Champion Gstaad Retired, to Stand at Coolmore Ireland

Gstaad (GB), a winner of this year's Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and Cartier champion juvenile colt of 2025, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Coolmore's Irish base in 2027. Coolmore's Mark Byrne said: "Gstaad was a remarkably tough and genuine racehorse who danced every dance at the highest level for two solid seasons. To win a Coventry and a Breeders' Cup at 2, and then come back to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas in record time shows incredible constitution and class. "He's a smashing physical—a great-looking, athletic horse with a very good walk who was the most expensive colt at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2023. "Starspangledbanner is a top-class, proven sire who has enjoyed another fantastic year, and his stock have precocity, speed and the scope to train on into Classic winners. We're absolutely delighted to welcome his most accomplished son to the roster." Purchased as a foal by M.V. Magnier for 450,000 guineas (US$596,488), Gstaad won on his debut in May of his 2-year-old year at Navan Racecourse, defeating subsequent One Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1) heroine True Love (IRE) by three-quarters of a length. The son of Starspangledbanner (AUS) then went on to record a 3-length win in the Coventry Stakes (G2) at Ascot Racecourse, defeating future Phoenix Stakes (G1) victor Power Blue (IRE) and the future group 2 winner Coppull (GB) in the process. He placed second in the Prix Morny (G1), Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1), and Dewhurst Stakes (G1) before gaining a deserved first top-level win in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, earning him Cartier champion 2-year-old honors. The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt returned this year to finish second to Bow Echo (IRE) in the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse and then claimed classic laurels of his own in the Irish equivalent. He duly became the fastest ever winner of the race, breaking a track record which had stood for 28 years. He placed three further times this season when second in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) and Sussex Stakes (G1) and then when third in the Prix du Moulin (G1). The 3-year-old was bred by Kelly Thomas's Maywood Stud out of the Exceed And Excel mare Mosa Mine, making him a half brother to champion 2-year-old Vandeek (GB), winner of the 2023 Middle Park Stakes (G1) and Prix Morny. The family also includes 1996 European champion sprinter Anabaa, the sire of Goldikova and damsire of Treve (FR), back-to-back winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) in 2013-14 and Bayside Boy (IRE), the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) winner. Gstaad's fee will be announced at a later date.