SEA THE STARS’ IRISH HOMECOMING
The Derby celebrations were sweet, but, we were soon back at work. John Oxx’s top priority was for Sea The Stars to put in a terrific show at the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, and I instantly knew why.
The Derby celebrations were sweet, but, we were soon back at work. John Oxx’s top priority was for Sea The Stars to put in a terrific show at the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, and I instantly knew why.
Famous Red bridge of Life in Kildare Japanese gardens, Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland.
Famous Red bridge of Life in Kildare Japanese gardens, Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland.
Hoping that Leopardstown racecourse would dry out sufficiently in time.
Sea The Stars was trained here on the Curragh of Kildare by Mr. Oxx.
The capricious and changeable Irish weather
Sea The Stars may be bred, owned, and raced by a Hong Kong family, but he was born and reared at the Irish National Stud under John Clarke’s expert care.
He was trained on the legendary Curragh of Kildare by Mr. Oxx, a second generation Irish trainer, and ridden by the internationally famous Irish jockey Michael Kinane.
Simply put, Sea The Stars was an Irish treasure, and our team wanted to give Irish racing fans the chance to cheer for their champion on his home turf!
The Irish Champion Stakes was the only 2009 Group 1 race still to be held in Ireland for which Sea The Stars was eligible. While we longed for him run in front of his home fans, Mr. Oxx was battling a familiar enemy – the Irish weather!
Heavy rain was causing problems, and my mother and I received regular updates on the chances of getting the good, fast ground we hoped for.
Twenty-four hours before the race, we knew Sea The Stars would be running, but I was in Vancouver on business.
I was concerned about the demanding journey required to reach the event, but, as always, my mother resolved my dilemma.
She advised me to watch the race on television, pointing out that if Sea The Stars won, his performance would become a magnificent Irish celebration.
The fans should savour their undisputed Irish wonder horse without the distraction of a ‘foreign’ owner.
History proved mother right. Sea The Stars romped home, beating rivals, Fame and Glory and Mastercraftsman by greater margins than we had dared hoped for.
The outpouring of emotion that greeted his return to the winner’s enclosure, where he was surrounded by his ecstatic Irish team, was sensational.
Could my incredible horse’s season get any more perfect? Well, there was one last significant goal: a race familiar to my entire family and one I had last experienced as a young boy. Could Sea The Stars follow in his mother’s footsteps and win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?