Crystal Ocean

Last updated
Crystal Ocean
Owner Baron Edouard De Rothschild.svg
Racing silks of Evelyn de Rothschild
Sire Sea The Stars
Grandsire Cape Cross
DamCrystal Star
Damsire Mark of Esteem
Sex Stallion
Foaled8 February 2014 [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Colour Brown
BreederSouthcourt Stud
Owner Evelyn de Rothschild
Trainer Michael Stoute
Record17: 8-7-2
Earnings£1,833,962
Major wins
Gordon Stakes (2017)
Gordon Richards Stakes (2018, 2019)
Aston Park Stakes (2018, 2019)
Hardwicke Stakes (2018)
Prince of Wales's Stakes (2019)

Crystal Ocean (foaled 8 February 2014) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. After finishing second on his only appearance as a juvenile he developed into a high-class middle-distance performer in the following year when he won the Gordon Stakes, finished second in the St Leger and was placed in both the Dante Stakes and the King Edward VII Stakes. He was even better in the following year when he took the Gordon Richards Stakes, Aston Park Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes before being narrowly beaten by his stablemate Poet's Word in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He later finished second to Enable in the September Stakes and to Cracksman in the Champion Stakes. In 2019 he won his first Group One race when taking the Prince of Wales's Stakes but was retired to stud in September 2019 after suffered a career-ending leg injury on the gallops.

Contents

Background

Crystal Ocean is a bay horse bred at the Rothschild family's Southcourt Stud near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. He raced in the colours of Evelyn de Rothschild and was sent into training with Michael Stoute at the Freemason Lodge Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk.

He is from the fourth crop of foals sired by Sea The Stars who won the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2009. His other major winners have included Harzand, Taghrooda, Stradivarius and Sea The Moon. [2] Crystal Ocean's dam Crystal Star won two races including the Radley Stakes [3] and went on to become a very successful broodmare whose other foals have included Hillstar (Canadian International Stakes), Crystal Capella (Princess of Wales's Stakes) and Crystal Zvezda (Fillies' Trial Stakes). Her dam Crystal Cavern was a half-sister to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Rose Gypsy. [4]

Racing career

2016: two-year-old season

On his first and only start as a two-year-old Crystal Ocean was ridden by Ryan Moore when he started the 7/4 favourite for a maiden race over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse on 17 September. After racing towards the rear of the nine-runner field he finished strongly but was beaten a neck into second place by the Richard Hannon Jr.-trained Warrior's Spirit. [5]

2017: three-year-old season

On 22 April Crystal Ocean began his second campaign in a maiden over ten furlongs at Nottingham Racecourse and started the 7/4 joint-favourite in a field often. Ridden by Ted Durcan he went to the front approaching the last quarter mile and pulled clear of his rivals before being eased down to win by a length from Okool. [6] Four weeks later the colt was stepped up sharply in class for the Dante Stakes (a major trial race for the Epsom Derby) at York Racecourse in which he was partnered by Andrea Atzeni. Before the race he had attracted significant support in the ante-post betting for the Epsom Derby. [7] In a very strong field for a Group 2 race he finished a close third behind Permian and Benbatl, with Rekindling in third. At Royal Ascot in June Crystal Ocean was made the 9/4 favourite for the King Edward VII Stakes but was beaten into third by Permian and Khalidi.

Crystal Ocean's next run was at Goodwood Racecourse when he was ridden by Moore in the Gordon Stakes, a race which often serves as a trial for the St Leger. Starting the 6/4 favourite he reversed the Ascot form as he beat Khalidi "comfortably" by three and a half lengths despite hanging right (towards the inside rail) in the closing stages. [8] After the race Michael Stoute said "He is a horse we've always liked and Ryan has always liked him too... He is very adaptable". [9]

The 241st running of the St Leger over fourteen and a half furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse on 16 September was described as "one of the best and most competitive Legers for years". [10] After being restrained by his rider Jim Crowley in the early stages he stayed on strongly to finish second to Capri with Stradivarius and Rekindling in third and fourth.

