Cartier Champion And Classic Hero Gstaad Retired To Coolmore

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 1:47 pm | Back to: Europe , Shared News Europe Updated: October 28, 2026 at 1:51 pm Gstaad winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Coolmore Cartier Champion juvenile and Irish Classic hero Gstaad ( Starspangledbanner ) has been retired from racing and will stand at Coolmore Stud in Ireland next year.

A multiple Group 1 winner, Gstaad won the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, before narrowly finishing second in a trio of Group 1s: the Prix Morny, the National Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. Sent to Del Mar for last year's Breeders' Cup, he scored a brilliant victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Second to the undefeated Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket at three, Gstaad claimed the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, breaking a 28-year-old record. He was then second to Bow Echo in both the G1 St James's Palace Stakes and the G1 Sussex Stakes. Sent back to France, he was third in the G1 Prix du Moulin.

The Maywood Stud-bred's record stands at 12-4-6-1 and $2,213,716 in earnings. “Gstaad was a remarkably tough and genuine racehorse who danced every dance at the highest level for two solid seasons,” said Coolmore's Mark Byrne. “To win a Coventry and a Breeders' Cup at two, and then come back to win the Irish 2000 Guineas in record time shows incredible constitution and class.

He is a smashing physical – a great-looking, athletic horse with a very good walk who was the most expensive colt at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2023. Starspangledbanner is a top-class, proven sire who has enjoyed another fantastic year and his stock have precocity, speed, and the scope to train on into Classic winners.

We are absolutely delighted to welcome his most accomplished son to the roster.” The bay is a son of Mosa Mine (Exceed And Excel) and thus a half-brother to champion juvenile Vandeek (Havana Grey), winner of both the G1 Middle Park Stand and the Prix Morny. High class sprinter Anabaa is also part of this clan.

Gstaad was acquired by Coolmore for 450,000gns as a Tattersalls December foal in 2023. Gstaad will be available for inspection at Coolmore in the coming weeks. His fee will be announced in due course.

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