone: +353 (0) 56 7724217 or 087 1335251 (Mark)

Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie or mark@ballylinchstud.ie

Website: www.ballylinchstud.com

Fee: €20,000 October 1st