By Tom Frary
Sir Michael Stoute has enjoyed a stellar week and it was fitting that his 4-7 favourite Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) put the cherry on the cake as he bestowed his trainer an 11th success in the G2 Hardwicke S. Sir Evelyn De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star, who was runner-up in a strong renewal of Doncaster's G1 St Leger in September, came into this on the back of a win in the G3 Aston Park S. at Newbury May 19 and with Coolmore allowing Ryan Moore to ride for his old boss the writing was on the wall before the gates opened. Always content tracking Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the homebred bay was sent past that rival approaching the quarter pole and without being fully extended asserted for a 2 1/2-length verdict over Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid), with Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third. “He's continued to progress with his racing and has a lovely temperament–he is a joy to train,” this meeting's winningmost trainer said. “He's a relaxed horse and is very straightforward–you could do what you want with him in a race really. I would have thought it is likely he'll go for the [G1] King George [back at Ascot July 28], but we'll take him home and look at him for a little while.”
Sir Michael Stoute looked to have two nice older horses in Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and this colt, but few would have believed that they would be anything other than bit-players once Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) came on the scene. With the former now looking vulnerable and the latter still on the bench, the Freemason Lodge duo have centre stage to themselves as the big middle-distance contests of summer loom. Crystal Ocean was described as a work in progress when third in the G2 King Edward VII S. at this meeting 12 months ago and after a win in the G3 Gordon S. at Glorious Goodwood in August and second in the Leger he reappeared the finished article ready to repay his trainer's renowned patience. “Mrs Robeson, Sir Evelyn's sister, did all the matings. This is the fruits of her labour,” Stoute added as he basked in a 79th Royal winner.
Red Verdon is coming back to form and trainer Ed Dunlop has Australia in mind. “He's so consistent and he's improving and we came here because there wasn't a huge field and we wanted to get our rating up a little bit–we've discussed a little while ago the likely option is to go to Australia in the autumn,” he explained. “We'll work back from the [Oct. 20 G1] Caulfield Cup and the [Nov. 6 G1] Melbourne Cup. On ratings he probably was a 33-1 shot, but it was small field and little bit tactical and James [Doyle] said he could have finished a little bit closer. The horse of Sir Michael's is one of the most progressive horses in training at the moment, but Red Verdon has beaten some serious yardsticks. It is a vastly improved run, but he is adaptable, he was second in the Henry II Stakes run over two miles the other day. We'll take him Down Under and he'll probably have one more run before travelling.”
Crystal Ocean is one of four separate black-type winners out of the Listed Radley S. winner and G3 Dubai Duty Free S. runner-up Crystal Star (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) alongside the GI Canadian International and G2 King Edward VII S. hero Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the four-times group winner Crystal Capella (GB) whose sire Cape Cross (Ire) is also the sire of Crystal Ocean's sire Sea the Stars. Crystal Star is kin to the Listed Aphrodite S. winner Waila (GB) (Notnowcato (GB), while the third dam Krisalya (GB) (Kris {GB}) is a half-sister to the G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Sasuru (GB) (Most Welcome {GB}). She produced the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Rose Gypsy (GB) to a mating with Cape Cross' sire Green Desert. Crystal Star's last known foal is the 3-year-old maiden colt Crystal King (GB) (Frankel (GB).
Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HARDWICKE S.-G2, £225,000, Ascot, 6-23, 4yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:28.08, g/f.
1–CRYSTAL OCEAN (GB), 127, c, 4, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Crystal Star (GB) (SW & GSP-Eng), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Crystal Cavern, by Be My Guest
3rd Dam: Krisalya (GB), by Kris (GB)
O-Sir Evelyn de Rothschild; B-Southcourt Stud (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £127,689. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 9-5-2-2, $642,121. *1/2 to Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Eng at 11-14f, GISW-Can, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, $1,221,978; Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Eng, $550,532; and Crystal Zvezda (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), SW-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Red Verdon, 127, h, 5, Lemon Drop Kid–Porto Marmay (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). ($85,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP; 90,000gns 2yo '15 TATBRE). O-The Hon R J Arculli; B-Liberty Road Stables (KY); T-Ed Dunlop. £48,375.[bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]3–Cliffs of Moher (Ire), 127, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Wave (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Markus Jooste; B-Wave Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £24,210.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 0.55, 33.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Barsanti (Ire), Idaho (Ire). Scratched: Rare Rhythm (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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