Ballydoyle's Superstar St Mark's Basilica has had his future plans put on hold for the moment with his trainer Aidan O'Brien explaining that he has taken a fair bit of time to come out of his successful run in the Group One Irish Champion Stakes.
The five time Group One winning colt three year old being arguably the horse of the season and after his success at Irish Champions weekend has all but nailed down the Cartier Horse Of The Year title.
At the end of his juvenile career he truly showed just how good he can be when taking the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, having finished a close third in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes before.
This season he picked up from where he left off by taking the Group One French 2000 Guineas on seasonal debut and then at the start of June on his first try at an extended trip he took to it superbly to land the French Derby.
What a race!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 11, 2021
St Mark's Basilica proves best in a thrilling €1m Irish Champion Stakes 👏@LeopardstownRC | @IrishChampsWknd | #LICW21 pic.twitter.com/P5BHxiuSdB
Staying at 1m2f he took on superstars Addeybb and Mishriff in the Coral Eclipse and blew them away, taking the Group One by close to four lengths.
Having missed the Juddmonte International due to a slight set back which his front shoe flew off and hit his hind leg leading to infection, he returned in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and in a humdinger of a race just edged out Tarnawa and Poetic Flare.
However, after the race it was revealed the initial problem was still causing some issues and with him not being back to full work yet it is unknown whether he will return this season and if he does what race.
(Credit ATR) “There’s no decision yet – he’s not back in full work yet,” said O’Brien.
“He did start back with some canters, but he was a little bit sore on that wound that he had.
“Because of that, we’ve just backed off him again and we haven’t made any decisions. That’s where we are at the moment.”