Aussie sprint star Choisir bought by Coolmore
The son of rising stallion star Danehill Dancer will go into quarantine in Ireland before beginning his new career back home, shuttling to Coolmore Australia for the upcoming stud season.
The deal for the big, bull of a horse is subject to a veterinary inspection. Financial details have not been disclosed, but he will stand at the Hunter Valley operation in New South Wales at a fee of Aus 32,500 (about £14,000).
Coolmore’s Christy Grassick said: “A really strongly-made colt from the sire-producing Danehill line, I think he’ll prove
very popular with commercial breeders, both here in Ireland and in Australia. We’re delighted to have got him.”
Coolmore Australia’s general manager Michael Kirwan said: “We are absolutely thrilled. He is a wonderful type whose great performances at Royal Ascot and Newmarket have done more for Australian racing than any horse since Phar Lap.”
Choisir, a Group One winner in his homeland, arrived in Britain three weeks before Royal Ascot and astounded the racing world with his performances.
On the opening day of the meeting he blitzed his 19 rivals with a display of raw speed in the Group Two King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs, despite carrying a Group One penalty.
After that awesome display of front-running he turned out again just four days later and from a tricky draw added the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes in similar fashion, breaking the six-furlong track record in the process.
Choisir was only the third horse in history to land the Royal Ascot sprint double, and the first since Diadem back in 1920.
His efforts were all the more meritorious as he had to carry the same weight as the Northern Hemisphere-bred four-year-olds despite still being a three-year-old himself.
In the Group One July Cup, Choisir ran another fine race but could not withstand the late challenge of Oasis Dream.
