Merchant Navy Wins Diamond Jubliee

Tara Madgwick - Sunday June 24
Outstanding Fastnet Rock colt Merchant Navy left Australia earlier this year as the best three year-old sprinter in the country and is now one of the best in the world after capturing the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot overnight for Coolmore.

Merchant Navy - AScot Racecourse TwitterTrained in Australia by Ciaron Maher and then Aaron Purcell, Merchant Navy won the prestigious Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes in November and was last seen finishing a close third to Redkirk Warrior in the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap.

After that race, the decision was taken by Coolmore to send the colt to Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle, a move that has proven very much to the liking of Merchant Navy.

He made a winning debut for his new trainer when taking out the Group II Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh last month and was well fancied to win the Diamond Jubilee.

Partnered by Ryan Moore, Merchant Navy travelled behind the leaders and then was strong to the line to win by a short head over French bred Siyouni stallion City Light with Wesley Ward's US sprinter Bound for Nowhere in third. Redkirk Warrior failed to fire finishing in tenth place.

"Merchant Navy made lovely progress from the Curragh to here, but we thought that it was an impossible task for him. We knew that he was meeting the field 12lb wrong than he was in Australia and it was a big worry for him," said Aidan O'Brien.

"He was only a three-year-old being treated as a four-year-old. He was travelling very well and we knew looking at him that Ryan was very happy. I think he was hoping he would not have to get there too early on him. He got a little bit of a bump and Ryan said it took a bit of time to rebalance. We are over the moon with him."

To make a successful transition from Australia to racing in Europe is no easy task and Merchant Navy is the first Australian bred winner of the Diamond Jubilee since 2012 when it was won by Black Caviar and in 2010 by Starspangledbanner following on from Choisir's historic victory in 2003.

Temperament and constitution go a long way towards making the feat possible and in that regard Merchant Navy is blessed.

"When he ran at the Curragh he didn't know if he was going into the winter or coming into the summer," said Aidan O'Brien.

"He had a lot of readjusting to do, and you have to leave it to nature, but he's obviously got a great constitution as well as a great mind. He sleeps and eats and is very straightforward.

"He's a lovely big horse. He's relaxed and genuine and has a good mind. He's no problem in any way. He's a joy to have anything to do with."

Merchant Navy is entered for the Group I Darley July Cup on July 14, but a decision on a start is up in the air.

"I can't tell you how happy we are. He improved a lot from the Curragh to here, and we thought there was plenty more to come, but he's booked to go back to Australia after this so I don't know what's going to happen," O'Brien added.

"Wouldn't it be great to have him for the July Cup too."

Merchant Navy as a yearlingA $350,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Ciaron Maher Racing, Merchant Navy is a full brother to Group II winner Jolie Bay and stakes-placed Zara Bay.

With seven wins from 10 starts, Merchant Navy runs for a Coolmore controlled syndicate and will retire to stud in Australia this spring at a fee of $55,000 to stand alongside his illustrious sire Fastnet Rock.

Bred by Chris Barham and foaled and raised at Segenhoe, Merchant Navy is the best of six winners from the good producing Snippets Group III winner Legally Bay, a half-sister to Group I winner Bonaria.

Legally Bay has a yearling colt by All Too Hard and a weanling colt by Fastnet Rock, but will not foal this spring having missed to Fastnet Rock last year.


Advertisment
More Reading...
First Win for Storm Boy Half-Brother by Pierro
Progressive Pierro colt Shangri La Boy is a very different horse to his older half-brother Storm Boy and while that Group winning colt is covering his first book of mares at Coolmore this spring, this fellow is on his way with an impressive maiden win at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Youngsters Impress Leading into Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
The build up to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale has intensified with a swag of impressive breeze up performances over the past week.
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).