Blue Point Retired to Stud

Godolphin's Royal Ascot sprint king Blue Point has been retired to stud with a fee and location still to be set and Australian breeders may be wondering if he could be headed to Darley Australia this spring before kicking off his Northern Hemisphere stud career in 2020.

Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions said, "Blue Point has been a truly outstanding racehorse throughout his career, and we are delighted that he will be standing as a Darley stallion next year.

"From his impressive Gimcrack win at two, right through to his unbeaten campaign this year culminating in last week's outstanding G1 double, he has been a wonderful flagbearer for both Godolphin and his sire, our very own Shamardal."

The five year-old son of Shamardal has gone out in a blaze of glory replicating the performance of champion Australian sprinter Choisir in in winning both the Group I King's Stand Stakes (5f) and Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f).

No European-trained horse had completed the King's Stand/ Diamond Jubilee Stakes double since Diadem back in 1920, and perhaps even more remarkable was that Blue Point had won the King's Stand last year too.

He retires with the overall record of 11 wins and six placings from 20 starts with four Group I victories and four Group I placings.

Darley have already announced their brilliant European sprinter Harry Angel as coming to Australia this spring at a fee of $22,000, but it's hard not to think Australian breeders may be more enthusiastic about Blue Point given the proven success of Shamardal in our part of the world and the appeal of that historic Royal Ascot sprint double.