Hail the ‘Star’
Saturday 2nd May, 2009
SEA THE STARS gave a brilliant performance to win a thrilling renewal of The stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket this afternoon.
Trainer John Oxx enjoyed a day to remember as the son of Cape Cross provided him with a welcome Classic victory - his first at the Home of Racing.
A Group 2 winner as a two-year-old, Sea The Stars stepped up to the highest level and did it in courageous and classy fashion, holding off the favourite Delegator to win by a length and a half.
For jockey Michael Kinane it was a yet another big-race triumph. The evergreen Kinane’s win on the 8/1 shot was his fourth in the 2000 Guineas following Tirol (1990), Entrepreneur (1997) and King Of Kings (1998).
Oxx said: “That was great. He travelled well from a long way out and just showed his inexperience going into The Dip. The rising ground then really helped him. When he picked up, I knew he would be hard to beat as I knew he would run right to the end.”
Gan Amrhas stayed on strongly into third, while the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair Rip Van Winkle and Mastercraftsman filled fourth and fifth spot respectively.
By Tony Rushmer