LIKE many of the successful Coolmore National Hunt stallions, Kew Gardens was a champion over longer distances in both 2018 and 2019.
He won Group 1s in England and France, and this son of Galileo is standing his first season at Castlehyde Stud in Co Cork at a very attractive introductory fee of €5,000.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Kew Gardens was quickly into his stride as a two-year-old, winning by over four lengths at Killarney second time out and then adding the Listed Zetland Stakes at Newmarket by three and a half lengths from subsequent Group 1 Epsom Derby second Dee Ex Bee.
The next year Kew Gardens easily won the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, then he was sent to Longchamp for the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris and stayed on strongly to go clear in the final furlong and score by over a length.
Though only third in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, when he just failed to catch Old Persian, he was very impressive over the longer trip of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster. He and the high-class filly Lah Ti Dar drew clear in the straight, with Kew Gardens winning by two and a half lengths, while the third finisher was seven lengths behind him and Old Persian only fifth.
Timeform’s Racehorses of 2018 rated him the joint champion stayer with the four-year-old Stradivarius on 127.
The next season Kew Gardens was again the champion stayer after he defeated Stradivarius in the Group 1 British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot, with the third horse five lengths away. That was the first time in two years that Stradivarius had been beaten.
Kew Gardens had been a close second to Defoe in the Group 1 Coronation Cup over the Derby course at Epsom, and also second in the Group 1 Irish St Leger. He did not race again after his Ascot triumph, which brought his career earnings to the massive total of £1.4 million.
Galileo, the sire of Kew Gardens, won the Epsom Derby 20 years ago and, although he has had incredible success as a flat stallion, topping the sires’ list many times, his sons are only now beginning to have a similar impact on the National Hunt scene, with Mahler and Soldier Of Fortune among the most successful so far.
Desert King’s daughter Chelsea Rose, the dam of Kew Gardens, won five races including the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and three listed events.
Her daughter Snow, an own-sister to Kew Gardens, won the Group 3 Munster Oaks in 2020 and she was also group-placed twice, while their half-sister Thawanny scored in the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauvllle and was second in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.
KEW GARDENS (IRE), Bay 2015. Champion 3yr old stayer in Europe in 2018. Champion older horse in Ireland in 2019. Won six races, £1,399,665, from 1 mile to 1 mile 7½ furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, William Hill St Leger Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.1, Qipco Brit. Champions Long Distance Cup, Ascot, Gr.2, Queen’s Vase, Ascot, Gr.2, Godolphin Zetland Stakes, Newmarket, L, also placed second in Comer Int. Irish St Leger, Curragh, Gr.1, Investec Coronation Cup, Epsom Downs, Gr.1, Boodles Ormonde Stakes, Chester, Gr.3, Willis Ch’pns Juv Golden Fleece Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3, Betfred Derby Trial Stakes, Lingfield Park, L, and third in Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, York, Gr.2, bet365 Feilden Stakes, Newmarket, L.
Retired to Stud in 2021.
Stands at: Castlehyde Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland
Contact: Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon or Cathal Murphy
Telephone: (353) 25 31966
Email: info@castlehyde.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €5,000