St Nicholas Abbey Tribute Page 

Beautiful Tribute from our American Friends 

More Tributes to St Nic

Johnny Murtagh: 
"Sad news about St Nicholas Abbey, he was one of the greats. He was potentially one of the best I've ever ridden. Unfortunately, things didn't happen for him as a three-year-old, but he has come back the last few years and shown everyone what a great horse he was."

Matt Chapman:
"Gutted six-time Group 1 hero St Nicholas Abbey has been put down. Coolmore Stud could not have done more to save him. Credit to them."

Epsom Downs Racecourse
"We're all saddened to hear that St Nicholas Abbey has lost his battle today and will forever hold fond memories of his three Coronation Cup wins."

Hugo Palmer:
"What a privilege it was to watch St Nicholas Abbey race. Very sad we won't know his progeny. Gutted for all concerned."

St Nicholas Abbey Tribute By Robert Yetman

The great epics of literature follow a tried and true format. A hero steps forward to attempt a great journey or quest, he experiences early success, but then suffers a setback of some sort which often leads to self doubt, finally he overcomes great obstacles and successfully completes the mission. The racing career of St. Nicholas Abbey had many characteristics of the epic. He burst onto the racing scene in the fall of 2009 winning a Curragh maiden in impressive style and quickly followed up in the always informative Beresford Stakes, a race won by his grandsire Sadler’s Wells. It was then off to Doncaster for the Racing Post Trophy where he throttled the opposition by four lengths. His sparkling turn of foot set tongues wagging and he was duly installed as the short price favorite for the 2000 Guineas and Derby.

But the 2010 season would be a bitter disappointment. St Nicholas Abbey would be unplaced in the 2000 Guineas, miss the Derby, and eventually be put away for the season without seeing a racecourse again. His return to the races in April of 2011 was far from inspiring. Racing for the first time since the Guineas he would finish a one-paced third in the Listed Alleged Stakes. St. Nicholas Abbey was now dismissed as a good two year old that just hadn’t trained on. He was a hype horse who failed to live up to the expectations. These were the sentiments expressed by many in the racing press as he arrived at Chester in early May for the Group III Ormonde Stakes. It was the “last chance saloon” for the Montjeu colt. For the first time in his career he did not go off the favorite, the skeptics were more then happy to take him on. But on that bright spring day, St Nicholas Abbey galloped around that ancient racecourse, surrounded by the ruins of the Roman city wall with purpose and turning off the home bend he unleashed that devastating turn of foot, which he had displayed at Doncaster as a juvenile. A nine-length victory silenced the critics, at least temporarily. But could he win at the highest level? In the Coronation Cup, Henry Cecil’s exceptional race mare Midday would test him. A furlong and a half out the Juddmonte mare looked to have the race at her mercy. St. Nicholas Abbey was awkward coming down Tattenham Hill, he was unbalanced on the camber of the home stretch, and yet when finally organized by Ryan Moore he ran relentlessly at the gallant Midday, heading her inside the last hundred yards.

After competing with merit in the King George and the Arc, St Nicholas Abbey arrived at Churchill Downs somewhat under the radar. For us Americans one thing stuck out as we studied our racing forms, St. Nicholas Abbey’s record going left handed on fast ground. 6-1 looked a steal. When Joseph tipped him out off the home turn, there was only going to be one winner. He quickened away like a champion providing Ballydoyle with perhaps its greatest Breeders’ Cup moment.

St. Nicholas Abbey was top class as a five year old in 2012 winning another Coronation Cup and narrowly falling to the admirable Cirrus des Aigles in Dubai. But it would be in 2013 that St. Nicholas Abbey would shine the brightest. On a warm night in the desert sands of the Arabian sub-continent the son of Montjeu would square off with the regal Japanese filly Gentildonna, who was fresh off her conquest of the mighty Orfevre in the Japan Cup. St. Nicholas Abbey led the field off the final bend, Gentildonna poised on his outside. The filly ran to him, but St. Nick broke her heart in the final furlong, striding out to win by two and a half lengths. Doubters had always dismissed St. Nicholas Abbey as a horse just short of the top drawer. His performance that night at Meydan cemented his legacy as a horse of the highest caliber during what has been a golden age for world flat racing. In what would be his final appearance on a racecourse, he once again demolished the field in Epsom’s Coronation Cup claiming the laurels for an unprecedented third time.

