CRYSTAL Ocean was a middle-distance star who never finished out of the first three in a 17-race career and accumulated over £2 million in earnings. The top-rated horse in the world in 2019, last year he acquired a new accolade as the busiest stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland.
He was runner-up in a seven-furlong maiden on his only start at two, won first time out at three and was placed in both the Group 2 Dante Stakes and Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes, and easily won the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood before taking the runners-up spot in a vintage edition of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster. The Irish Derby victor Capri landed the spoils by half a length, with Stradivarius a short head back in third and followed by Rekindling and Coronet. All five were successful at least once at the highest level.
At four, Crystal Ocean short-headed Fabricate in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes before running away with the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes. He beat Red Verdon easily in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, was a neck runner-up to Poet’s Word in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, runner-up to Enable in the Group 3 September Stakes, and then chased home Cracksman in the Group 1 Champion Stakes.
Kept in training at five Crystal Ocean kicked off with repeat pattern wins at Sandown and Newbury before defeating Magical in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Though beaten in his final two starts, those losses were by margins of a neck and a head, the first to Enable in the King George and later to Japan in the Group 1 Juddmonte International.
With his first crop just three, Crystal Ocean has already shown that his runners have ability, with a couple of winners to his credit. He has consistently been one of the busiest stallions in Europe since joining Coolmore’s National Hunt team.
Crystal Ocean is a son of the Timeform 140-rated superstar Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), the half-brother to Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), and whose 128 stakes winners so far feature 22 Group 1 scorers.
Sea The Moon and Zelzal are making their name as flat sires, the first-named responsible for four Group 1 winners (plus National Hunt Grade 1 standout Allmankind), whereas French-based Zelzal already has a pair of first-crop US Grade 3 scorers to his name.
Crystal Ocean is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and promising National Hunt stallion Hillstar (Danehill Dancer) and the high-class filly Crystal Capella (Cape Cross), and he comes from the family of classic-winning miler Rose Gypsy (Green Desert) among others of note.
Race record
CRYSTAL OCEAN (GB), Bay horse, 2014. Champion older horse in England in 2019. Jt Champion older horse in Europe in 2019. Won 8 races, value £2,062,401, at 3 to 5, from 1 mile 2 furlongs to 1 mile 4 furlongs, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Hardwicke Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Aston Park Stakes, Newbury, Gr.3 (twice), Gordon Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.3, Gordon Richards Stakes, Sandown, Gr.3 (twice), also placed second in QIPCO Champion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1 (twice), Juddmonte International Stakes, York, Gr.1, St Leger Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.1, September Stakes, Kempton, Gr.3 and third in King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2 and Dante Stakes, York, Gr.2.
At stud
Retired to stud in 2020, and sire of 2 winners, of 3 races, and £18,710, including Crystal Wine (Ire) and Rabbit Crystal (Ire).
Information
Stands at: The Beeches Stud, Lismore, Co Waterford, P51 H70H, Ireland.
Contact: Robert McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy, Peter Kenneally
Telephone: +353 58 56254
Email: thebeechesstud@outlook.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €8,000