Anthony Oppenheimer is looking forward to seeing the progeny of Golden Horn on the racecourse.
Golden Horn was named Cartier Horse of the Year on Tuesday evening after a stellar three-year-old career brought Group 1 victories in the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The only two defeats the son of Cape Cross suffered in his nine-race career were at the hands of fillies, when he was second to Arabian Queen in the Juddmonte International at York and then runner-up to Found on his final start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.
When asked if he was tempted to keep Golden Horn in training as a four-year-old, Oppenheimer, who owned and bred the colt, told Racing UK: “He’s done everything I’ve asked of him.
“I’m a breeder and I’m not getting any younger, and I’d really like to see his stock on a racecourse.”
The John Gosden-trained colt had to be supplemented for the Derby after beating his stablemate Jack Hobbs in the Dante at York as Oppenheimer conceded he never envisaged Golden Horn would have the stamina for a mile-and-a-half.
Reflecting upon the year, he said: “I can’t believe it really. Last year I was here and I never thought I’d get an award like this.
“At the beginning of the year I knew we had a good horse, but nothing like that. As a breeder, I thought he wouldn’t stay a mile-and-a-half, so I didn’t enter him for the Derby. Of course, I then had to put up 75,000 pounds to run him in the Derby.
“I was still doubting he would stay because on his breeding, and as a breeder myself, I thought I should know, but it proved I wasn’t a very good breeder because I got it wrong!”
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