Sir Alex Fergerson’s brilliant colt has retired to Coolmore stud in Ireland
Rock Of Gibraltar, who carried Sir Alex Ferguson’s colours to a record seven consecutive Group 1 victories,has been retired to stud.
The brilliant miler will stand at Coolmore in Ireland alongside his sire Danehill. Rock Of Gibraltar’s stud fee is understood to be in the region of £60,000.
Following his unlucky defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in Chicago there was speculation as to whether Rock Of Gibraltar would be kept in training next year.
But a statement issued by Coolmore earlier this week read: “Rock Of Gibraltar will stand the 2003 season alongside his sire Danehill at Coolmore.”
Rock Of Gibraltar eclipsed Mill Reef’s record which had stood for 30 years with his impressive sequence of Group 1 wins. It all started with the Grand Criterium in France followed by Newmarket’s Dewhurst Stakes last year.
He kicked off this spring with the 2000 Guineas, the Irish 2000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Sussex Stakes and finally returned to where it all started, Longchamp, to make it seven in the Prix du Moulin.
His narrow defeat by Domedriver in the Breeders’ Cup was a major shock. But he was given an awful lot of ground to make up and was the best horse on the night.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United boss, paid tribute to his star when he said: “As a relative newcomer to ownership I cannot adequately express the pleasure I have derived from the association with such a great horse.
“I owe an eternal debt of thanks to everyone associated with Ballydoyle.”
Read more about Rock of Gibralter’s career:
