Sea The Stars siezes Irish Champion Stakes

5/9/09
Sea The Stars confirmed himself one of the best horses to race in Europe in recent years at Leopardstown today when winning his fifth consecutive Group One of the season in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes. The race is the latest leg in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge and, should connections wish to run, guarantees Sea The Stars a place in the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Saturday, 7 November.

The Cape Cross colt, trained close to Leopardstown by John Oxx, came to the south Dublin course on the back of victories in the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Investec Derby at Epsom, Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and Juddmonte International at York.
 
A searching pace was set in the Tattersalls Millions Champion Stakes but jockey Mick Kinane bided his time aboard the winner before coming with a strong run in the home straight to beat Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory by two and a half lengths, his biggest winning distance this year.
 
Although Oxx has not ruled out a trip to California, he is presently not looking at targets beyond the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp next month.
 
“The horse will decide rather than the owner or trainer where we go and the Arc is the next race coming up,” said Oxx. “He’s had a run every month since May, so that’s five Group Ones in as many months, and we will take it one race at a time.
 
“There is the Champion Stakes at Newmarket after the Arc but, and I’m even boring myself by saying it, we will just have to see what the ground is like before each race.
 
“Then of course there is Santa Anita but 7 November is still a long way away. It’s a hell of an ask to keep going that long for a horse that had a Guineas preparation in May and  I’d think it would be the Classic rather than the Turf that we would think about - but it’s such a long way off that we’re not talking about it now.
 
“He’s one of those landmark horses that come along every 25-30 years that we always remember and he’s the nearest living thing to a machine. If any of us is still around at the end of the century, I doubt there will be too many other horses who have achieved what he has done.”
 
Sea The Stars was partnered by 50-year-old Mick Kinane, who has ridden many champions in his distinguished riding career, and added: “To find a horse like him at this stage of my life is fantastic and he’s the best one I’ve ridden. It’s phenomenal how he can travel, he’s never in trouble and I haven’t ridden a horse like him who can do it any distance.”
 
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is an international series of 63 races whose winners earn qualifying positions into a corresponding race at the World Championships, following the payment of applicable entry fees on 26 October.  The Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes is one of 11 Challenge races held in Europe this year
 
The next European races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge take place at Ascot on 26 September. The three Ascot contests are the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), the Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) and the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, one of Europe’s premier all-aged mile contests for which the victor will be guaranteed a place in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.
 
For the full schedule of the Breeders' Cup Challenge races, please visit http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=40070