RACING NEWS:SEA THE Stars is dropping back to 10 furlongs for Saturday's Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown but despite that his trainer John Oxx yesterday stressed his belief that the Epsom Derby winner has proved himself over a mile and a mile and a half and dismissed suggestions otherwise as "spin" from Coolmore Stud.
The Curragh trainer stated his happiness about Sea The Stars’s stamina in an interview yesterday and also said that a faster pace at Epsom last month would have suited his dual-Classic winning colt better.
There was widespread criticism of the tactics employed by Aidan O’Brien’s team at Epsom where the runner-up Fame And Glory was generally regarded as being unsuited to a lack-lustre early tempo.
The Montjeu colt impressively won last Sunday’s Irish Derby off a much stronger pace.
Sea The Stars missed the Curragh Derby due to ground conditions and now faces older horses for the first time over the shorter Eclipse distance.
However Oxx said yesterday: “He was a bit keen early on (at Epsom) and we would have preferred a faster pace ourselves. There’s a lot of Coolmore spin going around: they’re trying to alter the picture as best they can. That’s just their style and we all know about that! The result is there and he stays the trip well enough.”
Oxx also stressed yesterday the value of a colt proving his versatility and having won at a mile and a mile and a half, Sea The Stars will now attempt a Group hat-trick at different distances this weekend.
“It should be a good distance for him, who knows what his best distance is yet. We will try him and see how he goes. It’s always nice to win top races over a variety of distances. Winning at a mile and a quarter would be another feather in his cap. It’s important to prove a horse’s versatility,” he said.
Oxx isn’t underestimating the task facing Sea The Stars against the likes of Conduit and Rip Van Winkle on Saturday and said the result will be influential in deciding the rest of his colt’s 2009 campaign.
“Another race gives us more information. He has only had five races so every time he runs we learn a little more. It could point us in a certain direction,” he told Sportinglife.com.
“It looks like there will be a couple of pacemakers in the race so it will be a nice pace I hope. The usual blend of speed, stamina and class will be required,” he added.
Ground conditions are currently quick at Sandown but showers for the area are forecast over the next couple of days. However, Oxx doesn’t anticipate a late withdrawal similar to last weekend at the Curragh.
“It’s not the same situation. It’s pretty fast at Sandown at the minute. At the moment it is very hot and they could get a thundery shower I suppose.
“We will monitor it but it’s not the same situation as last week when there was a lot of moisture in the ground to begin with,” he said.
