Sunday’s Criterium International (Group 1), 1m2f or 1000m, at St Cloud produced an emphatic winner in Jan Vermeer IRE (Montjeu IRE) over Godolphin’s Emerald Commander IRE (Pivotal) and favourite Rosanara IRE (Sinndar IRE) racing for The Aga Khan. 

Jan Vermeer’s jockey Johnny Murtagh bided his time at the back and, once his toe went into the heavy ground, JV took off outpacing a very decent field by four lengths.

He joins his stablemates on the betting lists quoted at 10-1 for the Derby.


Sea The Stars' Owners Retain Ownership in Ireland

Sea The Stars winning the Juddmonte International Stakes at York--1 of 6 Group 1s with partner Michael Kinane.
 
The waiting is over and so is the bidding war. 

The Tsui family, owner-breeders of the world's highest-rated horse in 2009 and arguably the greatest Turf horse to have lived, have chosen to retain full ownership of Sea The Stars IRE (Cape Cross IRE) and stand him in his home country of Ireland at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud.

The Stud is close to Currabeg where STS was trained by John Oxx and his brother starts his training.  It is also close to the Irish National Stud where he was born to another Arc winner the late Urban Sea USA (Miswaki USA). 

The Tsui's have also acceded to an emotional public's demand to breed STS with fellow Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava IRE (Zamindar USA).

The magnificent 4yo Zarkava, described as "my unbeaten champion" by the Aga Khan, won all of her seven career races (which included five G1s and one Group 3) in France under jockey Christophe Soumillon and ace trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre.

His Highness commented that "Mrs Tsui and Christopher's decision is certainly one of the most important developments for my operation since I inherited it in 1960."

"I believe the last two Arc winners were made for each other both in terms of ability, temperament and conformation.  The best needs to be bred to the best."

Enough romance and back to business.

"This horse (Sea The Stars) could also help develop relations to bring Chinese investment into the European bloodstock market." said HH.

Sea The Stars' first season fee will be 85,000 Euros with a book of approximately 120 mares.  

The Tsui decision was sensitive to Ireland's great contribution to Sea The Stars' career and showed gratitude for the country's outstanding record of horse care and produce.

Himself will be a great draw to an Ireland that has suffered serious economic reversals.


Sea The Stars:  A Horse For All Seasons

How does one describe or define racing greatness?  Sea The Stars IRE (Cape Cross IRE).

The three-year old literally repeated his Leopardstown 2-1/2 length victory when he was two on good to yielding ground (as predicted in the earlier column below) when he won the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f for 3yo+.

Ballydoyle threw two of their best three-year olds at him today.  Fame And Glory (Montjeu IRE) has been training for this race ever since winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.  This race was his trial for the Arc de Triomphe where he was favourite. 

Fame And Glory came in second to Sea The Stars in the English Derby and his jockey blamed himself for poor losing tactics.  He can now stop blaming himself.  He did nothing wrong.  His horse was just not good enough to beat STS.

Mastercraftsman IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE) just lost the Juddmonte International Stakes to Sea The Stars August 18 by a length on good ground.

When Sea The Stars walked across the Leopardstown course to the paddock, I knew the race was almost over.  He was totally relaxed and ready--like any great athlete.

He is a nice colt and a really 'cool' celebrity.  He graciously acknowledges his public and the press turning his face to the ever-present cameras for good shots.  A pro.

And that is what he is on the track--a pro.  During the race, jockey Michael Kinane held him back just past the middle of the pack with two flying Ballydoyle pacemakers making the race a real test of stamina for all. 

They were followed closely by Mastercraftsman and Fame And Glory to get a drop on the STS.  It was their only chance to beat him.

When the pacemakers faded at about the 3-furlong marker, Mastercraftsman seemed to be in trouble and Fame And Glory shot forward.

Kinane navigated STS out of the pack and past both the pacemakers and Mastercraftsman.  Then he effortlessly switched a gear and glided past foaming Fame and Glory in what looked like a graceful canter winning by 2-1/2 lengths.

He now favourite for the Arc and any other race he chooses to enter.

Modest trainer John Oxx said "The horse will decide rather than the owner or trainer where we go and the Arc is the next race coming up.  He's had a run every month since May, so that's five Group Ones (he has won) in as many months, and we will take it one race at a time."

"There is the Champion Stakes at Newmarket after the Arc but, and I'm even boring myself by saying it, we will just have to see what the ground is like before each race."

"Then of course there is Santa Anita....I'd think it would be the Classic rather than the Turf that we would think about."  Poor Summer Bird.

Winning the Irish Champion Stakes, which is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge, qualifies Sea The Stars for a place in the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita November 7.

If he wants the Classic, I rather suspect the BC Committee will arrange it.

Evidently, Oxx has come to think his charge wants to make 'legacy' like Rachel Alexandra or to at least beat every horse around on four legs. 

Maybe now his connections will let him prove, as much as he can, how good he is.

Fame And Glory deserves to be raised from his paltry 126 RPR, but not within two lbs of Sea The Stars as Rip Van Winkle is currently. 

Today's race proves both are very underrated, but STS is in another stratosphere altogether. 

Oxx is known for understatement and he says "He's one of those landmark horses that come along every 25-30 years that we always remember."

Kinane said "It's phenomenal how he can travel, he's never in trouble and I haven't ridden a horse like him who can do it any distance."

