THE victory of potential classic contender Queen Blossom in the Group 3 Park Express Stakes, over a mile at the Curragh on Sunday, provided another reminder of the loss that was the premature death of Jeremy, aged 11.
The son of Danehill Dancer (by Danehill) spent five years at the Irish National Stud and was in his second at Garryrichard Stud when he died. His best flat horses include pattern winners such as Kool Kompany, Baino Hope and Success Days, his jumpers feature the Grade 1 star Our Conor, and he looked set to become the latest major sire to stand at Garryrichard.
Sageburg (by Johannesburg) took up residence there last year, his pair of flat pattern winners are complemented by a trio of blacktype scorers over obstacles, and now he is joined by Hillstar, a 12-furlong Grade 1 winner by the sire of Jeremy.
Hillstar is out of the listed scorer Crystal Star and that makes him a half-brother to the high-class pair Crystal Capella (by Cape Cross) and Crystal Zvezda (by Dubawi).
The latter won a listed contest over 10 furlongs at Newbury last year and was narrowly beaten in a similar contest at Newmarket on her final outing, but Crystal Capella came within a short-head of making it three consecutive wins in the Group 2 Pride Stakes and put up the best performance of her career when an eight-length winner of the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket, also over 12 furlongs.
In addition to being the stakes-winning dam of three talented horses, Crystal Star has the distinction of being a half-sister to Waila (by Notnowcato), a runaway 12-furlong listed scorer who was only beaten by three-parts of a length when third to Missunited in the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes.
CLASSIC COnnections
Their dam Crystal Cavern (by Be My Guest) won once over seven furlongs, is a half-sister to the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) winner Rose Gypsy (by Green Desert), and is out of Krisalya (by Kris), a half-sister to the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan scorer Sasuru (by Most Welcome).
Krisalya’s siblings also include the Group 2 Challenge Stakes herone Sally Rous (by Rousillon), the listed scorers Little Bean (by Ajdal) and Sossus Vlei (by Inchinor), and The Faraway Tree (by Suave Dancer), blacktype-placed dam of Tuscan Evening (by Oasis Dream) whose eight pattern wins in the USA featured the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes.
The Danehill sire line struck at the recent Cheltenham Festival with graded success for Empire Of Dirt (by Westerner), Solar Impulse (by Westerner) and Superb Story (by Duke Of Marmalade).
This is a famous family that has a long-established track record of success at the highest levels, and in Hillstar it has a Grade 1 scorer who should make an impact as a stallion.
Top rated 3yr old in England in 2013 (11-13f.). Won four races, £774,622, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile 4 furlongs, from 2 to 4 years including, Canadian International Stakes, Woodbine, Gr.1, King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Arc Trial, Newbury, Gr.3, also placed second in Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Hardwicke Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Rose of Lancaster Stakes, Haydock Park, Gr.3, Ormonde Stakes, Chester, Gr.3, and third in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Cumberland Lodge Stakes, Ascot, Gr.3. Retires to stud in 2016.
Stands at: Garryrichard Stud, Foulksmills, Co Wexford, Ireland
Contact: Denis Hickey
Telephone: +353 (0)51 565611 or fax +353 (0)51 565945
Fee: on application