WITH Vincent O’Brien’s sad death last week, reminders of a golden era of Flat racing came flooding back in the run-up to the Investec Derby.
With the ‘Sport Of Kings’ and the country in general having seen better times Sea The Stars evoked the greats of the past when becoming the first horse to land the 2,000 Guineas-Derby double in 20 years with a peerless performance on the idiosyncratic ups and downs of Epsom.
The sky is now the limit for John Oxx’s dual Classic star with all of the summer and autumn middle distance championship contests within his grasp after showing all the required qualities of speed, stamina and balance to land his trainer a second success in the blue riband in three attempts.
But now the three-year-old has emulated Nashwan’s feat of 20 years ago, with Saturday’s length-and-three-quarter success over the Aidan O’Brien’s Fame And Glory – leading a 2-3-4-5 for the Ballydoyle handler – the appetite of all involved with Flat racing has been whetted by the prospect of a first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky in 1970.
Oxx – although enamoured with dreams of emulating the Vincent O’Brien’s great Nijinsky – had reservations beforehand about his Cape Cross colt’s ability to get the 1m4f. Despite those fears proving unfounded as Sea The Stars stayed on well after always travelling best under Mick Kinane well just off the steady pace set by O’Brien’s Golden Sword and Age Of Aquarius, Oxx feels the 1m6f of the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster in September would be pushing his horse’s stamina reserves too much.
Oh So Sharp landed the fillies Triple Crown – 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger – in 1985, but few horses get the chance of landing the three Classics.
The temptation to head for Doncaster is there, but Oxx said: “I’m a believer in the Triple Crown and I think it will be won within the next 10 years with all these fashionable good middle-distance stallions at stud like Galileo, Montjeu and Dalakhani. But when it’s won, I think the big decision will not be whether to run in the Leger, but if you go for the Guineas in the first place.
“But if we were worried about the trip for the Derby I think we’d be very worried going into the Leger if we had him entered. “We’ll have to talk about it of course but this lad will be very good over a mile, and 10 furlongs. The St Leger could be a step too far.”
Next up is either the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on July 4 or the Irish Derby at the Curragh a week earlier.
Sea The Stars is the sponsors’ 5-4 favourite for the Eclipse. And he is the 3-1 market leader with William Hill for the King George & Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Stakes at Ascot next month; 5-1 best-priced with Skybet for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October and also 6-1 with Coral for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Derby hero was reported to be fine after his Epsom exertions yesterday.
Oxx added: “The Irish Derby is the obvious next race for him but he’s dependant on goodish ground and the weather here has been bad for two and a half years.”
“If he didn’t run there because of the ground he’d probably run in the Eclipse. I see him as a horse for the top mile and a quarter races like the Eclipse, the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Champion Stakes at Newmarket.”
Kinane, who will be 50 two weeks today, put Sea The Stars’ performance as at least the equal of his twp previous Derby wins aboard Commander In Chief (1993) and Galileo (2001).
Sea The Stars, by Cape Cross out of 1993 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea, is a half-brother to the latter already assured a place in history. Kinane, with his 10th British Classic success, put down his own longevity to riding horses of the quality of Oxx’s colt.
The Irishman said: “It is easy to be sharp when the horses make up any shortfall.
“He is so quick with a very high cruising speed. Every step of the way I was winning.
“It was special to go out there when you ride a favourite and Plan A-plus comes off. It doesn’t happen too often. The last time was when I rode his half-brother.
“He improved enormously from Newmarket. John has done a fantastic job and he has improved so much physically.
“When I got on this horse last May I couldn’t believe my luck. He has the attitude to be a great horse and is a pleasure to be around. He’s given me a new lease of life”
TODAY’S NAP: Red Cape (8.50pm Pontefract).
