THERE was great excitement about Born To Sea from the moment he arrived in the world for here was a half-brother to the dual Derby hero Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells) and to Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross), then just a potential champion only two months away from his first Group 1 success.

Trained by John Oxx, Born To Sea made a winning debut in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at the Curragh, and although runner-up in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes on his only other start that year, he remained one of the brightest classic prospects for 2012.