In the 2017 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Crystal Ocean was rated the 90th best racehorse in the world with a rating of 118. [11]

2018: four-year-old season

Crystal Ocean was ridden in his first three starts of 2018 by Ryan Moore. On his seasonal debut in the Gordon Richards Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park on 27 April he started favourite ahead of the Queen's horse Fabricate (winner of the Winter Hill Stakes). After recovering from a poor start he got the better of a "good battle" with Fabricate to win by a short head. [12] Three weeks later the horse was stepped up in distance for the Aston Park Stakes over one and a half miles at Newbury and went off the 2/5 favourite against four opponents. He took the lead two furlongs out, drew away from his opponents and won "comfortably" by six lengths from Second Step. [13]

Exactly one year after his defeat in the King Edward VII Stakes, Crystal Ocean returned to Royal Ascot and started 4/7 favourite ahead of Idaho, Barsanti (Buckhounds Stakes) and Cliffs of Moher in the Hardwicke Stakes. After racing in second place he took the lead in the straight and stayed on strongly to win by two and a half lengths from the outsider Red Verdon. [14] Stoute commented "He's really continued to progress with his racing. He's got a lovely temperament and he's a joy to train. It was straightforward. He is so uncomplicated you can do what you like with him. He is a relaxed horse. It is so far, so good". [15] On 28 July, over the same course and distance as his Hardwicke victory, Crystal Ocean was ridden by William Buick and started the 6/4 favourite for the 68th running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He took the lead in the straight and went two lengths clear but was worn down in the closing stages by his stablemate Poet's Word and beaten a neck with the pair finishing nine lengths in front of the other five runners. Stoute commented "They are two wonderful, brave athletes. There’s nothing between them really". [16] When the interim World's Best Racehorse Rankings were published eight days later Crystal Ocean was rated the fourth best horse in the world behind Winx, Gun Runner and Poet's Word. [17]

On his next appearance in the September Stakes on the synthetic polytrack surface at Kempton Park Racecourse on 8 September, Crystal Ocean was asked to concede eight pounds to the 2017 European Horse of the Year Enable. Partnered by David Probert he tracked Enable throughout the race but never looked likely to threaten the filly and was beaten three and a half lengths into second place. Buick took the ride when Crystal Ocean was made second favourite for the Champion Stakes at Ascot on 20 October. He proved no match for the winner Cracksman but kept on well to take second place in the eight-runner field.

In the 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Crystal Ocean was placed eighth, with a rating of 125. [18]

2019: five-year-old season

As in the previous year, Crystal Ocean began his 2019 campaign in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in which he was ridden by Moore and went off the 5/6 favourite with the best fancied of his six opponents being Trais Fluors (Prix Paul de Moussac) and Knight To Behold (Prix Guillaume d'Ornano). After tracking the front-running Knight To Behold, Crystal Ocean went to the front two furlongs from the finish and drew away to win "very readily" by two and a quarter lengths. [19] He continued to duplicate his 2018 programme by running next in the Aston Park Stakes at Newbury in May. Starting at of 2/9 he raced in second place before taking the lead in the straight and came two lengths in front of the Cumberland Lodge Stakes winner Laraaib. [20]

On 19 June Crystal Ocean was partnered by Frankie Dettori when he ran for the third time at Royal Ascot and started the 3/1 second favourite behind Magical in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. The other six runners were Sea of Class, Waldgeist, Deirdre (Shuka Sho), Zabeel Prince (Prix d'Ispahan), Hunting Horn (Hampton Court Stakes) and Desert Encounter (Canadian International Stakes). The race was run in challenging conditions in heavy rain on soft ground. Dettori positioned Crystal Ocean in second place behind the front-running Hunting Horn before switching his mount to the wide outside to make his challenge in the straight. Crystal Ocean went to the front two furlongs from the finish and saw off the persistent challenge of Magical to win by one and a quarter lengths with a gap of more than three lengths back to Waldgeist in third. [21] After the race Dettori said "He's an ultra-consistent horse, he's a heavyweight of the sport, never runs a bad race... I knew Crystal Ocean stayed really well, so I kicked on early and did not hear anything coming. The rest is history." [22]

On 27 July Crystal Ocean made his second attempt to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and started the 7/2 second favourite behind Enable. After racing in mid division he made rapid progress on the outside to take the lead in the straight but was beaten a neck by Enable after a sustained struggle over the final furlong. [23]

Crystal Ocean was strongly fancied in the ante-post betting for both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Champion Stakes but he sustained a serious leg injury in a training gallop on 12 September and was immediately retired from racing. A spokesman for Evelyn de Rothschild explained "Crystal Ocean has had two screws inserted in a hind cannon bone and has come through the surgery successfully. It should in no way affect his future stud career". [24]

In the 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Crystal Ocean was given a rating of 128, placing him in a three-way tie for first place alongside Enable and Waldgeist. [25]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Crystal Ocean (GB), bay stallion, 2014 [1]
Sire
Sea The Stars (IRE)
2006		 Cape Cross (IRE)
1994		 Green Desert (USA) Danzig
Foreign Courier
Park Appeal Ahonoora (GB)
Balidaress
Urban Sea (USA)
1989		 Miswaki Mr. Prospector
Hopespringseternal
Allegretta (GB)Lombard (GER)
Anatevka (GER)
Dam
Crystal Star (GB)
2000		 Mark of Esteem (IRE)
1993		 Darshaan (GB) Shirley Heights
Delsy (FR)
Homage (GB) Ajdal (USA)
Home Love (USA)
Crystal Cavern (USA)
1992		 Be My Guest Northern Dancer (CAN)
What A Treat
Krisalya (GB) Kris
Sassalya (Family 7-a) [4]

Related Research Articles

Scorpion is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a three-year-old in 2005 he won the Grand Prix de Paris and the St. Leger Stakes. In 2007 he won the Coronation Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conduit (horse)</span> Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Conduit was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from August 2007 to November 2009 he won seven of his fifteen starts, including four at Group One/Grade I level.

