An incredible year

John O’Connor is one of the most influential figures in Irish breeding circles. He can never be accused of failing to have his finger on the pulse of the breeding industry. Renowned as a deep thinker and for his good counsel, the managing director of Ballylinch Stud goes about his business effortlessly, is universally admired, and has made an impact on so many aspects of racing and breeding. 

There is an old adage that if you want a task done quickly and well, ask a busy person to do it. Few live up to that ideal as well as O’Connor. 

From a Tipperary family with deep roots in the industry, John qualified as a veterinary surgeon. While widely respected in that world, his career path veered into the world of stud farm management, and it is for this that he is perhaps best known.

Since John took the helm at Ballylinch Stud in 1988, he has guided the County Kilkenny stud farm to its position as one of the leading stallion farms in Europe, and as breeders of great renown. The land there has nurtured the early careers of a host of notable winners. ‘Joc’, as he is affectionately known to friends, has brought the remarkably successful stud to unprecedented levels of success, and this is now more than a century after the farm’s foundation. 

Such has been O’Connor’s contribution to the sector that he was, at a comparatively young age, inducted into the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Hall of Fame in 2018. This was a recognition for the work he had done with Ballylinch, his contribution to the veterinary profession, and an acknowledgment of his roles as chairman of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, chairman of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund, and one of the instigators of the hugely successful Irish Champions Weekend (now Irish Champions Festival).

Typical of the man’s commitment, O’Connor was elected chairman of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund in 2010, and was re-elected to the position on four occasions. In 2021 he handed the reins over to his friend, and another industry stalwart who puts his shoulder to the wheel, Ballyhane Stud’s Joe Foley.

As he stepped down from that positon, O’Connor was rightly satisfied with his tenure.

“I am very proud of the achievements of the Irish EBF, and the significant role that it plays supporting the Irish racing industry at many levels,” he said. “During my time the Irish EBF has brought forward a large number of new initiatives which benefit the industry at all levels.”

While many would have stepped down and taken a back seat, having brought the Fund to a position where it contributed a then record €2.6m to Irish prizemoney, O’Connor was still prepared to give it his wholehearted backing.

“I will remain on as a governor and will be available to give my full support to my successor as chairman.”

John believes in giving back to the industry, and he has done that in spades.

In early November, Ballylinch announced its stallion fees for the 2024 season, and the statement issued by O’Connor with the news was yet another example of a man who is in touch with the needs of one of the industry’s principal constituents, the breeders.

“The Ballylinch stallion roster had another flagship year in 2023, with our proven sires Lope De Vega, New Bay and Make Believe being responsible for some of the highest rated two-year-olds across Europe. Despite this success and outstanding results in the sales ring for our stallions, we have listened to breeders in a year which saw sales returns experience significant retrenchment, and have decided not to increase our fees for 2024”

Bear in mind that this happened in advance of the foal sales, which subsequently saw a market correction, and proved O’Connor’s and the farm’s decision was a correct move. Nonetheless, at the Goffs November Foal Sale three of the top ten foals were a son and two daughters of Lope De Vega, and he had another pair of six-figure lots. At the subsequent Breeding Stock Sale Diaphora sold to Juddmonte, in foal to New Bay, for €720,000.

The sale circus then moved to Newmarket and New Bay’s increasing profile and popularity was reflected in Godolphin’s purchase of an own-brother to Bay Bridge for 375,000gns, and the sire’s nine lots sold for an impressive average of 129,778gns, putting him just behind Sea The Stars.

SIRE POWER

What did 2023 look like for the Ballylinch roster of five stallions? The group features a wide choice of sires at various stages in their career, from Bayside Boy, who attracted 134 mares in his first season at stud, to the global sensation Lope De Vega, responsible for more than 200 stakes horses and 19 Group 1 winners. Whether you have €10,000 or €175,000 to spend, there is a horse at Ballylinch for your mare.

Just two European sires were represented by more black-type horses in 2023 than Lope De Vega. They are Dubawi and Frankel, both of whom command £350,000 for the coming season. At one-third of that fee, €125,000, you can access Lope De Vega, making him outstanding value. The profile of breeders who supported the son of Shamardal in the most recent season is incredible, among them none other than the British monarch, King Charles, who sent Magnetic Charm, a stakes-winning daughter of Exceed And Excel.

Winner of two French Classics, the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club, Lope De Vega delivers in every way, as a sales horse and with his track performers. He is recognised globally, and Australia, France and the USA played host to his most recent Group/Grade 1 winners, Arapaho, Place Du Carrousel and Program Trading.

The last-named, bred in partnership by Luca Cumani’s Fittocks Stud, added the recent Grade 1 Hollywood Derby to an earlier triumph in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, and the colt has only suffered one defeat, when runner-up in a Grade 3 race, in five starts. He is one of the most exciting prospects for 2024 in the USA. 

New Bay came close to winning a pair of French Classics too, ironically going down to his fellow Ballylinch stallion, Make Believe in the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas, but he made no mistake in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club. A son of Dubawi from the wonderful Juddmonte family of stallions Oasis Dream and Kingman, New Bay is already well on his way to sire stardom. 

New Bay, along with three of his four fellow inmates in the Ballylinch stallion boxes, did his racing in France, and this is no coincidence. John O’Connor has always been one to eschew the popular fads and fashions for stallions, and looking further afield than just the Irish and British racing scenes has served Ballylinch well. In addition, many of the best horses in the latter two jurisdictions are in just a few hands. 

“In France there are more independent owners who have horses racing at the top level, opening the opportunity for a stud like ours to stand them as stallions. French form can also be underestimated by people outside of France. I worked there when I first qualified. One of my first jobs was in Normandy, and so I am well acquainted with the racing and breeding scene there.”

O’Connor has also cashed in on the fact that the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, is now generally recognised as the best stallion-making race in Europe. Part of the reason for this development is the reduction of the race’s distance to ten and a half furlongs in 2005, though prior to that, many influential sires had their names inscribed on the roll of honour. Top Ville, Caerleon, Darshaan and Montjeu are just a few, but since 2005 it has been arguably more successful.