JOHN OXX hailed Sea The Stars as ‘phenomenal’ as the six-time Group One winner was retired to stud.
The Cape Cross colt lit up the racing calendar from May to October. An incredible run of success starting with the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, taking in the Derby at Epsom and concluding with a spectacular triumph in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe earlier this month, have marked Sea The Stars out as one of the greatest Flat horses of all time.
But rather than bid for a magnificent seventh win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, connections have decided to let the three-year-old colt retire on the high of his Arc success.
Oxx spoke about his superstar as being ‘phenomenal’ and like no other horse he has trained.
Oxx said: “We never had a horse like him and very few people have. Very few trainers get the opportunity to train a horse as spectacular as him and we were very grateful that he walked though our gate.
“He’s been such a phenomenal horse, so sound, and never gave us any trouble. He never missed a day’s work, except for the time in the spring when he had a temperature and he walked for a week. Other than that, he never missed a day so they are rare horses.
“His durability, his toughness and his constitution were all a large part of his talent but he also had the temperament and engine to deliver repeatedly on the big day. He’s a phenomenal horse and we’re all lucky to have had him.”
Those big days came at one a month from May to October. He became the first horse in 20 years since Nashwan to win the two Classics the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby, then he emulated the same horse again by landing Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July.
The Juddmonte International at York in August was next, the Irish Champions Stakes at Leopardstown followed before he landed Europe’s biggest price with his Longchamp success two weeks ago. His performance in France saw him compared to previous Arc winners like Dancing Brave, Mill Reef and Sea Bird. Oxx added: “They have all been major races and every one was important in its own right.
“You win the Guineas and you win the Derby and the anxiety builds up as the year goes on, so every race brought tremendous relief when it was over.
“The way he ran in the Derby was a joy to watch, the way he handled the track and came down the hill.
“After that the horse developed a great public following and everyone quickly recognised they were watching something special.
“His success was down to a combination of everything, but the main thing is his speed.
“He has tremendous cruising speed. Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien tried their best to make it tough for him with pacemakers, but they could never get him off the bridle.
“He can just travel off any pace totally at ease and then he can quicken up off it.
“I suppose he’s got great heart and lungs, but he’s got this beautiful balance and lovely stride.
“He’s a close-coupled horse in one way but very long in another and he has this tremendous athletic stride.
“Then there is his temperament and it is courage and temperament that bring the good horses to a different level.”
The Christopher Tsui-owned three-year-old lost just one – on his debut at the Curragh when he was a close-up fourth – of his nine races in his two years on track and collected almost £4.5million in prize money.
TODAY’S NAP: Dream Number (8.20pm Kempton)