Mutafaweq is a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced successfully in England, Germany, and Canada.

Rule of Law, is a retired World Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred in the United States but trained in Britain. In a career which lasted from June 2003 until September 2004, he ran nine times and won four races. He recorded his most important victory when winning the Classic St. Leger Stakes on his final racecourse appearance. He had previously finished second in the 2004 Epsom Derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nedawi</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Nedawi, is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. In a career that lasted from June 1998 until July 1999, he ran seven times and won three races. He recorded his most important success by winning the Classic St. Leger Stakes as a three-year-old in 1998, the same year that he won the Gordon Stakes. In the following season he finished second in the Dubai Turf Classic and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes before being retired to stud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea Moon</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Sea Moon is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was initially trained in Britain and as a three-year-old in 2011 he won the Great Voltigeur Stakes, was runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Turf and finished third in the St Leger. In 2012 he won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. In 2013 he was sold and sent to be trained in Australia where he won the Herbert Power Stakes. He returned to Europe for three races in 2015 before being retired to stud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telescope (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Telescope is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He won one minor race as a two-year-old but was highly regarded by his connections and was considered a leading contender for the following year's Epsom Derby. His three-year-old campaign was severely restricted by injury, but he won two of his three races, including the Great Voltigeur Stakes. At four, he was beaten in his first two races before recording an impressive seven-length win in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. He added a win in the Aston Park Stakes in 2015 before his racing career was ended by injury. Apart from his wins, he finished second in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, third in the International Stakes and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Ask is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Unraced as a two-year-old, he showed some promise as a three-year-old in 2006, winning one minor race and finishing fourth in the St Leger. He improved in the following year despite running only three races: he won the Ormonde Stakes and the Cumberland Lodge Stakes and was narrowly beaten in the Canadian International Stakes. He won the Gordon Richards Stakes in 2008 but reached his peak as a six-year-old in the following year, winning the Yorkshire Cup, Coronation Cup and Prix Royal Oak as well as finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. After a single, unsuccessful start in 2010 his racing career was ended by injury. He was then retired to become a National Hunt stallion in Ireland.

Papineau was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a juvenile, he showed promise as a three-year-old in France, winning two races including the Prix de l'Avre. As a four-year-old, he was campaigned in England and was unbeaten in three starts. After winning a minor race on his seasonal debut he won a strongly-contested edition of the Henry II Stakes and then recorded his biggest success in the Ascot Gold Cup. He made two appearances as a five-year-old but failed to recover his best form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postponed</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Postponed is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He won one minor race as a two-year-old before establishing himself as a useful middle-distance performer in the following year with wins in the Glasgow Stakes and the Great Voltigeur Stakes. In July 2015, he recorded his biggest victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse and followed up with a success in the Prix Foy. After a change of trainer he returned in 2016 to win the Dubai City of Gold, Dubai Sheema Classic, Coronation Cup and International Stakes. He was retired from racing in May 2017 having won 9 of his 20 races and earned nearly £5,000,000 in win and place prize money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Idaho is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. In four years on the track he raced in seven countries, namely Ireland, France, England, Canada, the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. In 2016 he finished third in The Derby and second in the Irish Derby before winning the Great Voltigeur Stakes. He was the odds-on favourite for the St Leger Stakes but stumbled and unseated his rider. In the following year he ran poorly in the Coronation Cup but then won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The highlight of his final season was a win in the Ormonde Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enable (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Enable is a champion British Thoroughbred racehorse who won 15 of her 19 races, including 11 Group One races. Her biggest wins include the Breeders' Cup Turf, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks. Enable was the 2017 and 2019 European Horse of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cracksman (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire

