John Oxx News At One Interview

Sean O'Rourke interviewed John Oxx today on the News At One, in the wake of the retirement announcement of Sea The Stars and the following is how the discussion went

(Sean O'Rourke) Now, one of my colleagues was saying, somebody without a great interest in racing or knowledge of it, isn't it a terrible pity that we're not going to be able to see that horse performing so dramatically in the future?

(John Oxx) That's the nature of it, I'd suppose the jumpers, the steeplechasers and hurdlers go on from year to year, because they are geldings and they have no breeding future, but this horse, and the great flat horses have a shorter career, and in this case a fairly explosive career, through this year, and then they have another life. They have another important job to do to try and leave their mark on the whole breed.

(Sean O'Rourke) What tilted the balance in making the decision between going or not going for the Breeders Cup?

(John Oxx) He has had a long season, he's been in training right through last winter, he started his fast work regime on the 3rd of March this year and he had his last fast workout two days before the Arc on the 2nd of October, so it is seven months of fairly strenuous intensive training and during that time he had six big races, six wins. It's just enough we feel, I mean he is in great shape after the Arc but I think you just have to stand back from it a little and look at it dispassionately and I think even though it is a temptation to go for one more race, to be fair to the horse we think he has done enough.

(Sean O'Rourke) Obviously it's a great success and feather in the cap of the people at the National Stud where he was bred, what about the future now, what's the plan?

(John Oxx) I'm not involved in that, I just train the horse. Obviously he will go to stud next spring but there is no news yet on where that will be. The owners make that decision and I'm not actually involved in that, I just train the horse and I'm happy to let them decide his future.

(Sean O'Rourke) Is there a part of you that would have liked to have gone for the Breeders Cup?

(John Oxx) Well I'd suppose in some ways there is, you'd like to take on a new challenge and it would have been another feather in his cap to win over there but at the same time it is not in my nature to embark on foolish projects.

(Sean O'Rourke) Will you ever get another one like him?

(John Oxx) Hardly, it is a dream come true, we've had some great horses but nothing as good as him, I'm thankful to have had him, I don't expect to see his like again.

(Sean O'Rourke) I don't know how seriously this speculation about him becoming the sports personality of the year either here or across the water is, but in the event of him being chosen, what about an appearance in person if I can put it like that?

(John Oxx) Highly unlikely. He is not a horse you can bring everywhere, a three-year-old colt, he likes to be in his own environment and he doesn't want any surprises.

(Sean O'Rourke) What's he worth?

(John Oxx) I really don't know, I mean we are as everyone is all too aware in a recession so these sort of horses aren't worth what they might have been some years ago. I really don't know but he is worth a lot of money.

(Sean O'Rourke) Presumably his services won't be coming cheap?

(John Oxx) No but I'm sure they'll reflect the times we live in and he'll be affordable for the right breeders I'm sure.

(Sean O'Rourke) Quarter of a million?

(John Oxx) Ah no, nothing like that, that's old money, the world has changed.