There are very few horses that I have become emotionally attached to. Perhaps it is for defensive reasons. As a twelve year old, I loved the talented American three-year-old filly Go For Wand only to see her break down tragically in the final 100 yards of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Belmont in 1990. It wasn’t until the indomitable Yeats came along that I allowed myself to cheer full throated for a horse regardless of whether or not I had a wager on it. St. Nicholas Abbey was an easy horse to love. That high head carriage reminded you of his brilliant sire Montjeu and his grandsire and Coolmore patriarch Sadler’s Wells. But there was something else that made you love this horse, something I couldn’t name, until day. We admire and revere the “perfect” horse but their perfection in some ways makes them remote and distant from us. Perfection is something we humans know very little about. Life is a mixture of triumphs and setbacks. St. Nicholas Abbey was not a perfect horse. He had more then his share of setbacks. But he never stopped fighting. That fighting spirit is something we humans find so admirable. St Nicholas Abbey filled us with joy because we could relate to him and we admired his tenacity.

For five years St. Nicholas Abbey thrilled us on the world’s racecourses. But sadly, like many of the great epics, the quest claims the life of our hero. We mourn St. Nicholas Abbey but his legacy will live on. He was a warrior of the turf. A six-time Group I winner on three continents, in four different years, he never shirked from a battle. That bravery and consistency will be greatly missed.

                 In pictures: St Nicholas Abbey's brilliant career

St Nicholas Abbey (IRE)Race record

• 7-y-o (13Apr07 b h)
• Montjeu (IRE)  (11.7f) — Leaping Water (Sure Blade (USA)  (10.1f))
• Trainer 
  A P O'Brien
• Owner Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
• Breeder Barton Bloodstock & Villiers Synd

 Flat placings 111/6/3113351/22133303/11-

	DATE	RACE CONDITIONS	WGT	RACE OUTCOME	JOCKEY	OR	TS	RPR
	01Jun13	Eps 12Gd C1G1 198K	9-0	1/5 (3¾L Dunaden 9-0) 30/100F	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	30Mar13	Mey 12Gd G1 1840K	9-0	1/11 (2¼L Gentildonna 8-8) 11/4	Joseph O'Brien	123	*	*
	03Nov12	Sna 12Fm G1 1045K	9-0	3/12 (1¼L Little Mike 9-0) 5/2F	Joseph O'Brien	—	*	*
	07Oct12	Lon 12Hy G1 1904K	9-5	11/18 (15½L Solemia 9-2) 14/1	Joseph O'Brien	—	*	*
	08Sep12	Leo 10Gd G1 362K	9-7	3/6 (2L Snow Fairy 9-4) 3/1	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	22Aug12	Yor 10GF C1G1 411K	9-5	3/9 (7L Frankel 9-5) 5/1	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	21Jul12	Asc 12GS C1G1 567K	9-7	3/10 (1½L Danedream 9-4) 5/1	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	02Jun12	Eps 12GF C1G1 170K	9-0	1/6 (4½L Red Cadeaux 9-0) 8/11F	Joseph O'Brien	123	*	*
	07May12	Cur 10Sft G3 39K	9-8	2/7 (1L Windsor Palace 9-3) 2/5F	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	31Mar12	Mey 12Gd G1 1935K	9-0	2/10 (¼L Cirrus Des Aigles 9-0)9/4F	Joseph O'Brien	124	*	*
	05Nov11	Chu 12Fm G1 1038K	9-0	1/9 (2¼L Sea Moon 8-10) 5/1	Joseph O'Brien	—	*	*
	02Oct11	Lon 12Gd G1 1970K	9-5	5/16 (6L Danedream 8-8) 33/1	Joseph O'Brien	—	*	*
	11Sep11	Lon 12GS G2 63K	9-2	3/4 (2¾L Sarafina 8-13) 100/30	Christophe Soumillon	—	*	*
	23Jul11	Asc 12GS C1G1 611K	9-7	3/5 (4L Nathaniel 8-9) 7/2	Joseph O'Brien	123	*	*
	03Jun11	Eps 12Gd C1G1 141K	9-0	1/5 (1L Midday 8-11) EvensF	Ryan Moore	122	*	*
	06May11	Chs 13GF C1G3 36K	9-0	1/5 (9L Allied Powers 9-0) 11/8	Ryan Moore	115	*	*
	03Apr11	Cur 10Sft L 22K	9-1	3/6 (6½L Unaccompanied 8-12)4/11F	Seamie Heffernan	119	*	*
	01May10	Nmk 8GF C13yG1 227K	9-0	6/19 (3½L Makfi 9-0) EvensF	Johnny Murtagh	124	*	*
	24Oct09	Don 8GS C12yG1 113K	9-0	1/11 (3¾L Elusive Pimpernel 9-0)13/8F	Johnny Murtagh	—	*	*
	27Sep09	Cur 8Gd 2yG2 72K	9-1	1/9 (¾L Layali Al Andalus 9-1)2/5F	Johnny Murtagh	—	*	*
	16Aug09	Cur 8Sft/Hy 2y 11K	9-3	1/11 (4L Saajidah 8-12) 11/10F	Johnny Murtagh	—	*	*