Crystal Ocean

Crystal Ocean (GB), the top-rated horse in the world in 2019, now has a new accolade as the busiest stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The son of Sea The Stars (Ire), who stands for Coolmore's National Hunt division at The Beeches Stud in Co Waterford, covered 335 mares. Leading the Flat sires was Coolmore's Sioux Nation on 289. Frankel (GB), who is on his way to regaining his champion sire title in 2023, covered 196 mares...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin NEWMARKET, UK--And breathe. Book 1 is over, galloping out the door after a three-day bonanza of record returns, the highest-grossing single day of horse trade in Europe, and the world's most expensive yearling of 2022. What this all means for next week and Books 2, 3 and 4 of the October Yearling Sale is anyone's guess, but a safe bet would be that all those potential buyers so frustrated at playing bridesmaid during Book 1 still have rolls of grubby fifty-pound notes burning holes...

No trainer has a better record in the G2 Hardwicke S. than Sir Michael Stoue, who will be bidding to win the race for a 12th time at Royal Ascot on Saturday after supplementing Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal), who will be sporting the Derby-winning colours of Saeed Suhail. Stoute won his sixth Derby when Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) powered home at Epsom just over a week ago for Suhail, who was also successful in 2003 with Kris Kin (Kris S), and the in-form trainer-owner combination will be bidding to...

12.40 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, f, 7fT CRYSTAL CAPRICE (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) represents the longstanding De Rothschild--Sir Michael Stoute connection which has fared so well with members of this March-foaled bay's family down the years. The dam Crystal Zvezda (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a talented but perhaps underachieving listed winner, is a half to three heavyweight performers to have raced in these silks in Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Among her peers is Lady Derby and Lady...

The coronavirus pandemic may have come into full force halfway through the 2020 covering season but, generally, breeders appear to have stuck to their plans and carried on with their matings. The total number of coverings did drop slightly to 19,961 (from 20,819) with 19% of the mares in production being sent to a stallion with a book in excess of 200. This year, according to the recently published Return Of Mares from Weatherbys, there were 17 stallions in Britain and Ireland in that bracket, 12 of which are standing...

LONDON, UK--Every racing fan has their own idea of which horse is the best, but when it came to settling the top horse of 2019 on official figures, there was not one but three. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, announced in London's Landmark Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, delivered the unique situation of a three-way tie for top honours between Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Look back to the replay of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth...

G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has held his position atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse rankings in the latest edition released on Thursday. The 5-year-old established a mark of 127 for that effort, and while he subsequently lost to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by a neck in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., the three-pound female allowance that Enable received means that Crystal Ocean remains one point ahead of her. The King George third Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) saw...