All set fair for Sea The Stars

THE JUDDMONTE International may once have had a reputation as a “Champions Graveyard”, but there will be plenty of ghostly faces around York this afternoon if Sea The Stars gets turned over.

John Oxx’s superstar colt is the best thoroughbred in the world right now on official handicap figures, and, despite that, the intoxicating suspicion remains that even after a Guineas-Derby-Eclipse blitz we still may not have seen the best of him.

Oxx certainly expects Sea The Stars to keep improving as the season progresses, and although there may be some uncertainty about possible targets after next month’s Irish Champion Stakes, there seems little doubt that conditions have turned up perfectly for him at the start of the Ebor festival.

An all-Irish field of just four oppose the swaggering champion – who Mick Kinane now suspects is the best he has ever ridden – including Mastercraftsman, who leads a trio from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard.

Michael Stoute’s Tartan Bearer, who had been the sole home hope, was ruled out lame yesterday.

In a normal year this step up to 10 furlongs would seem ideal for an Irish Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner like Mastercraftsman, who has so impressed with his toughness.

But this has been a year so dominated by Sea The Stars that when he is now presented with 10 furlongs and fast ground those hoping to oppose him may end up having to hug the International’s tradition for consolation.

Even that reputation for top horses being upset means having to go back a fair bit, to the very first running of the race in 1972, when Brigadier Gerard met the only defeat of his career by Roberto.

Three years later Grundy got blown out of the water by Dahlia, but that was after a shattering run in the King George, and since then there has been no real mind-altering shock.

The fascination today though, apart from the prospect of another scintillating display by Sea The Stars, will centre on the tactics employed by the O’Brien team.

Setting the race up for speed didn’t work against Sea The Stars in the Derby, and banking on stamina is hardly a runner considering it is Mastercraftsman who has never gone this trip before.

Nevertheless, Johnny Murtagh said yesterday: “Obviously it’s his first time at the trip and you can never be sure, but he’s a solid horse and nothing seems to bother him.”

For the Oxx camp, conditions appear to be perfect, and even the normally cautious Curragh trainer hasn’t been able to disguise his delight at how Sea The Stars has done physically since beating Rip Van Winkle at Sandown.

Tactically there aren’t many riders you would prefer on your side than Kinane, who has already won the International twice, on Giant’s Causeway (2000) and Electrocutionist (2005.)

Other Irish interest today will centre on the Ger Lyons-trained Naas winner Beat Surrender, who takes his chance under Murtagh in the Group Three Acomb Stakes.

At Roscommon last night there was a thrilling finish to the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap when Fingal Rock (9/2), from the Peter Casey yard and ridden by Oliver Casey, got up in the closing stages to deny Lady Songbird under Joseph O’Brien by half a length.

Ruby Walsh made all to land the Owen Dervin Sons Hurdle aboard 9 to 4 shot Tarkari from the Willie Mullins stable.