Sea the Stars Horse of the Year?

Good chirp Sly, was 9/20 and 7/10 on Interbet, gather it came under a bit pressure, judging by it hitting 2/1 in running, look forward to replay, but a winner is a winner.

great race, great winner.

Stars shows his class to defeat Eclipse rivals

Report: Sandown, Saturday

Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) 1m2f, 3yo+

SEA THE STARS became only the fifth horse since 1900 and the first since Nashwan in 1989 to complete the Eclipse, Derby and 2,000 Guineas treble at Sandown on Saturday.

The contest was run at frantic pace form the off with Lang Shining and Set Sail making the race a true test. The pace failed to upset Sea The Stars who cruised to the leaders before two out.

Mick Kinane, riding his fourth Eclipse winner, committed the dual Classic winner shortly after this point and despite the persistent challenge of Rip Van Winkle, he never looked like being caught.

Sea The Stars stayed on relentlessly up the Sandown hill to record victory at odds of 4-7 ahead of Rip Van Winkle who ran a fine race under Jimmy Fortune at 11-2.

Conduit briefly threatened down the outside but did not have the pace of the front pair and finished third at odds of 9-2.

Winning trainer John Oxx was quick to pay tribute to the son of Cape Cross.

He said: "This is what keeps you working.

"For 19 days out of 20, when you say what are you wasting your time for training racehorses when you can do something easier, these are the moments that keep you going.


"We'll have to have a think about where he goes next. We just go from race to race and we said after the Irish Derby we'd sit down and have a think about the rest of theyear, but obviously it is after this race now.



"The Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown would be a major objective for him and we have to figure out what we are going to do in the meantime.

"There's the King George in three weeks and there is the International at York three weeks after that.

"He comes through his races well and the horse will have a big say where he goes as we'll see how he comes out of this.

"I can't see him running in two races before the Irish Champion Stakes, I think we'll have to miss one."

Paddy Power cut the winner to 7-2 (from 4s) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Winning jockey Mick Kinane added: "He is so quick out of the stalls with his pace and it was almost as if I hit the front too soon today, but it was hard for me to stop him.

"When the second horse came at me, he just picked up. You are never going to win by more than two lengths on him, he just does enough.

"I was hoping to be in front at the furlong marker because I know he quickens really well.

"You don't get many like him, he has so much early pace it is unbelievable.

scotia Wrote:

---

> I was shocked to hear the tellytrack presenter
> mumble through the betting for the Eclipse and say
> the "fav" has won last 3 races and is a 3 year
> old?
> He had no idea that he is talking about "SEA THE
> STARS", the 2000gns and Derby winner, it was a
> poor show of racing knowledge imvho


Spot on Scotia, he didn't know the importance of the race or who the favourite was. Poor show indeed. Shocking he had to check where the horse finished last run while live on the air. Brilliant run from Rip Van Winkle ( or is that Vinkel)

i dont know why you guys are shocked at all..be it ngong or royal ascot its all the same to them which is a betting oppurtunity.

Pathetic is not the word!

Stars's Eclipse victory too much for owner Tsui


SEA THE STARS'S history equalling Coral-Eclipse victory proved too much for his owner Christopher Tsui who fainted in the aftermath of his success.

Tsui collapsed as he returned with his dual Classic-winning colt on the Sandown walkway and though an ambulance was called, he recovered in time to take his place on the winners' podium.

Tsui, who flew in from his home in Hong Kong the night before and was due to return on Monday, said: "I am fine. It was due too much excitement, the weather was too warm and all that together, but I am fine now."

Mick Kinane has hailed Sea The Stars' versatility following his Coral-Eclipse win.

The son of Cape Cross was winning his third Group One race of the season at Sandown following memorable victories in the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.

"He's the only horse I've ridden capable of winning a Guineas, a Group One at ten furlongs and the Derby. He's pretty much unique," the jockey told At The Races.

All roads will now lead to the Irish Champion Stakes in September.

"John (Oxx) and I will sit down this week and speak to the owner. The Champion is the main aim but where we go before then, we'll just have to see," Kinane added.

Sea The Stars rated the world's best by RPR


HE IS the 2,000 Guineas winner, the Derby winner, the Coral-Eclipse winner and now Sea The Stars can be called the best racehorse in the world after Racing Post handicapper Paul Curtis sent Saturday's Sandown superstar to the top of the sport's rankings.


