End of an era as Ballymacoll dispersal sales announced by Tattersalls

Tattersalls will conduct the dispersal of the powerful Ballymacoll Stud empire.The County Meath-based stud has produced 30 Group One winners since its purchase by the Weinstock family 57 years ago.The dispersal at Tattersalls will number almost 40 lots comprise of 14 mares, 16 fillies and colts in and out of training, nine yearlings and nine foals.It will begin at Book One of the October Yearling Sale and culminate at the Tattersalls December Sale.Ballymacoll's long-serving manager, Peter Reynolds, said: " It has been a privilege to have overseen the Ballymacoll Stud racing and breeding operation on behalf of the Weinstock family for 45 years. "We have enjoyed so many truly wonderful days on racecourses throughout the world and I am enormously proud of what the team at Ballymacoll Stud has achieved over the years. "To have owned or bred the winners of the Derby, the Oaks, the 2000 Guineas, the St Leger, the Irish Derby, the Irish Oaks, the Irish 2000 Guineas, the Melbourne Cup, the Breeders' Cup Turf, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the Japan Cup all in the last 50 years, is a magnificent tribute to the commitment of the Weinstock family and all associated with Ballymacoll Stud. "The success of Ballymacoll Stud reflects our consistent pursuit of excellence and Tattersalls is an appropriate stage on which to offer the Ballymacoll stock to as wide an international audience as possible." One of the headline acts set to go under the hammer is four-time Group One-winning mare Islington, who is in foal to the champion miler Kingman. The dispersal will also feature yearlings and foals by top-class sires like Exced And Excel, Oasis Dream, Sea The Stars, Shamardal and Golden Horn.