Ballylinch Stud

Location: Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Web site: www.ballylinchstud.com
Racing Background: The stud is part of the 1,500 acres of the Mount Juliet Estate in the Nore Valley, east of Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland ... Ballylinch Stud is owned by a private company, which is a division of Killeen Investments ... The chairman of both was Dr. Tim Mahony, who also founded Toyota Ireland, but died in June 2008 at the age of 77... Killeen bought the property from the McCalmont family in 1987. The house was converted into a hotel which is now part of Conrad Hotels ... Jack Nicklaus was invited to design a championship golf course, which has played host to the Irish Open more than once, as has another Killeen course, Fota Island in County Cork
Breeding/Racing Operation: Mount Juliet House was built by the Earl of Carrick in the 1750s. His descendants sold it to Major Dermot McCalmont in 1914 ... McCalmont owned The Tetrarch, unbeaten in seven races in 1913 and one of the greatest 2-year-olds ever seen in the British Isles. He established Ballylinch as the home for his champion, widely known as "The Spotted Wonder," when he retired to stud ... Ballylinch Stud has been expanded under the supervision of John O'Connor, its managing director since 1988 ... For some years it has been home to the stallions Soviet Star, Kings Theatre, Traditionally, Bachelor Duke and Whipper and also owner of Bob Back, who stands at Burgage Stud ... In Sept. 2007 Ballylinch made a big acquisiton to its stallion roster for 2008 in the shape of the French Derby and G1 Prix Jean Prat winner, Lawman ... Ballylinch manages mares for clients and prepares horses for sale but it has around 25 mares of its own ... The policy was to sell colts, like 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf winner, Red Rocks, and put the fillies into training ... Priory Belle, winner of the 1995 Moyglare Stud Stakes, gave Ballylinch Stud its first Group 1 success both as owner and breeder ... River Keen, victorious in the 1999 G1 Woodward Stakes and G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, is their only other Breeders' Cup runner ... River Keen finished 11th in the Classic that year. ... Ballylinch currently has ten horses in training, with six different trainers, eight in Ireland and two in England.