Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal-Scarlett Rose {GB}, by Royal Applause {GB}), who last week recorded a historic double when taking the G1 King's Stand S. and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot, has been retired from racing ahead of a stud career with Darley next year.
“Blue Point has had a fantastic week and has managed to succeed where many horses have failed in completing this extraordinary double,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was very much the instigator behind going for the challenge and was delighted when he won as he had been planning this for some time.
“Blue Point is sound and well, but owes us nothing so we will retire him on a high. He will now enjoy a break over the summer and will then begin his new career at stud.”
In completing the Royal Ascot Group 1 sprinting double, Blue Point became the first European-trained horse in almost 100 years to accomplish that feat, and one of only a handful of horses ever to do so.
Bred by Oak Lodge Bloodstock, Blue Point was bought by Kate and Matthew Sigsworth under the Ebor Bloodstock banner at Tattersalls December in 2011 for 110,000gns. He was pinhooked at Book 1 the following autumn for 200,000gns when bought by John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin. Blue Point immediately displayed his talent at two, winning first out at Nottingham before taking a Doncaster novice race by 11 lengths, which earned him 'TDN Rising Star' status. He would take the G2 Gimcrack S. and place in both the G1 Middle Park S. and G1 Dewhurst S. before the season was out.
Starting out in Ascot's G3 Pavilion S. at three, Blue Point bested the subsequent champion sprinter Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) before checking in third behind Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) in his first Royal Ascot appearance in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. The bay would get his redemption the following year when besting Battaash (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the King's Stand, and while he went winless in two more tries last summer he more than made up for it this season with five consecutive wins. He swept a pair of preps at Meydan before taking the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, and recorded a pair of career-best efforts last week at Royal Ascot.
“He will be missed by everyone in the yard, and I would like to thank the entire team at Moulton Paddocks, without whom none of this would have been possible,” Appleby said. “Blue Point has a fantastic mind, is a natural athlete and was a pleasure to train. I have every confidence he will, like his sire Shamardal, be a huge success as a stallion.”
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