Oxx nurses Sea Moon back to health John Oxx is hopeful Sea Moon retains at least some of his considerable ability ahead of his return to European action this summer. It is almost four years since the talented entire slammed Al Kazeem in the Great Voltigeur at York for Sir Michael Stoute and the following season he won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. In 2013 Sea Moon was sold and shipped out to Australia to continue his career, but although he managed to win that year's Herbert Power Stakes, subsequent results have been largely disappointing and owner Lloyd Williams sent him to Ireland earlier this year. The seven-year-old holds entries in the International Stakes and the Curragh Cup at the end of June, but is more likely to make his return the following month. Oxx said: " He's had two bouts of shipping fever, the first time when Sir Michael (Stoute) took him to Hong Kong (in 2012) and the second when he came back from Australia in February. It was a pretty bad episode, he was sick for the whole of February and he's lucky to be alive. "He's working away and he's in fast work now. He's showing plenty of enthusiasm and looks great and it looks as though he still retains plenty of ability, but we won't really know until we get him back on the racecourse. "He has a couple of entries on (Irish) Derby weekend, but I think it's probably a bit optimistic to think he'll make those. I'd say it's probably doubtful. "Hopefully we'll have him back on the track in mid-July and we'll see what he can do. "I think the owner just felt he wasn't doing as well as he could out in Australia. Maybe the firmer tracks weren't for him, possibly he likes a bit of ease in the ground, and maybe he's more of a European horse. "He's certainly a class horse and we're delighted to have him."
