STARSPANGLEDBANNER (by Choisir) made quite an impression during the summer of 2010. He ran five times for the Aidan O’Brien team, winning the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and the Group 1 July Cup before chasing home Sole Power in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.

He had been a dual Group 1 star in his native Australia, taking the Caulfield Guineas over a mile and the Oakleigh Plate over five and a half furlongs, and as the latest Group 1 star from the family of Elvstroem (by Danehill) and Haradasun (by Fusaichi Pegasus), looked sure to be a popular addition to the Coolmore team. As has been widely publicised, fertility was such an issue that he returned to training in the summer of 2012.

We have seen quite a few high-profile recruits with fertility problems who have been gelded, but luckily Starspangledbanner was not among them. His tiny first crop yielded the Group 1 Prix Morny and Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner The Wow Signal (died young; sire of last Saturday’s Australian six-furlong Group 3 winner How Womantic), dual Group 1-placed Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Anthem Alexander and the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes winner Spangled.

Bringing him back from Australia was now an attractive proposition, especially as his fertility improved considerably over time. He had 85 Irish-conceived foals registered in 2019 and covered 168 mares last season.

The first Irish crop of this new phase of his career arrived in 2017 and proved that there was no fluke about those early results. The Jessica Harrington-trained Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Millisle was crowned European champion two-year-old filly for 2019. The crop also includes the Sheila Lavery-trained Lil’s Grey, who has been listed and Group 3-placed, plus the promising pair Knight Shield and Chasing Dreams.

Starspangledbanner, whose relations now include the Group 1 stars Highland Reel (by Galileo) and Cape Of Good Hope (by Galileo), had yearlings make up to 140,000gns last year and foals up to €110,000.

STARSPANGLEDBANNER (AUS), Chesnut 2006. Champion older sprinter in Europe in 2010. Champion sprinter in Australia in 2009-2010. Won seven races, £1,210,178, from 5 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, Darley July Cup, Newmarket, Gr.1, Golden Jubilee Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate, Caulfield, Gr.1, The Age Caulfield Guineas, Caulfield, Gr.1, H D F McNeil Stakes, Caulfield, Gr.3, RSL Vain Stakes, Caulfield, L, also placed second in Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, York, Gr.1, Newbridge 200 Renaissance Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, Festival of Racing Stakes, Flemington, L, and third in Newmarket Handicap, Flemington, Gr.1, Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Prelude(cg), Caulfield, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2011, and sire of the winners of over 259 races, and over £6,033,123, including MILLISLE (IRE), THE WOW SIGNAL (IRE), HOME OF THE BRAVE (IRE), ANTHEM ALEXANDER (IRE), SPANGLED (GB), OF THE BRAVE (AUS), THRILLSTER (AUS), LAST GIFT (IRE), MELIORA (IRE), SILVER RAINBOW (IRE), GREAT WIDE OPEN (IRE)

Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Co Tipperary, Ireland.

Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee, or Hermine Bastide

Telephone: +353 (0)52 6131298

Email: sales@coolmore.ie

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €22,500