Greatest Racehorses: Sea The Stars 94yz

Pedigree Details

Sire: Cape Cross

Dam: Urban Sea

Dam's Sire: Miswaki

Breeder: Sunderland Holdings

Foaled: 6 April 2006

Race Record & Factfile

Races: 9

Wins: 8

Owner: Mr Christopher Tsui

Trainer: John M. Oxx

Profile

Sea The Stars was beaten on debut but went on to win all eight starts after, his three-year-old career beginning with 2000 Guineas triumph and ending with a memorable victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He was effective from a mile to a mile and a half and showed tip-top form on going ranging from good to firm to good to soft (also won on soft). Patiently ridden to make the most of his fine turn of foot, Sea The Stars was also tough, genuine and consistent, and he thoroughly deserves his place among the select group of horses who have fulfilled the time-honoured Timeform definition of greatness, being "a horse of such superlative merit as to make him, or her, far superior to the general run of classic winners".

Two-year-old season (2008)

Sea The Stars, by the high-class miler Cape Cross, hailed from a star-studded family. His dam, Freemantle, who would go on to finish first and second in the following year's Dante, filling the places ahead of him. He barely needed to improve to get off the mark – and begin his now famous winning streak – at Leopardstown on his second start but he did it in good style, not needing to be shown the whip whilst still looking green in front.

Sea The Stars would go on to confirm that he was an excellent three-year-old prospect in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes, his final start as a juvenile, taking the step up in grade in his stride. He cosily beat stablemate Crowded House, who ended the year as Timeform’s top-ranked juvenile in Britain and Ireland following his impressive Racing Post Trophy win, for the following year’s Derby, an understandable reaction by the bookmakers given the deep impression he’d created.

However, there was one score in particular on which he had something to prove. His sire Cape Cross wasn't as much an influence for stamina as Melikah, who had finished third in the Oaks of 2000. This, however, did make Sea The Stars a more viable candidate for the 2000 Guineas than that trio ever were, a theory that would be put to the test the following May.

Major races won:

• Beresford Stakes, Curragh

Ten years ago today, Sea the Stars triumphed in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes!

This was his first attempt in Group company, and he duly delivered!

(🎥@AtTheRaces)

pic.twitter.com/HyKXFY1v5g

— Timeform (@Timeform) September 30, 2018

Three-year-old season (2009)

With the benefit of hindsight, it seems remarkable that a horse who went on to achieve all the Sea The Stars did was sent off at 8/1 for the 2000 Guineas, sixth choice behind the impressive Craven Stakes winner John Oxx reported at the start of Guineas week that Sea The Stars had "failed to sparkle" in a gallop at home. "It's very soft and he hasn't worked as well as he has been working on good ground, or as well as he worked at Leopardstown eight days ago". John Oxx spoke more encouragingly, however, as the race approached and his increased confidence was justified as Sea The Stars beat Delegator by a length and a half, taking a while to settle but producing a strong run on the stand-side flank coming out of the Dip to score without his rider having to go for everything.

Ante-post Derby favourite Crowded House’s claims had taken a knock when he ran disappointingly in the Dante and the market was monopolised by Irish-trained runners, with New Approach. Kinane, though, privately already had no doubts that Sea The Stars was the best he had ever ridden; John Oxx revealed later in the year that Kinane whispered to him, as he dismounted at Epsom, "This is one of the greats".

Sea The Stars 🙌 @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/OCH29WDoq2

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 24, 2020

A tilt at the triple crown was not on the agenda, with connections quick to pour water on any hopes of Sea The Stars running in the St Leger following his Derby success, but he was still expected to emulate one of Nijinsky's notable achievements by completing a classic treble in the Irish Derby. The re-match with Fame And Glory was eagerly anticipated, especially with Ballydoyle expected to do more to ensure a strong gallop (Fame And Glory having become outpaced when Sea The Stars quickened at Epsom). Unfortunately, Sea The Stars was pulled out following heavy rain two days beforehand (Fame And Glory went on to win by five lengths). Instead, Sea The Stars took the path taken by Nashwan after his 2000 Guineas and Derby successes, dropping back to a mile and a quarter for the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

It was a winning performance that would take Sea The Stars, already at the top of an above-average three-year-old tree, to new heights, right up with the pick of Eclipse winners as, along with Rip Van Winkle (who would go on to win the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II on his next two starts), he pulled clear of Conduit, who was already a dual Group 1 winner and would go on to add another brace of top-level wins to his tally later that year. At Sandown Sea The Stars showed a style that would become his trademark, saving something back for himself having settled matters, in the instance of the Eclipse almost allowing Rip Van Winkle a second bite of the cherry. It was a style that made assessing his performances not an entirely straightforward process ("he only does enough but, sure, enough is enough if he wins", was how his trainer put it).

Sea The Stars lined up against Mastercraftsman and two Ballydoyle pacemakers in a rather disappointing four-runner, all Irish line-up for his next start, in the Juddmonte International at York, going on to land odds of 4/1-on, though not before his ers had endured an anxious moment when he briefly looked short of room while following Mastercraftsman through a gap between the two pacemakers early in the straight. He took a while to hit top gear once asked for his effort in the clear but swept through in the closing stages to beat Mastercraftsman with something in hand by a length, the first and second both inside the previous record for the course and distance (the time value of the performance was excellent, only a fraction behind his effort  in the Eclipse).

It is arguable that, in public perception at least, Sea The Stars’ defining moment is his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win, a race in which he gained a sixth Group 1 in as many months. He overcame a less-than-ideal age having fought for his head early on, still having a bit to do on the home turn and looking in danger of being crowded out in a field larger than usual only to quicken to the lead in customary fashion. It was his performance in the Irish Champion Stakes, however, just four weeks prior to Longchamp, that confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was one of the best horses in Timeform’s history, completing a unique and historic five-timer in spectacular fashion, beating Fame And Glory and Mastercraftsman who, at that point, had already won seven Group 1s between them. Sea The Stars, on ground considered softer than ideal by connections, produced one of the best performances seen by any horse since the early 70s that day, and he was received by the Leopardstown crowd in the fashion one would normally expect to be seen at Cheltenham.

Wishing a very happy birthday to Sea The Stars 🎂 12 years young today!

One of the all time greats!pic.twitter.com/12XwLSWSsv (Credit: @AtTheRaces )

— Timeform Live (@TimeformLive) April 6, 2018

Major races won

• 2000 Guineas, Newmarket
• Derby, Epsom
• Eclipse, Sandown
• Juddmonte International, York
• Irish Champion Stakes, Leopardstown
• Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Longchamp

Sea The Stars at stud

Stands: Gilltown Stud

Stud fee: €150,000 (2020)

Sea The Stars has, in no uncertain , been a hit at stud, siring 13 individual Group 1 winners, including Derby winner Crystal Ocean.

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