With the Investec Derby and Investec Oaks taking place tomorrow (4 July), we take a trip down memory lane and reflect on some of the horses who have carved their names into the Epsom history books...

Nijinsky (1970 Derby)

A Canadian-bred, Irish-trained horse, who went on to become a famous and versatile sire. Regarded by many as the greatest Flat horse in Europe during the 20^th Century, Nijinsky was the outstanding two-year-old in 1969 when unbeaten in five races. The following season, he became the first horse for 34 years to win the English Triple Crown (the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and St Leger) – a feat that is yet to be repeated.

Partnered by Lester Piggott, Nijinsky was an 11/8 shot going into the Derby, and his rivals included the French-bred colt Gyr. Nijinsky was held up in the race by Lester as usual, before moving forward in the home straight – by which time Gyr was in front. Two furlongs out, the favourite responded to Lester’s urgings and pulled ahead of Gyr to win by 2½ lengths. The runner-up’s jockey said Nijinsky was “just too good”.

Nijinsky went on to sire three Derby winners; Golden Fleece (1982), Shahrastani (1986) and Lammtarra (1995), plus 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand. He established the global reputation of his sire Northern Dancer and became the leading sire in Britain and Ireland, and the leading broodmare sire in North America.

Galileo (2001 Derby)

The 10-time champion stallion won the Classic race in 2001 and has sired three Derby winners including New Approach (2008), Ruler Of The World (2013) and Australia (2014). While two daughters have been victorious in the Oaks – Was (2012) and Minding (2016), plus he sired the superstar Frankel.

In the Derby, Galileo started 11/4 joint-favourite alongside the 2000 Guineas victor Golan. The field was considered strong but Galileo posted an impressive 3½ length victory over Golan, Tobougg and Mr Combustible. He was considered the best Derby winner in 10 years at the time.

Mill Reef (1971 Derby)

In 1971, Mill Reef proved to be the outstanding middle-distance horse of the year, winning the Derby by two lengths from Linden Tree, the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Sadly the following year, Mill Reef broke a foreleg in training. A steel plate was inserted during a six-hour operation and he spent six weeks in plaster. Having made a full recovery, he retired to the National Stud and went on to sire Derby winners Shirley Heights (1978) and Reference Point (1987).

Lammtarra (1995 Derby)

Lammtarra’s Derby triumph in 1995 came following the death of his trainer Alex Scott aged 34, who had always dreamed of Epsom glory. The chestnut was a 14/1 chance to emulate his sire, Nijinsky, 25 years earlier, with Walter Swinburn in the saddle.

During the race, Lammtarra made up six lengths in the last 1½ furlongs and overtook Tamure in the final furlong, winning by a length. Lammtarra broke the track record that day and retired unbeaten. He was also the first Derby winner to be sired by a Derby winner (Nijinsky, 1970), out of an Oaks winner (Snow Bride, 1989).

Sea The Stars (2009 Derby)

Sea The Stars shares a dam with fellow Derby victor Galileo in Urban Sea – she foaled Sea The Stars eight years after Galileo. Sea The Stars was magical during the 2009 season, winning six Group Ones and is regarded as one of the all-time greats.

He won the 2009 Derby despite doubts about his stamina and a strong field. Racing prominently, he reeled in the leader three furlongs out to win the Classic. His jockey, Mick Kinane, described the race as “easy” and like “slow motion”.

Girl power…

Enable (2017 Oaks)

The John Gosden-trained supermare is a true Epsom gem of the 21^st Century, winning the 2017 Oaks in a hailstorm by five lengths. She also created a new race-record of 2min, 34.13sec. She went on to win the Irish Oaks, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (twice), Yorkshire Oaks (twice), Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (twice) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchull Downs.

She has remained in training for 2020 and will aim to win the Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe for a third time, in October.

Pretty Polly (1904 Oaks)

As a three-year-old filly Pretty Polly not only won the Oaks at Epsom but the 1000 Guineas, the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, the St Leger Stakes – completing the Fillies’ Triple Crown – under William Lane.

Bred and owned by Major Eustace Loder and trained by Peter Gilpin, Pretty Polly won an impressive 22 races from 24 starts.

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In horse racing, as in the rest of life, anticipation usually far outruns reality. But not last Saturday at Ascot and not again, if the fates oblige, when the runners strain up the Longchamp straight for the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in October.

For in a summer in which racing has often become all but invisible on the sports pages, the challenge that the filly Taghrooda laid down to her male rivals in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes was stark and simple enough to grab attention.

