Coolmore has faced increasing competition at the sales in recent years. Perennial rivals Godolphin have been joined by emerging forces, including Wathnan Racing and the Kia Joorabchian-fronted Amo Racing. However, Michael Tabor and co still possess the firepower to lay down a winning bid when a lot catches their eye.
The Irish operation, which powers Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle powerhouse, was in full flow at this week’s Goffs Orby Sale. Coolmore supremo MV Magnier, signed for €2,890,000 worth of equine talent, headlined by the sales-topping €1,900,000 purchase of a filly from a family Coolmore knows rather well.
Magnier Splashes Out for Muirin Filly
The lot to fetch the astronomical sum is the fifth foal to result from the No Nay Never/Muirin pairing.
By strong speed influence Scat Daddy, No Nay Never was bred to excel over sprint distances. Representing US handler Wesley Ward between 2013 and 2014, he did just that. He announced himself to the racing world with an effortless success over four and a half furlongs at Keeneland. From there, he headed to Britain for the 2013 edition of the Royal Ascot Festival.
Lining up in the Norfolk Stakes, he produced a devastating display of raw pace and power. Awkward leaving the stalls and visibly restrained by Joel Rosario, No Nay Never shot clear once allowed to hit full stride. Remaining in Europe for the Prix Morny, he treated his Group 1 rivals with similar contempt on his way to an easy victory by a length. Retired following a close second in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, he headed to Ireland to begin his second career at stud.
Hailing from the County Meath yard of Edward Lynham, Muirin didn’t achieve anything like as much as No Nay Never at the track. Her sole win came on debut at the Curragh, when she mastered future Group 3 winner Sizzling. Her peak career performance arrived on her second outing, when she finished fourth in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
A Fruitful Partnership
While breeding talented stallions with talented mares increases the chances of producing a superstar, determining which pairings work best can be an inexact science. However, the decision to match No Nay Never with Muirin has so far yielded excellent results.
As of 2025, Muirin has produced five foals – all five of which were sired by No Nay Never. All four foals to hit the track have won at least once.
| Horse | Year Born | Races | Wins | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbeard | 2020 (Feb) | 8 | 6 | £471k |
| Run Away | 2021 (Feb) | 5 | 1 | £17k |
| Tunbridge Wells | 2022 (Mar) | 3 | 1 | £20k |
| Charles Darwin | 2023 (Mar) | 4 | 3 | £114k |
Tunbridge Wells and Run Away’s sole wins came at a relatively low level. However, connections will have high hopes that their recent acquisition can follow in the hoofprints of her two more illustrious siblings.
Blackbeard
Reaching a peak career rating of 119, the precocious Blackbeard blazed a trail through the juvenile sprint division in 2022. Following a debut win in a Dundalk maiden event, the speedball landed the Listed First Flier Stakes and Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh.
Sent off favourite for the Coventry Stakes, he couldn’t match the Royal Ascot winning feats of his father, finishing only fourth behind Bradsell. A subsequent second-place finish in the Group 2 Railway Stakes suggested he may be a notch below the elite.
In three starts between July and September, Blackbeard proved that assessment all wrong. Much too good for the opposition in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin, he ended his two-year-old campaign with back-to-back Group 1 victories in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes.
Unfortunately, Blackbeard was unable to display his talents further, with a training injury triggering his retirement at the end of the 2022 season. Now a member of Coolmore’s band of stallions, his first progeny are due to hit the track in 2026.
Charles Darwin
The latest result of the No Nay Never/Muirin combo only hit the track in April 2025. Charles Darwin has been put in the shade slightly this year, thanks to the impressive performances and huge reputation of stablemate Albert Einstein. However, the strapping bay could scarcely have made a more encouraging start to his career.
Like many from the O’Brien yard, he needed the run on debut at the Curragh, but he hasn’t looked back since. Breaking his duck with an emphatic five and a half length romp at Naas, he followed up at odds of just 1/14 at that track in May. Next stop, Royal Ascot and the Norfolk Stakes. Sent off as the 8/13 market leader, Charles Darwin was even more impressive than his father had been when scorching to victory in 2013.
Injury has held Charles Darwin back since that June contest, but he may yet return for a late-season appearance at the Breeders’ Cup.
Whether the €1,900,000 filly turns out to be more Tunbridge Wells or Charles Darwin remains to be seen. However, she already rates one of the more exciting juvenile prospects for the 2026 campaign.
