CRYSTAL Ocean, currently rated just 1lb behind the world’s best racehorse Enable, has been purchased by Coolmore and will stand under the National Hunt banner at The Beeches Stud in Lismore, Co Waterford, for 2020.
The best son of Sea The Stars to date, he won seven group races at three, four and five years including the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes over 10 furlongs at Royal Ascot this year where he defeated triple Group 1 winner Magical.
Racing in the colours of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, he also finished second in five Group 1 races and pushed Enable to within a neck in the King George, the pair seven lengths clear of their nine rivals. In all Crystal Ocean ran a total of 17 times and never finished out of the first three.
On what was to be his final racecourse start, he lost out in a photo-finish to Japan in the 10-furlong International in York in August. In September the horse suffered an injury on the gallops and was retired.
“If you look at his race record, it’s quite amazing,” commented trainer Sir Michael Stoute. “He has a lovely temperament and is a joy to train.”
Bred by his owner’s Southcourt Stud, Crystal Ocean is out of the listed-winning mare Crystal Star who has produced four group or stakes winners including two Group 1 winners.
“We’ve been lucky enough to get some great horses over the years, but Crystal Ocean could be the best of the lot,” said The Beeches manager Bobby McCarthy. “He’s a great outcross option for the many good mares from the Sadler’s Wells line.”
Ballydoyle exports
Two horses previously trained by Aidan O’Brien have found homes at stud in England. Last year’s Group 2 Richmond Stakes winner Land Force will stand at the Warren family’s Highclere Stud. By No Nay Never, Land Force was in training in Australia this year.
Le Brivido was trained by André Fabre to win the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot before he switched to Ballydoyle. The son of Siyouni will now stand at Simon Sweeting’s Overbury Stud at a fee of £7,000
Sheikh Hamdan has retired his Group 1 winner Eqtidaar to Nunnery Stud in Thetford. Sir Michael Stoute trained the son of Invincible Spirit to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last year.
Eqtidaar is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Massaat, who stands at Mickley Stud.