Recent G1 Diamond Jubilee S. hero Merchant Navy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}-Legally Bay {Aus}, by Snippets {Aus}) has been retired and will begin his stallion career at Coolmore Australia in New South Wales, Coolmore announced via Twitter on Friday. The 2017 G1 Coolmore Stud Ascot Vale S. winner has arrived at Coolmore Stud in Ireland to enter quarantine before traveling Down Under where he will stand for A$55,000 in his first season.
An undefeated listed winner at two, who went on to win a Group 3 as a Southern Hemisphere sophomore for Ciaron Maher, Merchant Navy was transferred to Aaron Purcell. The bay won the aforementioned Coolmore Stud Ascot Vale S., before close thirds in the G2 Rubiton S. on Feb. 10 and the Mar. 10 G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington, prior to switching hemispheres and debuting for Ballydoyle's Aidan O'Brien with a one-length win in the May 26 G2 Greenlands S., one start before his Royal Ascot victory. Overall, Merchant Navy retired with a mark of 10-7-0-2, $1,257,883.
“He's an incredible horse for what he did,” said Aiden O'Brien, of the colt's tour-de-force with a 12-pound weight disadvantage at Royal Ascot. “We thought it was kind of impossible to do what he did. When he won the first day [in the G2 Greenlands S. at The Curragh on May 26] we thought he hadn't had enough time to acclimatise, but obviously he did. He won with a penalty and the weights all against him, and then he went on to Ascot and did the same thing. He was an incredibly natural horse. He had a great mind, was a great mover, was a very clean-winded horse and was very tough and genuine. It was a privilege to have him.”
Originally purchased for A$350,000 out of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Maher in 2016, Merchant Navy is a full-brother to GSW & G1SP Jolie Bay (Aus).
“Merchant Navy's amazing win at Royal Ascot means he retires to stud as one of the best sprinting colts of modern times,” said Coolmore Australia's Tom Magnier. “We are very excited about his stallion prospects as he was such a brilliant 3-year-old sprinter just like his sire Fastnet Rock and grandsire Danehill.”
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