GER O’Neill’s Capital Stud has emerged with a flourish on the stallion scene in Ireland, and the recent arrival of Authorized has swollen their sire ranks to six.
Two of these are purely standing for the flat, Alkumait and Castle Star. Alkumait (Showcasing) has his first yearlings in 2024, his foals sold well, and now he is joined by Castle Star (Starspangledbanner).
Both sires command a fee of €5,000, and both are from the same female line. It also happens to be a very current family.
At the end of his juvenile career, Castle Star was attracting lots of interest from stallion masters, and the renowned Haras d’Etreham took an interest in the colt.
This was hardly a surprise, given that his relation Chaldean (Frankel) had risen to the top of the juvenile division, and would last year add a classic success to his curriculum vitae.
Narrowly beaten on his first two forays to the track, the Fozzy Stack-trained Castle Star made it third time lucky, but not in a maiden.
Instead, coming off a neck defeat to Glounthane, he won the five-furlong Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh. Less than three weeks later he stepped back up to six furlongs and added the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes.
Go Bears Go denied Castle Star a Group 2 win in the Gain Railway Stakes, a field of 14 going to post that day, and then Ebro River had two lengths to spare over the Stack runner when he was fourth in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.
Ten went to post for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, and on his final outing of the season Castle Star made Perfect Power work hard for his win, half a length dividing them on the line. This was a career-best run for Castle Star.
Castle Star is one of three winners for his Iffraaj (Zafonic) dam Awohaam. She won twice at two and is one of five successful offspring of the US Grade 3 winner Horatia (Machiavellian), she is by a noted broodmare sire of such as Dark Angel, Shamardal and Mehmas. Horatia is the third dam of Chaldean and Alkumait.
Starspangledbanner (Choisir) made quite an impression during the summer of 2010. He ran five times for Aidan O’Brien, winning the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and the Group 1 July Cup before chasing home Sole Power in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.
He had been a dual Group 1 star in his native Australia, taking the Caulfield Guineas over a mile and the Oakleigh Plate over five and a half furlongs.
Initial fertility issues looked to have put paid to Starspangledbanner’s promising start at stud, but they were overcome and he is now the sire of Group 1 stars such as State Of Rest, Millisle, The Wow Signal, California Spangle, Rhea Moon and Aristia.
Given the strong demand among breeders for precocity, Castle Star’s juvenile campaign will be a major draw at stud. His very happening pedigree and attractive fee will also surely be part of a winning formula.
Race record
CASTLE STAR (IRE), Bay horse, 2019. Won 2 races, value £136,809, at 2, from 5 furlongs to 6 furlongs, viz Marble Hill Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, First Flier Stakes, Curragh, L., also placed second in Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1 and Railway Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2.
At stud
Retired to stud in 2024.
Information
Stands at: Capital Stud, Bishopslough, Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny, R95 PW10, Ireland.
Contact: Ger O’Neill, Jerry Horan, Darragh McCarthy or Joe Sinnott
Telephone: +353 (0)86 3844560
Email: info@capitalstud.ie
Web: www.capitalstud.com
Fee: €5,000