Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never–Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}), a dual Group 1 winner this season for Aidan O'Brien, will miss the Breeders' Cup with a knee injury and has been retired to Coolmore Stud.
“Blackbeard was a little off after exercise this morning in preparation for the Breeders' Cup,” O'Brien said. “Unfortunately, when we had him X-rayed the radiographs showed a small chip in his right knee and a decision has been made to retire him. He's a typical No Nay Never; strong, early- maturing and very fast. He ran every month from April to September and improved and improved from one race to the next. The plan is for No Nay Never's other brilliant son Little Big Bear to be trained for the Guineas along with Saturday's winner Auguste Rodin, while Luxembourg also remains in training for next season.”
Ryan Moore, who has ridden the juvenile in all bar one of his eight starts, added, “Blackbeard was a very exciting horse to ride. He was tough as nails and the ultimate professional who continued to improve throughout the season and had a lethal turn of foot.”
Blackbeard, the first juvenile runner for Ballydoyle this year, made a winning debut at Dundalk on April 8, before posting his first stakes victory of the season in the Listed First Flier S. a month later. Notching three straight wins, he added the G3 Marble Hill S. to his record and was then fourth when sent to Royal Ascot for the G2 Coventry S.
A busy campaign saw Blackbeard return to the Curragh to be beaten a short-head by Shartash (Ire) in the G2 Railway S. in the build-up to another trio of victories, ultimately rounding off his career in the manner in which he started, by winning the G2 Prix Robert Papin, followed by the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S.
A 270,000gns Tattersalls December weanling purchase, Blackbeard was bred by Newstead Breeding and is the first foal from her dam, herself a winner on debut at two before finishing fourth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on her second start. Her second foal, a full-sister to Blackbeard, recently topped the Goffs Orby Sale when bought for €2.6 million by agent Richard Knight.
Coolmore's David O'Loughlin commented, “The whole Scat Daddy line couldn't be going any better. No Nay Never has obviously enjoyed a fantastic season, Justify has made a brilliant start in the US, Sioux Nation is churning out quality winners here in Europe and the first yearlings by No Nay Never's first son to stud, Ten Sovereigns, have gone down incredibly well. Blackbeard is very much his father's son and a hugely exciting prospect.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
