High Court rejects Steve Parkin's application to have Sands Of Mali removed from Ballyhane Stud

Sands Of Mali is to remain at Ballyhane Stud after the High Court in Dublin rejected an application from Steve Parkin to have the horse removed from Joe Foley's farm pending the outcome of an ongoing legal dispute between the former friends.

In an electronic judgement Mr Justice David Nolan determined that the Group 1 British Champions Sprint winner of 2018, who was the leading Irish-based first-season sire of 2024, is to remain at Foley's County Carlow farm – where he has resided for the last four years – but with conditions attached.

The Gimcrack winner is to be made available for veterinary inspection at least once every six weeks and Parkin is to be furnished with monthly accounts relating to the stallion.

Reacting to the judgement, Foley said: "I'm pleased my position has been vindicated by it, but I'm especially pleased for Sands Of Mali. 

"It was important for his reputation and for the breeders who intend to use him this year, to give them clarity and certainty about where he was going to stand. Thankfully, this has allowed that to happen. Breeders were keenly watching for this judgement."

Parkin had applied to the High Court for an injunction ordering Sands Of Mali to be removed from Ballyhane and transferred to Micheal Orlandi's Starfield Stud in Mullingar, where Parkin had Space Traveller and Asymmetric placed last March, when the dispute between the two arose.

Space Traveller remains at the County Westmeath farm but Asymmetric was sold to continue his stallion career in India after just one season. 

Sands Of Mali was trained by Richard Fahey for the Cool Silk Partnership and sired 21 winners from 49 first-crop runners in 2024, with four black-type performers among them.

Given his initial success and his performance profile, the son of Panis is on course to cover another substantial book of mares this season.

Sands Of Mali: Ireland's leading first season sire of 2024 will remain at Ballyhane Stud for 2025Credit: Ballyhane Stud

Foley said: "Sands Of Mali is a very promising young horse, he's very popular and has lots of nice mares booked into him, owned by very nice breeders. It's important for his future that he has a strong season this year.

"He covered a good book of mares last year and will do so again this year, so I'm confident, given his results on the track last year, he has a bright future."

Foley expressed his sadness that the long-standing friendship with Parkin had deteriorated to this point.

"It's a shame it's come to this, that it had to be resolved in court," he said. 

"Steve and I had a great relationship for going on 20 years, he gave me a great chance to buy some brilliant horses for him and I'm proud of the record we had. I delivered him eight Group 1 winners and 38 black-type winners. His farm produced two Group 1 winners out of mares that I bought as yearlings and managed."

Last season's Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Fallen Angel was bred by Branton Court Stud out of Parkin's Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner Agnes Stewart, but the daughter of Dark Angel was acquired privately by Wathnan Racing before running second to Porta Fortuna in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown during the Irish Champions Festival last September.

Parkin's Yorkshire farm has also bred Starlust, the Zoustar colt who triumphed in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November.

Foley reflected on the two decades of friendship and triumphs he and Parkin had shared, saying: "We had a tremendous amount of success together and I really enjoyed the run we had. Steve was a great investor and a great supporter of mine, he trusted me implicitly. 

"Whatever about the past year and the court case, I'd like to focus on the good times we had together and to wish him well. He and his family remain in the industry, and I'd like to think they'll continue to do so. I wish them well with Dullingham Park and their stallions, and everything else they do."

Legal ownership of Sands Of Mali, sire of the Listed winners Ellaria Sands and Ain't Nobody in his first crop, is hotly contested, with Parkin claiming he owns the ten-year-old outright, an assertion Foley denies. 

Fallen Angel winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh Credit: Patrick McCann

In his affidavit, Foley told the court the stallion is owned 50-50 between them and submitted documentation, including a copy of a stallion sale agreement between himself, on behalf of Ballyhane Stud, and Peter Swann of the Cool Silk Partnership, as evidence.

In court last month, Parkin's legal team denied suggestions he was engaged in a "wholesale firesale" of his assets despite putting his Rathbride Stud on the Curragh up for sale and amidst reports that Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing was in negotiations with Parkin to purchase Dullingham Park Stud.

The farm outside Newmarket is home to two stallions, namely Commonwealth Cup winner Shaquille, whose first foals are arriving, and Soldier's Call, who was previously based at Ballyhane but moved to Newmarket in late 2023.

The dispute over ownership of the stallion is part of a wider argument which centres on allegations of non-payment of stallion fees to Parkin, a case that is currently before the High Court.

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