HE'S SIMPLY THE BEST; Brilliant Sea The Stars only fourth horse since 1900 to land Eclipse, Guineas and Derby in same season to delight of packed Sandown crowd

0 Comments | Racing Post (London, England), The, Oct 29, 2009

RACE SIX Sandown Jul 4, 2009 AS IF becoming the first horse in 20 years to win the 2,000 Guineas and Derby wasn't enough, Sea The Stars took a step towards equine immortality yesterday, writes Jon Lees.

With the exploits of the great Nashwan as his template, Sea The Stars matched his feat, claiming the Coral-Eclipse Stakes to become only the fourth horse since 1900 to win the Eclipse, Guineas and Derby in the same season.

There wasn't a patch of green to be seen on the lawns surrounding the winner's enclosure after the race, as a vocal gathering paid tribute to a moment that some had waited two decades to witness.

Sea The Stars, whose owner Christopher Tsui fainted after the race, was not as spectacular as Nashwan, a five-length winner of the race in 1989, but he proved no less dominant as he saw off the threat of Rip Van Winkle and Conduit with a bit to spare.

Mick Kinane's plan to sit behind his main foes and deliver his challenge with a furlong to run, as he had done at Epsom, was abandoned from the moment the stalls opened, as Sea The Stars broke too well and had to be settled ahead of the horses he had hoped to track.

Yet the 50-year-old veteran didn't lack confidence in his mount and, although forced to make a forward move at the two-furlong pole, which gave runner-up Rip Van Winkle a target to aim at, one admonishing crack of the whip to his idling partner a furlong out produced the desired response from Sea The Stars, who pulled a length clear at the line. Sir Michael Stoute's Conduit could never land a blow, finishing four and a half lengths further back with Cima De Triomphe fourth.

Despite Oxx's faith in the colt, he admitted he had had pre-race concerns that there would be a big threat to his superstar.

"I knew there was a good run in Rip Van Winkle," said Oxx. "Aidan and Johnny [Murtagh] have been sweet on him all season and I was wondering whether today would be his day.

"The race didn't quite go according to plan, he hit the gates so fast, but he always travels easily. There weren't enough of the good horses in front of him, he was the first of the main contenders, and he ended up in front too long and too early, which wasn't Mick's intention.

"I knew something was going to come at him, but I was impressed with the way he stretched. When he was tackled, he went on again and seemed to finish full of running. This fellow will never win by more than two lengths, he just does enough.

Although, I admit his enough is more than good enough for me."

Nashwan went on to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes but, although the race will be considered, Oxx would only confirm the Irish Champion Stakes as an intended target, while appearing to rule out the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for which he was cut to 2-1 (from 3) by Totesport.

"The Irish Champion Stakes would be a major objective for him, but we'd have to think about running him again before that.

"The King George is in three weeks and the Juddmonte International is three weeks after that. The horse will have a big say and we'll see how he comes out of this. I can't see him running in two races, so we'll have to give one of them a miss.

"The only real mile-and-a-half race for him is the King George, and that is coming plenty quick enough. We are not seriously considering the Arc for him, although he is entered.

"We would have to miss some of the summer races in order to keep him fresh for the Arc, and there might not be a lot of point in that, as four times out of five the race is run on soft ground, which would not suit.

"We're thinking of Leopardstown and then, maybe, the Champion Stakes at Newmarket would be on the agenda."

CAPTION(S):

Sea The Stars and Mick Kinane hold off the challenge of Rip Van Winkle and Johnny Murtagh to win the Eclipse