And what she did on the track when Paul Hanagan asked her to course down the four-year-old colt Telescope and the Eclipse Stakes winner Mukhadram was something anyone who loves animals or athletes can store in the memory.

For these were horses with real ability and back-stories to match. In the build-up to last Saturday we could at last revel in racing’s ability to intrigue. Telescope was the horse from a Highclere syndicate that famously included Sir Alex Ferguson, but who had never quite delivered on his reputation until a quite devastating seven-length success at Royal Ascot last time out.

That was matched at the meeting only by the way Taghrooda’s John Gosden-trained stablemate Eagle Top had sauntered up a day earlier in what was only the third race of his three-year-old life.

Flat racing, when it works offers an absolute — the very best bred, trained and ridden thoroughbreds striving for the line with no quarter asked or given. There should be no hiding place and there was none on Saturday as Leitir Mor did pace-making duties for last year’s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather, Mukhadram went for home in the straight and Taghrooda finally flashed past the post in a brutal 2min 28.13sec for the Ascot mile-and-a-half.

She had an expanding three lengths at the post but she had needed to work for every inch of them. Two furlongs out she was still a couple of lengths adrift of Telescope and Mukhadram as those two locked-in together, and Paul Hanagan was just the right side of frantic as he gathered his filly for an ultimate effort.

It was not until the furlong pole that she got to the duelling pair but as she drew away from them she did something that only this form of athletics can do — she conjured the past from the present.

Like father…like daughter

Five years on since Sea The Stars stormed unbeaten through a uniquely demanding season, here was his daughter continuing her own unsullied victory roll.

What is more, there is every chance that she will aim to bow out, as Sea The Stars did, with victory at Longchamp, where she will not only renew rivalry with some of Ascot’s principals but is likely to face the English and Irish Derby winner Australia, last year’s dazzling Arc heroine Treve and her sire’s extraordinary German-bred son, Sea The Moon. If the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth was a story to keep racing on the sports pages, this Arc should nearly make the front.

Having both Taghrooda and Sea The Moon in the field from what is Sea The Stars’ very first crop of foals is little short of astonishing. It is as if Usain Bolt had retired after the Beijing Olympics and had a son and a daughter going for gold medals at this week’s Commonwealth Games. It will not be easy for either colt or filly but, wow, they have got some of their father’s stardust.

Taghrooda had her day last week, but wait until you see her brother. Sea The Moon may have won all his four races in the less competitive field of his native Germany, but what he did last time out in the German Derby is almost beyond amazing.

If you haven’t watched it, put “Sea The Moon — Deutsches Derby” into YouTube and prepare to rub your eyes in wonder. Sea The Moon lollops along in front and then runs right across to the stands rails to win by 11 lengths from Lucky Lion, who last Sunday [27 July] beat Frankel’s admirable full-brother Noble Mission.

Perhaps the ground was much faster under the stands rails, but perhaps also Sea The Moon is a freak. Whichever way you look at it, anticipation is off and running.

This column was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (31 July, 2014)

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Unbeaten filly Zarkava is in foal to record-breaking Group One winner Sea The Stars.

Last year Sea The Stars made racing history by becoming the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, The Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Zarkava was scanned and shown to be in foal at 15 days last weekend (Sunday 21 March).

If everything progresses to plan the arrival is expected in early 2011.

The 2008 Arc de Triomphe winner gave birth to her first foal, a filly by Group one winner Dalakhani, on 6 February.

Sea The Stars, who retired to the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Co Kildare last October, is estimated to generate around £10m a year in stud fees.

He stands at stud for a fee of 85,000 euros per covering.

The Aga Khan, who owns Zarkava, said last year: “In keeping with the motto of the Aga Khan Studs ‘success breeds success’ I look forward to the earliest opportunity to send my unbeaten champion Zarkava to Sea The Stars.

“I believe the last two Arc winners were made for each other both in terms of ability, temperament and conformation. The best needs to be bred to the best.”

Group One winners Lush Lashes and Alpine Rose have also tested as in foal to Sea The Stars over past few weeks.

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Flat jockey Mick Kinane has announced he will be retiring from the saddle.

Kinane, 50, who has been a jockey for 34 years, announced today (Tuesday 8 December) that he will be hanging up his boots.

This year Kinane partnered the John Oxx-trained Sea The Stars to six Group One wins — including the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“I have decided this is the right time to retire from race-riding,” he said in a press statement.

“At 50 I still feel fit and sharp enough to do any horse justice but, after the season I have just had in partnership with Sea The Stars, I have the privilege of being able to end my career as a jockey on an incredible high and that’s what I want to do.

