Vital Equine - Press Release
VITAL EQUINE TO RETIRE TO BEARSTONE STUD IN 2008
Bearstone Stud announces that Vital Equine, winner of the Champagne Stakes Gr.2 as a two-year-old and runner-up in this year’s 2000 Guineas, will retire to Bearstone Stud in 2008.
The three year old son of Danetime, trained by Eoghan O’Neill, won his first three races at two, culminating in a half length success in the Group 2 Sportsman Newspaper Champagne Stakes at York, beating subsequent Epsom Derby runner-up and Irish Derby third Eagle Mountain and dual Guineas winner Cockney Rebel. His next two races were in Group 1 class, finishing 2 3/4 lengths third to Holy Roman Emperor in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp and 3 lengths fifth to Champion European two-year-old Teofilo in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. On his reappearance the following May in the Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket he was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by Cockney Rebel in the fastest renewal of the classic since 1995.
Vital Equine was bred in Ireland by John Costello and is by the Group 1 sprinter Danetime who died in 2005. He has proved a prolific source of two-year-old and sprint winners including Myboycharlie, winner of this year’s Prix Morny. Vital Equine is the second foal of Bayalika, an unraced granddaughter of Behera, winner of the Prix Saint-Alary in 1989 and Champion three-year-old filly in Europe (11-14f). She has produced two Group winners, Behkara and Bayrika, the latter being the grandam of Vital Equine.
Terry Holdcroft, owner of Bearstone Stud, commented “We are thrilled to be bringing such a high-class son of a hugely successful and much missed stallion to Bearstone Stud. He is a very impressive horse, fast and precocious enough to be a Group 2 winner at two and classy enough to go so close to winning the 2000 Guineas at three. We believe that he offers the commercial British breeder a tremendous opportunity to tap into the most successful sire line in Europe at present.”
Vital Equine will join Firebreak, Indesatchel and Reel Buddy at Bearstone Stud. A stud fee will be announced later.