Fergie’s ‘Rock’ retires to stud
The Rock carried Ferguson’s red and white colours to a record-breaking seven successive Group One races, and will now stand at Coolmore Stud in Co Tipperary, Ireland.
Ferguson said: “As a relative newcomer into 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. Whilst I will be saddened not to see Rock Of Gibraltar in action on the racecourse I look forward to the future with keen anticipation and I have every confidence that he will transmit his amazing talent and courage to his offspring.”
The three-year-old colt, trained by Aidan O’Brien, made history when he won the NetJets Prix du Moulin at Longchamp in September to overtake the great Mill Reef’s record of six victories at the highest level in 1971-1972.
“Rock Of Gibraltar will stand the 2003 season alongside his sire Danehill at Coolmore,” a spokesman for the stud said. The fee has yet to be decided but industry sources suggest it could be 100,000 euro (about £62,000).
Rock Of Gibraltar’s winning run came to a slightly controversial end when he was beaten by Domedriver at Arlington last month with many pundits criticising jockey Michael Kinane for giving his mount too much to do.
However, that reverse should not take away anything from the glittering career of a colt that helped bring closer ties between horse racing and football.
Ferguson bought a share of the horse halfway through his two-year-old campaign that had given hardly any hint of the heights he was to achieve.
Rock Of Gibraltar was bred by O’Brien, his wife Anne-Marie and father-in-law Joe Crowley out of the mare Offshore Boom, who had cost a mere 11,000 Irish guineas in 1997.
Owners Mr and Mrs John Magnier sold a share in the colt to Ferguson and following victory in a Group Three race at the Curragh, in which he wore their colours for the third and last time.
The Ferguson silks were to prove lucky from the start.
After wearing the red and white to victory in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes, Rock Of Gibraltar suffered what was to be a rare defeat.
Johnny Murtagh rode him in the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas but he did not start favourite, but it was the 9-1 shot who landed the spoils by a neck.
Although his racing career did not end on a high note in Chicago, the defeat has not tarnished Rock Of Gibraltar’s place among racing’s great milers.