“I leave with a huge sense of gratitude to all the great horses I have ridden, all the great trainers whose genius developed those champions and everybody else in racing, from the stable lads to the owners, who have made me deeply thankful for my involvement in the game.

Kinane, who was born in County Tipparary, Ireland has won the Arc five times, the 2000 Guineas four times, the Derby three times, the Oaks twice and the St Leger.

And last night (Monday 7 December) he was named as the Flat jockey of the year at the 43rd Derby Awards.

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Sea The Stars picked up the top award at the Cartier Racing Awards last night (17 November) and was named the Cartier Horse of the Year 2009.

The colt, who was recently retired to the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Ireland after 6 consecutive group one wins, also received the title of three-year-old colt of the year.

The Cartier Racing Awards, which are in their 19th year, recognise excellence in horse racing. They took part in front of an audience of 200 at Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair.

The eight awards are awarded by points earned through races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists, as well as votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.

Other winners were Goldikova, St Nicholas Abbey, Special Duty, Yeats, Sariska and Fleeting Spirit.

Sea The Stars’s trainer John Oxx was also lauded on the night and was presented with the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award Of Merit.

This award is for the person who, in the opinion of the 18-strong Cartier jury, has done most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.

Full winners

Horse of the Year

Sea The Stars

Three-year-old colt

Sea The Stars

Older Horse

Goldikova

Two-year-old colt

St Nicholas Abbey

Two-year-old filly

Special Duty

Three-year-old filly

Sariska

Stayer

Yeats

Sprinter

Fleeting spirit

Award of Merit

John Oxx

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Group 1 winning racehorses Sea The Stars, Conduit and Goldikova are among those up for the prestigious Cartier Horse of the Year award, which will be announced tomorrow.

Nominations for the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars, were revealed at the weekend (Saturday, 14 November).

Recently retired will battle against Conduit, Goldikova, Mastercraftsman and Ghanaati for the Horse of the Year title.

The John Oxx-trained colt, who won six races in a row this year, is also up for the Cartier Three-Year-Old colt award against Fame And Glory, Le Havre, Mastercraftsman and Rip Van Winkle.

The Cartier Racing Awards, which are in their 19th year, recognise excellence in horse racing.

The awards will be presented tomorrow night (Tuesday, 17 November) in London.

The eight awards are awarded by points earned through races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists, as well as votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.

Full nominations:

Cartier Horse of the Year:

Conduit

Ghanaati

Goldikova

Mastercraftsman

Sea The Stars

Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt:

Arcano

Awzaan

Pounced

Siyouni

St Nicholas Abbey

Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly:

Hibaayeb

Lady Of The Desert

Rosanara

Special Duty

Termagant

Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt:

Fame And Glory

Le Havre

Mastercraftsman

Rip Van Winkle

Sea The Stars

Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly:

Elusive Wave

Ghanaati

Midday

Sariska

Stacelita

Cartier Stayer:

Alandi

Ask

Askar Tau

Schiaparelli

Yeats

Cartier Sprinter:

Art Connoisseur

Borderlescott

Fleeting Spirit

King’s Apostle

Total Gallery

Cartier Older Horse:

Conduit

Dar Re Mi

Fleeting Spirit

Goldikova

Vision D’Etat

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Rumours that Sea the Stars will be limited to covering 75 or 80 mares in his first season at stud have been rebuffed by the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Co Kildare.

The retired Arc winner will stand at stud next year and during a discussion on the overproduction of horses on 12 November, racing broadcaster Nick Luck said the stallion would have a limited book.

“Over production is a problem at the top of the industry as well as at the bottom,” Mr Luck told the World Horse Welfare conference where he was a speaker.

But a spokesman for the stud told H&H Sea The Stars’ book had not been finalised but would be likely to include 100 mares.

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H&H’s hopes of Sea The Stars winning a category in the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards have been dashed as the BBC have ruled that the horse is ineligible.

The Irish colt was hailed one of the greatest racehorses of all time when he became the first to win the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe.

Two weeks ago, H&H launched a campaign to have Sea The Stars voted Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

This week the campaign has been gathering momentum with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) adding their support.

“No one who saw Sea The Stars in his remarkable season can doubt his star quality. A racehorse might seem an unusual choice but there can be no doubting the impact he made on both the back and front pages this year,” said Jon Ryan, BHA communications director and former sport editor of the Sunday Telegraph.

“Sea The Stars needs your help, together we can do it and give this wonderful horse and all his connections the recognition they deserve!”

The BBC has not been able to decide until now whether, as a horse, Sea The Stars would be eligible for the award.

