Australia’s 2010 champion sprinter Starspangledbanner, who returned to training after having fertility trouble at stud in 2011, is set to try a breeding career again and will stand at Rosemont Stud in Victoria, where he was foaled and raised..
Anthony Mithen from Rosemount Stud says Starspangledbanner (Choisir x Gold Anthem, by Made Of Gold) has been officially retired by Coolmore Stud, having bought him in 2010, though Rosemount remains a minority shareholder in the Choisir Stallion.
The four-time Group 1 winner was one of the best sprinter/miler of his generation winning the Caulfield Guineas in devastating fashion and then taking on the best sprinters in the land to win the G1 Oakleigh Plate.
After the sale to international breeding giant Coolmore, Starspangledbanner headed to Ireland to be trained by Aidan O’Brien, winning the Group 1 Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 July Cup to be crowned Europe’s top sprinter.
At the end of 2010 he embarked on his first attempt at stud. Starspangledbanner sired about 60 foals from his first season at stud in both Ireland and Australia but returned to the racecourse late in 2012 after fertility issues. But he never reached the same heights on the race track, with a second to Maarek in the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh in 2012 by far his best effort.
It has been agreed between Coolmore and Rosemont that it is most appropriate that Starspangledbanner return to the stud he was born for another tilt at breeding success.
“We will be trying some new fertility techniques that weren’t available when Star last stood at stud. He is a little older and more mature,” Mithen said.
Mithen noted that stem cell treatment “really helped” another sub-fertile stallion, Foreplay, and that the two sires’ fertility issues are similar.
Starspangledbanner closes out his career with more than Aus$2.1 million in earnings and seven wins in 23 starts. While he stood for $44,000 first time around, Rosemont has not yet announced a fee for Starspangledbanner for the coming breeding season.
By Owens Wong
