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Ballymoss (1954–1979) was a British-bred 'Ballymoss'. Pedigree Query, undated. Retrieved 19 February 2025 Thoroughbred horse racing trained in Ireland by Vincent O'Brien for whom he became the first top-class horse on the Flat racing. In a racing career that lasted from 1956 until November 1958, the horse ran seventeen times and won eight races. In 1957, he became the first horse trained in Ireland to win the St Leger Stakes. The following season, he was Europe's leading middle-distance horse, winning the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Ballymoss was sold by his breeder at the Doncaster yearling sales. He was bought for 4,500 guineas by Vincent O'Brien, known, at that time, primarily as a leading trainer of steeplechasers. O'Brien was acting on behalf of United States businessman John McShain, who operated Barclay Stable in New Jersey plus a racing operation in Ireland where he maintained a home at Killarney. Ballymoss was ridden to most of his important victories by the Australian jockey Scobie Breasley.
In the build-up to the Derby, Ballymoss incurred a minor injury, leading McShain to cancel his plans to travel to England for the race. At Epsom, Ballymoss exceeded expectations by finishing second of the twenty-two runners behind Crepello. In his next race, he won the Irish Derby at the Curragh. At York Racecourse in August, Ballymoss started odds-on favourite for the Great Voltigeur Stakes but finished well beaten behind Brioche. Possible explanations for his defeat included an inability to cope with the soft ground and a lack of fitness.
In the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, Ballymoss started at odds of 8/1 against fifteen opponents. His odds had drifted out from 5/1 when heavy rain softened the ground. He won the race by a length from Court Harwell, with Brioche third. On his final start of the year, Ballymoss ran in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in October. He made no show in the race and finished unplaced behind the French filly Rose Royale. Following this effort, a plan to run Ballymoss in the Washington, D.C. International was abandoned.
In October, he was sent to Paris for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Starting at odds of 3.9/1, he was sent into the lead by Breasley early in the straight and was never seriously challenged, winning by two lengths from Fric. On his final appearance, he was shipped to Laurel Park Racecourse in the United States for the Washington, D.C. International, which also attracted entries from Germany, the Soviet Union, Venezuela and Argentina. He was made favourite despite the misgivings of Vincent O'Brien, who felt that he would be unsuited by the relatively tight turns and short straight. He finished third, beaten three and a half lengths by Tudor Era and losing second place by a head to the champion Sailor's Guide. He was subsequently promoted to second when Tudor Era was disqualified.
The Ballymoss Stakes, named in his honour, was run at the Curragh between 1962 and 1984.
Following the London & North Eastern Railway tradition of naming after winning racehorses, British Rail Class 55 diesel locomotive no. D9018 (later 55018) was named after the horse on 24 November 1961, and remained in service until 12 October 1981.
One of the leading broodmare sires in the United Kingdom, Ballymoss was the damsire of:
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