STARS' STUDDED FUTURE

WITH the sun setting on the 2009 season, we have had contrasting news of two champions, Sea The Stars and Inglis Drever.

As expected, Sea The Stars has been retired and now carts that fantastic physique and fine temperament off to stud as one of the most valuable stallion prospects ever.

Some extraordinary price tags have been slapped on him and, while £100m is truly bonkers, it is almost certain that, even in these economically unsure times, he is worth between £40m and £50m.

How do we reach such numbers? Well, assuming Sea The Stars is fertile and doesn't fire blanks, he is likely to cover - mate with - at least 100 mares a season at a likely minimum of £80,000 a time.

That is £8m a year and he could cover significantly more than 100 mares. As a successful sire, he could make incalculable sums over a lengthy stud career.

Loved every bit as much if not more so was Inglis Drever, who died of colic - a twisting of the gut - on Friday.

He was the only horse ever to win the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival three times, in 2005, '07 and '08.

Mind-blowingly tough, he used to be scrubbed like a burnt pan when hitting a major flat patch in his marathon hurdle races but always finished with a vengeance and punters came to love him.

His lass Ginni Wright, who looked after him immaculately, said: "The last time I saw him he was stretched out in the sun enjoying himself in July. That is how I will remember him."

We will remember him rattling up that hill in March to a roar of welcome he made his own.

Next Saturday is the last Group One of the season with the Racing Post Trophy over a mile at Doncaster. It's a real test for two-year-olds and John Dunlop's Elusive Pimpernel looks just the type.

A victory at the Newmarket July meet then one at York in August confirm Elusive Pimpernel as a very useful stayer in the making.

Having learned on his two runs so far, he may well now prove much more the finished article.

Read Alastair Down every week in the Racing Post

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