A ‘RELENTLESS, unstoppable’ Aidan O’Brien horse has been retired after flopping completely on both runs under the Ballydoyle boss.
Storm Boy was dubbed a ‘freak’ by his handler in the build-up to his Irish debut.
PAStorm Boy never lived up to his hype in two runs for Aidan O’Brien and has now been retired to stud[/caption]
But the mega-money arrival from Australia suffered a disaster in the Group 2 Greenland Stakes last month and finished dead last.
Storm Boy was then backed in for last Saturday’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs at Royal Ascot and was one of the horses bookies feared the most.
But he finished a dismal tenth of 15 under Ryan Moore – meaning he beat just four horses in two runs for O’Brien.
Loads had been expected of the five-time winner who was sent to Ballydoyle on the back of Group 3 and Group 2 victories in Australia and £1.9million earnings.
But now he is being sent back Down Under to stand at stud for a fee of £7,890, with his racing career over for good.
Coolmore Australia’s principal Tom Magnier said: “We are delighted to welcome Storm Boy back to Coolmore Australia for the 2025 season.
“His early performances on the track really had to be seen to be believed.
“He was jaw-dropping, much like his sire Justify, he broke his opponents’ hearts!
“He won five of his first seven starts in a really dominating fashion and was unlucky not to include a Golden Slipper in that tally.
“We took Storm Boy to Europe with the plan of winning the QE II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“But unfortunately we haven’t been able to give him the ideal prep.
“We felt we were getting back to where we needed to be with him, but he was found to be quite lame since returning to Ballydoyle on Saturday.”
The news comes on the back of a trying few days for O’Brien.
He confirmed yesterday that Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Los Angeles will miss all the big summer races.
He chased a ferocious pace in what amounted to a Royal Ascot ‘balls up’ in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – and will now have some time off ahead of his autumn target.
O’Brien had five winners at Royal Ascot but failed to land a Group 1.
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