But after two weeks of confusion and deliberation a BBC spokesman confirmed to H&H this morning that the colt could not be put forward for the Overseas award, saying it is only open to people.

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Six-times Group One winning Flat racehorse Sea The Stars is to stand at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Co Kildare, Ireland.

After becoming the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, owners the Tsui family made the decision to retire Sea The Stars.

But there has recently been debate over where they would retire the son of Cape Cross out of Urban Sea to.

Sea The Stars will be standing at Gilltown Stud and will command a fee of E85,000 (£77,000).

He is likely to cover about 120 mares in his first season — including Arc winner Zarkava.

In a statement Ling Tsui said: “Gilltown is an ideal stud for Sea The Stars to thrive and develop as a stallion and there is no more appropriate place for him to stand than in his homeland and close to Currabeg where he was trained by John Oxx.

“His Highness was kind enough to let us stand Sea The Stars at Gilltown while keeping ownership of him and we are most grateful. The staff and facilities at Gilltown are top-class and Sea The Stars will enjoy his stay there.”

The Aga Khan added: “We are all proud to have such a remarkable athlete join the Aga Khan stallions at stud, and we are convinced that the Aga Khan mares, who have produced outstanding racehorses during the last 50 years, will breed very well indeed to Sea The Stars.

“In keeping with the motto of the Aga Khan Studs ‘success breeds success’ I look forward to the earliest opportunity to send my unbeaten champion Zarkava to Sea The Stars.

“I believe the last two Arc winners were made for each other both in terms of ability, temperament and conformation. The best needs to be bred to the best.”

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Would Flat racehorse Sea The Stars get your vote in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) awards?

With six consecutive Group One wins in six months under his belt, the recently retired Sea The Stars has been hailed as a global superstar, making headlines around the world.

And H&H would like to see him win one final trophy as he retires to stud.

Though the BBC awards are really intended for humans, Nijinsky and his connections won the team award in 1970 and Bob Champion and Aldaniti won in 1981, so we believe Sea The Stars should have a similar claim.

Being Irish-born and trained, the horse does not qualify for the main BBC SPOTY (for Brits only), but could be eligible for the overseas personality award.

At the time of going to press, the BBC was not 100% clear on whether a horse would be eligible for the award — so help us to convince those involved that he should.

Unlike the BBC SPOTY, which is decided by public vote on the night of transmission (13 December) from a selection of 10 nominated finalists, the overseas personality award is decided in advance.

A BBC spokesman said 30 top sports editors would each be invited to nominate a favourite and second-favourite candidate for the Overseas Personality of the Year between 2-13 November.

She added that competition would be stiff as Sea The Stars would be likely to go up against sporting heroes like Roger Federer and Usain Bolt.

H&H is therefore urging you to join us in lobbying sports editors to make sure they don’t forget this colossus of the Turf in their nominations.

Lucy Higginson, Editor of H&H, said: “Let’s put Sea the Stars on prime-time TV once more by lobbying the sporting press — and those who compile the SPOTY shortlists — to include this once-in-an-era horse. Let’s face it, he is MUCH faster than Usain Bolt.”

The three-year-old was hailed as one of the greatest racehorses of all time earlier this month after he became the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (news, 8 October).

Lobby the papers

To help Sea The Stars win a BBC title, email the following sports desks putting his name forward.

sportletters@sunday-times.co.uk

sport@independent.co.uk

Sport@dailymail.co.uk

letters@thetimes.co.uk

sport@guardian.co.uk

sport@telegraph.co.uk

sport@thetimes.co.uk

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (22 October, ’09)

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Arc winner Sea The Stars has been retired to stud.

The John Oxx-trained three-year-old was hailed as one of the greatest racehorses of all time earlier this month after he became the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

After winning six consecutive Group One races this season, owner Christopher Tsui was debating whether to send Sea The Stars to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

But today (Tuesday 13 October) it was announced that the son of Cape Cross out of Urban Sea will retire to stud and is expected to stand in Ireland.

In a statement to the press John Oxx said: “It has been decided after discussions with Christopher Tsui that Sea The Stars will not take part in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on 7 November.

“He’s had a long season and has been in regular fast work from 3 March, with his final workout on 2 October. He’s been in intensive training for seven months with only a three-week break after the Eclipse Stakes at the beginning of July.

“We feel it is unfair to keep him going any further given his unprecedented record of achievement in the last six months. He’s come out of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in his usual good form.

“He is fit and healthy and has been cantering since the race. He is now retiring from racing, but I have no information on stud career details and an announcement will be made at a much later date when plans have been finalised.”

