According to Timeform, Sea The Stars was the joint-eighth greatest racehorse of all time – or, at least, since Timeform Annual Ratings began in 1948 – rated alongside such luminaries as Shergar and Dancing Brave. Owned by Christopher Tsui and trained by John Oxx in Co. Kildare, Sea The Stars was beaten just once in his nine-race career, on his racecourse debut at the Curragh in July, 2008, when he finished fourth, beaten a head, half a length and a neck.
In an extraordinary, unbeaten campaign as a three-year-old, he not only became the first horse since Nashwan, in 1989, to with the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the Coral-Eclipse, but also added the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, for a total of six Group 1 wins.
Sea The Stars was sired by Cape Cross out of Urban Sea, making him a half-brother to 2001 Derby winner Galileo. Despite this fact, doubts about his stamina before the Derby meant that he lined up at Epsom as second favourite behind the stoutly-bred Fame And Glory, trained by Aidan O’Brien. Nevertheless, Sea The Stars moved smoothly through the mile-and-a-half contest, tackled pacemaker Golden Sword entering the final furlong and, thereafter, never looked in any danger. Fame And Glory ran on well to finish second, ahead of stable companions Masterofthehorse and Rip Van Winkle, but none of the O’Brien trio was ever going to reach the winner.
A tough, versatile performer, Sea The Stars beat Rip Van Winkle again when dropped back to a mile and a quarter for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown a month later but, in a tactical affair, had to dig deep to fend off his old rival in the closing stages, winning by just a length. After further victories, at odds-on, in the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes, Sea The Stars headed to Longchamp for the final race of his career, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. In a rough race, despite taking a keen hold in the early stages, he quickened clear for an impressive 2-length win over Youmzain, landing odds of 4/6 and taking his career earnings to over £4.4 million.