Sea the Stars

John Oxx has led the tributes to John Clarke, the former chief executive of the Irish National Stud and advisor to Mrs Tsui, who died on Thursday following a long illness.  Clarke died peacefully in Blackrock Hospice in Dublin and, according to Oxx, will be remembered for leaving a "considerable mark" on the Irish National Stud's history. Oxx said, "I knew John well. He was the chief executive of the Irish National Stud for a long number of years. He enjoyed a long stint there, during which time the stud...

Meer (Ger), a juvenile colt by Sea The Stars (Ire) out of the G2 Diana Trial winner Meergorl (Ger)(Adlerflug {Ger}), topped the BBAG Spring Sale at €135,000. Offered by his breeders Heike Bischoff and Niko Lafrentz of Gestut Gorlsdorf, the three-quarter-brother to Listed victrix Mercedes (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) was bought by Wilhelm Feldman on behalf of Eckhard Sauren. The agent indicated that he will discuss training plans with the horse's new owner but that the unraced Meer could remain with Markus Klug, who has overseen his early training...

The European breeze-up action moves to Germany this week with the breeze session of the BBAG Spring Sale set to take place on Thursday morning before the auction on Friday. A small sale in comparison to its European neighbours, but with the notable graduate of Prix de l'Arc deTriomphe winner Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) to recommend it, this year's catalogue of 73 horses features a mixture of 30 juveniles, with the remainder being older horses in training. One of the highlights of the sale should be Lot 29, Meer (Ger),...

It's a heady time of year to be on Newmarket Heath of a Saturday morning. You can tell by the convoy of smart cars when one of the big strings is about to arrive at the Al Bahathri, with Guineas weekend providing the perfect opportunity for owners to watch their horses work.  This past Saturday, either 2,000 Guineas day, Kentucky Derby day, or Coronation day, depending on your persuasion, was no exception. With the car park double-stacked and trainers and jockeys all about, Joe Foley, waiting for the off with...

NEWMARKET, UK--With a line-up that included Hurricane Lane (Ire), Global Storm (Ire) and West Wind Blows (Ire), the G2 Jockey Club S. was ushered in, appropriately, with a deep rumble of thunder and crack of lightning. The threatened storm didn't amount to much, and by the time Hurricane Lane had blasted away from his rivals to cinch an important comeback victory by six lengths, the sky was brightening as much as the mood of Charlie Appleby. The trainer was visibly relieved to have his 2021 dual Classic winner back in...

Sir Michael Stoute has described himself as "very grateful" at being inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame where he will join fellow legendary trainers Vincent O'Brien and Henry Cecil. The 77-year-old has saddled more than 4,000 winners, with his six Derby winners at Epsom including Shergar in 1981 and Desert Crown last year. Derby-winning champion Sea The Stars will also be inducted along with Stoute at next weekend's Qipco Guineas meeting at Newmarket. Stoute said, "I am very flattered and most grateful to have been inducted...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features the well-bred Silver Lady (GB), a daughter of Group 1 winner Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal), on debut at Newmarket.  16.45 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, f, 8fT SILVER LADY (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is the third foal out of the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lumiere (GB)...

John and Thady Gosden's Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will possibly return in Epsom's G1 Coronation Cup June 2 as her first start since capturing the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. Oct. 15. She was initially set to return in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan but missed the opportunity having not come to hand as quickly as liked and returns to Epsom after being narrowly denied when sent off the 6-4 favourite for the Oaks at the Surrey venue last year. "She ran a...

Seven-time Group 1 winner Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) has had his first mares scanned in foal at the National Stud. "Stradivarius has taken to his new role extremely well." said National Stud head of bloodstock Joe Bradley. "He has 11 mares scanned in foal and will cover well over 100 mares this year." Stradivarius claimed Group honours 18 times during his career retiring with total earnings of almost £3.5million, plus two individual £1million bonuses. There are sizeable payouts on offer for breeders supporting Stradivarius, with £25,000 for his...

The Aga Khan Studs has one of Europe's leading Classic prospects for this season in the unbeaten Group 1 winner Tahiyra (Ire), whose sire Siyouni (Fr), unsurprisingly, has a stellar lists of mares booked to visit him in 2023. These include Tahiyra's half-sister Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), who was also trained by Dermot Weld and won three Group 1 races among her nine career victories, as well as finishing runner-up in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.  An equally starry name features on the list as the brilliant, unbeaten Zarkava (Fr)...

Fifty Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars (Ire)--Swizzle Stick (Ire), by Sadler's Wells) has welcomed his first foals as he starts his second season at Sunnyhill Stud in partnership with Jack Cantillon's Bloodstock Racing. The Group 1-winner did his best running in Australia but now stands in the northern hemisphere at the National Hunt stud. "I'm going to be looking everywhere I can to find more mares for Fifty Stars on the basis of his first foal out of Lady Breffni (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}). We bought Grade 2 winning Lady Breffni...

Value is relative. A homebred yearling by a lowly stallion who goes on to reap rich rewards on the track, or one by a more fashionably expensive name who brings a bonanza return in the sale ring could each be considered to have offered 'value' for their breeders. In a slight departure from the norm for this annual series, we will be looking at the profitability of stallions in four key price brackets according to their yearling sales returns of 2022 set against their fees at the time of covering,...