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Sea The Stars has made racing history by becoming the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, The Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The John Oxx-trained three-year-old won at Longchamp racecourse in Paris yesterday (Sunday 4 October) leaving Youmzain, ridden by Kieren Fallon and trained by Mick Channon, taking the runner up spot for the third consecutive year.

Although fighting hard for his head in the early stages of the race and being trapped behind other horses, Sea The Stars found a gap and ran on to win by two lengths.

Sea The Stars’s dam Urban Sea won the race in 1993.

Winning trainer John Oxx, who also saddled the 2000 Arc winner Sinndar, said: “It’s a great relief. We thought we had the best horse in the race and that he deserved to win but it’s the Arc. It’s the end of the year and it’s easy to get beaten in the Arc.”

“He did enough when he hit the front and he’s a great, great horse to keep on winning. This horse has the gears and if a horse has speed and gears, he’ll get himself out of trouble.”

Jockey Mick Kinane added: “He’s exceptional — he’s just a phenomenal, rare horse. They were going a nice pace and I knew I would need a bit of luck in the straight, no matter what happened, but I knew I had the pace to go anywhere I wanted.”

The son of Cape Cross has now won six group one races in a row this summer and connections are considering whether Sea The Stars will head to the Breeders’ Cup in California on 7 November — but so far no decisions have been made.

“He’s done a lot this year and we take it race by race with him. We will let the dust settle and now is not the time to make a decision about the Breeders’ Cup,” said Oxx.

“We will see how the horse is and then decide. To have got as far as the Arc is a lot to be thankful for. I can’t see him staying in training next year, but we haven’t discussed it.”

• Is Sea The Stars the best racehorse ever? Join in the debate online
• View Sea The Stars pictures

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Five-times Group One-winning Flat racehorse Sea The Stars is heading the list of potential runners in the 2009 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next weekend.

Sea The Stars is one of 24 horses left in the race at this stage — which is to be held at Longchamp, Paris on Sunday (4 October).

The John Oxx-trained three-year-old son of Cape Cross, who has won the Derby and 2000 Guineas already this season, will be bidding for his sixth consecutive Group One win. His dam, Urban Sea, won the race in 1993.

A second forfeit stage will happen tomorrow (Wednesday 30 September).

He could face competition from up to six Aidan O’Brien trained horses — including Fame And Glor and Yeats — as well as contenders from trainers Sir Michael Stoute (Spanish Moon and Conduit), John Gosden’s Dar Re Mi and Mick Channon’s Youmzain.

Connections are also hoping the weather holds out — the forecast is generally dry for Paris next week — as Sea The Stars won’t be risked if the ground is too soft.

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Sea The Stars proved himself a true champion today at Epsom when he added the Investec Derby to his 2000 Guineas victory last month.

He became the first colt since Nashwan in 1989 to win both the Guineas and the Derby, and gave his jockey Mick Kinane, two weeks away from his 50th birthday, a third win in the race.

The son of Cape Cross travelled well throughout the contest, tracking the pacemaker Golden Sword, one of Aidan O’Brien’s six runners.

Sea The Stars came to the front just inside the final furlong and galloped away strongly to dispel any worries that, being by a sire who was best at a mile, he might not stay the mile-and-a-half trip. It was a devastatingly impressive performance from the good-looking bay colt, who possesses a notably laid-back temperament.

Trained by John Oxx in Co Kildare, Ireland — for whom it is a second Derby triumph following Sinndar in 2000 — Sea The Stars is owned by Hong Kong-based 27-year-old Christopher Tsui.

Tsui’s father, David, owned Sea The Stars’ dam Urban Sea, and won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with her in 1993. Her son was immediately made 3-1 favourite with bookmakers Paddy Power for the same race. Sea The Stars is Urban Sea’s second Derby-winning son after Galileo in 2001.

“Some horses look good but let themselves down, but this horse has it all,” said Oxx. “He is at the top of the ladder.”

Displaced for favouritism just before the race by Fame And Glory, Sea The Stars started at 11-4.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Fame And Glory finished second by a length and three-quarters, and third, fourth and fifth were the 33-1 shot Masterofthehorse, Rip Van Winkle (6-1) and Golden Sword (25-1), all also trained by O’Brien.

The first British-trained horse home was Crowded House, a one-time favourite for the race, sixth for Brian Meehan.

Don’t miss H&H’s special report from the Epsom Derby meeting, on sale Thursday 11 June, plus an online picture gallery on Horseandhound.co.uk early next week

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