Marie’s Diamond, the first stallion of the newly launched Diamond Stud Bellewstown will be on show at Crockfords Stud in Newmarket this week during the prestigious Tattersalls December Mare Sale.
A Mark Johnston graduate, Marie’s Diamond had an incredible juvenile season, winning on debut in April and running 10 times that season signing off in the Breeders’ Cup in November.
He won three times at two years, including the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. This win was punctuated with top class runs in second in the Group 2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh and the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. He ran an excellent fourth in the Group 1 Middle Park stakes at Newmarket when behind Ten Sovereigns.
Precocious and talented, he consistently ran well showing a wonderful appetite for racing having another busy season during his three-year old campaign, winning twice including the Listed Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract and placing third behind Space Blues in the Surrey Stakes, and fourth in the Group 2 German 2000 Guineas, City Plate and Burradon Stakes.
Top class
As an older horse, he won the Listed Paradise Stakes impressively by four and a half lengths at Newmarket and once again showed he was top class when finishing third to Circus Maximus in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot. His soundness was unquestionable as he averaged 11 runs a season over his successful career, he retires the winner of seven races and £367,461.
Ciarán De Barra of Diamond Stud Bellewstown commented: ‘I’m looking forward to bringing Marie’s Diamond to Crockfords Stud as I know he will appeal to breeders, as a great looking source of precocity and soundness. He is rated the equal of Havana Grey and Showcasing and I can see him being a horse that will really benefit breeders.’
Mark Johnston spoke highly of the colt: “Marie’s Diamond was a tough and consistent performer and a pleasure to train. He has the perfect blend of precocity and progression and showed a special constitution that is rare in the modern thoroughbred.”
He is from a top-class Aga Khan family, a half-brother to the Australian Group 1 miler Sikandarabad, and his second dam (grand dam to Group 1 sprinter Sonaiyla) is a sister to the European Champion Sinndar. By Footstepsinthesand, Marie’s Diamond is from the highly successful Giant’s Causeway sire line just like this year’s champion first season sire Blue Point.
Marie’s Diamond will stand at a fee of €6,000 at the new Meath-based Diamond Stud. There are limited breeding rights available and interested breeders who would like to see him in Newmarket or on his return to Bellewstown are encouraged to contact Ciarán on 087 6266342.
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