He definitely looks like the 140+ horse I have contended he is for months and a horse for all seasons.

UPDATE:  Racing Post handicapper Paul Curtis has awarded STS a provisional 136+ rating and states "there's every chance we're enjoying the best three-year old since Dancing Brave."

"The trouble is, he's beaten the best around, and producing a superior figure may prove problematic."

Dancing Brave?  I have heard nothing but Dancing Brave since I moved to England in 1991.  Curtis could not have made a stronger statement of respect.

September 6, 2009


Rainbow View Lands Leapardstown Matron Stakes

Leading filly at two, three-year-old Rainbow View USA (Dynaformer USA) finally got her favourite good to yielding ground and justified everyone's faith in her talent by winning the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes (Fillies' Group 1) (Class 1) 1m at Leapardstown, Ireland.

She also did not have to contend with Jamie Spencer using Sariska's bulk to knock her out of the way as he did with her and Midday in the English Oaks.

Trainer John Gosden was bullish about Rainbow View's performance and future after her impeccable performance under Jimmy Fortune.

Gosden feels the Prix de l'Opera is her next stop and then possibly the E P Tayler Stakes, but also she now qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare race on Turf in November as result of this race being one of the European Breeders' Cup Challenge races.  

Since her owner-breeder George Strawbridge is an American, the BC has to be a serious option.

Gosden said "Our Dar Re Mi (Singspiel IRE) has earned a place in that (Filly and Mare) after her Pretty Polly win (over Sariska), but she could also run on the main track, after all someone has got to take on Zenyatta USA (Street Cry IRE).

These are two underrated fillies as was Raven's Pass USA (Elusive Quality USA) last year when he won the BC Classic. 

Gosden does know how to train for top U.S. races and he will want to split the fillies to give each a chance to win a race for their respective connections. 

Dar Re Mi is a Lloyd-Webber homebred.

Another reason to split BC races is that Gosden will want Jimmy Fortune to continue riding them both especially after he lost the ride on Raven's Pass last year.


Termagant Lived Up to Her Name in Sinking Favourites

Ireland's fog-bound, boggy ground gave intrepid 14/1 Termagant IRE (Powerscourt IRE) just what she needed to sink her rivals in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) for 2yo fillies, 7f.

In only her second race, she demolished the field of more experienced and leading 1000 Guineas prospects including Godolphin's new acquisition Long Lashes USA (Rock Hard Ten USA) who took fourth and seemed lost on the ground.  Frankie Dettori wisely eased off on her. 

Trainer Kevin Prendergast said Termagant won her first race on good ground, prefers it dry and is a very good filly.  She must be to win on both surfaces and win the Moyglare in only her second career race. 

She will be aimed at the Irish 1000 Guineas rather than the English equivalent.

Second was the Aiden O'Brien pacemaker, 66/1 Famous IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE), for top-rated Lillie Langtry IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE) who was third.  Even Johnny Murtagh could not better her chances on the ground.

Termagant has earned a guaranteed place in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Friday, November 6, as the Moyglare is one of the 63 foreign races whose winners qualify for a place in the USA
end-of-season horse racing Olympics.

Punters are anxious that Ballydoyle/Coolmore horses are not winning the big prizes this year. 

Tracey Collins' Arctic IRE (Shamardal USA) beat Air Chief Marshal IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE) in the Go And Go Round Tower Stakes (Group 3) and Dermot Weld's Chinese White IRE (Dalakhani IRE) beat David Watchman's Latin Love IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE) which ran for his mother-in-law Mrs John Magnier in the Dance Design Stakes (Group 3) for fillies and mares.

Arctic was bred by Darley and to a Darley sire Shamardal.  Dalakhani is the former Arc de Triomphe winner for HH The Aga Khan.

Many of Ballydoyle runners are by their stud Coolmore's Danehill Dancer.

Termagant is the first stakes winner, Group 1 winner, for her sire Powerscourt who was bred by Juddmonte on a foal-share agreement with Coolmore USA.

Two other weekend winners of Juddmonte's breeding program were Icon Project USA (Empire Maker USA) in the Personal Ensign Stakes (Grade 1), Saratoga, and Spring House USA (Chester House USA) in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap.

Icon Project's win by 13-1/2 lengths has sparked comparisons to Rachel Alexandra USA (Megdaglia D'Oro USA).

Impressive Icon Project lost out to Dar Re Mi (Singspeil IRE) twice when racing in England in 2008.  Both fillies have progressed on across the ocean and could face each other again at the Breeders' Cup.

Only Icon Project's sire Empire Maker stands under Juddmonte's banner at its Lexington farm.

"It would be nicer if some of them were carrying our silks" said Garrett O'Rourke, Juddmonte's American-based manager.


Top Miler Rip Van Winkle

Runaway winner of the Sussex Stakes at Glorious
Goodwood three-year-old colt Rip Van Winkle with
jockey Johnny Murtagh on board despite a sore foot.
Photo David Hastings


O'Brien's Melbourne Cup Candidates

Aiden O'Brien is covering all his bases with four entries for the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 3 and has received very favourable handicaps as inducement.

He has entered Age Of Aquarius, Johann Zoffany, Changingoftheguard and Rockhampton (faithful pacemaker) and will be in other races before then.

"Changingoftheguard is going for the Ebor and Age Of Aquarius will be aimed at the St Leger at Doncaster" said O'Brien.