Cracksman is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won his only race as a two-year-old in 2016 before developing into a top-class middle distance performer in the following year. As a three-year-old Cracksman won the Investec Derby Trial before running third when favourite for the 2017 Epsom Derby. The horse then finished runner-up in the Irish Derby. He went on to win the Great Voltigeur Stakes and Prix Niel, before recording an emphatic success in the Champion Stakes. He ended the year as the top-rated three-year-old in the world. In 2018, he won the Prix Ganay and the Coronation Cup before taking a second Champion Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capri (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Capri is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2016 he won three of his five races including the Canford Cliffs Stakes and the Beresford Stakes as well as finishing third in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud. In the following year he was beaten in his first two races and finished sixth in The Derby before emerging as one of the best colts of his generation in Europe with wins in the Irish Derby and the St Leger. He won the Alleged Stakes on his four-year-old debut but failed to win in eleven subsequent starts and was retired from racing at the end of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poet's Word</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Poet's Word is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and breeding stallion. He showed useful but unremarkable form in his first two seasons before developing into a high-class performer at the age of four when he won the Glorious Stakes as well as finishing second in both the Irish Champion Stakes and the Champion Stakes. He continued his progress as a five-year-old in 2018, winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stradivarius (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Stradivarius is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning one minor race as a two-year-old, he emerged as a top-class stayer in the following year, winning the Queen's Vase and Goodwood Cup as well as finishing a close third in the St Leger. As a four-year-old he won the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, a second Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup, securing a £1 million bonus for winning all four races, and ended the year by winning the British Champions Long Distance Cup. In 2019 he repeated his victories in the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Lonsdale Cup, and won a third Goodwood Cup, giving him a second £1 million bonus. With jockey Frankie Dettori on board, on 18 June 2020, Stradivarius won his third Ascot Gold Cup and on 28 July 2020, he won his record fourth Goodwood Cup. In 2021 he won the Lonsdale Cup for the third time and in 2022 he achieved a third victory in the Yorkshire Cup. He was retired to stud at the end of the 2022 season, having won a record 18 European Group races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldgeist</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Waldgeist is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two-year-old in 2016 when he won two of his three races including the Group 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud. He failed to win in the following year but ran second in the Prix du Jockey Club and fourth in the Irish Derby. In 2018 he won four consecutive races, namely the Prix d'Hédouville, Grand Prix de Chantilly, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix Foy. In 2019 he won a third Group 1 race when he took the Prix Ganay and recorded his biggest win in October when he took the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes</span>

The 2019 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes was a horse race held at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 27 July 2019. It was the 69th running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillstar (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Hillstar is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After winning one minor race as juvenile he improved to become one of the best middle-distance colts of his generation in Britain, winning the King Edward VII Stakes as well as finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. As a four-year-old he won the Legacy Cup before recording his biggest success in the Canadian International Stakes. He raced without success in 2015 before being retired to become a breeding stallion in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logician (horse)</span> British Thoroughbred racehorse

Logician is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was unraced as a two-year-old in 2018 but in the following year he established himself as a top-class performer as he won all five of his races including the Great Voltigeur Stakes and the St Leger Stakes. He recovered from a life-threatening bout of peritonitis in December 2019 and won one minor race before sustaining his first defeat in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Crystal Ocean pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ↑ "Sea The Stars - Stud Record". Racing Post.
  3. ↑ "Crystal Star - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  4. 1 2 "Vicissitude - Family 7-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  5. ↑ "Wedgewood Estates EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 17 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "Hucknall Sheet Metal 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 22 April 2017.
  7. ↑ Wood, Greg (18 May 2017). "Talking Horses: Dante Stakes favourite Cracksman ruled out of big race at York". The Guardian .
  8. ↑ "Gordon Stakes result". Racing Post. 5 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Crystal Ocean impressed in Qatar Gordon Stakes". Sporting Life.
  10. ↑ Greg Wood (16 September 2017). "Capri motors to victory in St Leger as Aidan O'Brien eyes Group One record". The Guardian.
  11. ↑ "The 2017 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  12. ↑ "Gordon Richards Stakes result". Racing Post. 27 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Aston Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 19 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "Hardwicke Stakes result". Racing Post. 23 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "Crystal Ocean easy winner of Hardwicke Stakes". Sky Sports.
  16. ↑ Wood, Greg (28 July 2018). "Poet's Word powers home past Crystal Ocean to win the King George". The Guardian .
  17. ↑ "August 2018 World Thoroughbred Rankings". International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities. August 2018. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  18. ↑ "The 2018 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  19. ↑ "Gordon Richards Stakes result". Racing Post. 26 April 2019.
  20. ↑ "Aston Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 18 May 2019.
  21. ↑ "Prince of Wales's Stakes result". Racing Post. 19 June 2019.
  22. ↑ Wood, Greg (19 June 2019). "Frankie Dettori lights up rainswept Royal Ascot with second-day double". The Guardian.
  23. ↑ "King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes result". Racing Post. 27 July 2019.
  24. ↑ Milnes, David. "Superstar Crystal Ocean suffers career-ending leg injury on gallops". Racing Post .
  25. ↑ "The 2019 World Thoroughbred Rankings". IFHA. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.