In defeating Rip Van Winkle for a third time, the John Oxx-trained colossus attained a Racing Post Rating of 131, the best achieved in the Group 1 contest since 1989 champion Nashwan, whose 2,000 Guineas-Derby-Eclipse hat-trick Sea The Stars emulated in memorable fashion on Saturday.

His 131 mark - 2lb more than those boasted by Rip Van Winkle and the previous world best Gladiatorus - is now set to be tested in the Juddmonte International, which was on Sunday nominated by Oxx in preference to the Betfair-sponsored King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as the likely next target for the son of Cape Cross and Arc heroine Urban Sea.

Curtis, who had given Sea The Stars a mark of 124 at Newmarket and Epsom, said: "I can't honestly see how any handicapper could have him as anything other than the best horse in the world.


"Saturday's performance was fantastic and it was an outstanding piece of form. It is rare to get a result that can in no way be quibbled, but this was a solid, strong run, the time was good and the field was strung out."

Announcing the latest thoughts on future plans, Oxx said: "We intend aiming him at the Irish Champion Stakes on September 5 and he will probably have just one race before then.

"We will see how he is in a few days time, but the initial feeling is that the Juddmonte International, rather than the King George, might be his next race. York gives us that bit more time whereas the King George is less than three weeks away.
"

Best racehorse in the world.

Oh look, it had won its previous 3 races before starting odds on favourite. What age is it ?, I see its 3 years old. Isn't that unusual for a guineas and derby winner ?

Very interesting how they rate horses in the U.K.

Hibs and Scotia , you guys are clued up on English racing. Do two year olds have ratings and if so what is Canford Cliffs?

That is a racehorse.The way he won at Ascot was something else.

Tks

Morning scouser, just seen your post, will have a check for ratings?

Canford Cliffs saunters to Coventry Stakes success


Report: Royal Ascot, Tuesday

Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f, 2yo

CANFORD CLIFFS proved he is the real deal with a nonchalant six-length success in the Coventry Stakes at Ascot on Tuesday.

William Hill make the winner 8-1 favourite for the 2,000 Guineas. Coral were slightly less impressed, going "16-1" for the colts' Classic.

Canford Cliffs's jockey Richard Hughes had oozed confidence before the off, claiming the son of Tagula was his best ride of the week, and how right he was.


The Richard Hannon-trained runner broke smartly and raced at the head of the field with No Hubris and Red Jazz.

But the contrast between Canford Cliffs and the rest of the field was marked and, while Hughes sat pretty on top of the unbeaten colt, the other horses were under strong pressure.

Red Jazz, racing over 6f for the first time, started to weaken approaching the final furlong, as did No Hubris, and at this point Canford Cliffs asserted.

He immediately raced clear to winas the 7-4 favourite for the Heffer Syndicate and give his trainer and jockey a double on the day after landing the Queen Anne with Paco Boy.

Xtension, outpaced early, stayed on strongly to be second at 20-1 for trainer Clive Cox and jockey Adam Kirby while Rakaan was third at 28-1.

Hannon said: "I love this horse. He was a very good looking horse at the sales and had a lot of character. He is the sort of horse you would look at and think 'if I could afford him I'd have him'.

"He's such a laid-back character. Richard rode him work one morning and said he was a great horse.

"He's very relaxed at home and walks down to the canters like an old horse.

"It would be hard to find a two-year-old I've had as good as him. It was a long time ago to Rock City.

"We might look at something like the July Stakes and we can't forget the Doncaster Sales race, but we'll have to think about it. This horse wants looking after, he could be next year's horse."

Hughes added: "I rode him a few canters and I liked him a lot. I thought he would be ready in July, he was a bit leggy and a bit long.

"I gave him a half-spin one morning and I've never ridden anything like him in my life. I told the boss [Hannon] we had something serious here.

"He went ten lengths up on two others and the lads got a rollicking. They said they couldn't lay up with him. It was an unbelievable bit of work.

"This horse shouldn't have won - I've never known a horse to run away with me and win a race.

"He was a little bit lit up going to the start. It was only his second run. He was a little bit keen, he jumped really quick and was a bit keen again when the others came upsides me as he does all his work in behind.

"I've never known a horse pull that hard and win a race. He's the best I've ridden by far. He's a freak.