Classy Calyx retired and acquired by Coolmore for their stallion ranks

Classy sprinter Calyx has been retired from racing and acquired by Coolmore, who will stand him as a stallion. Owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms has retained an interest in the colt.

Trained by John Gosden, Calyx burst onto the scene at two last year by becoming the first winner for his exciting young sire Kingman with a five-length victory in a Newmarket novice stakes on debut.

He confirmed the promise of that run just ten days later with a spectacular success in the Coventry Stakes, in which he flew home to beat subsequent Group 1 winner Advertise by a length, but missed the rest of his juvenile season through injury.

Calyx came back at three with a four-length victory in the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot – exhibiting that electrifying turn of foot once again – before running second in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes, which proved to be his last race.

Gosden said in a statement: “Calyx always had that rare brilliance you only see in champions. His performances at Ascot at both two and three were of the highest standard.

"He's a very similar type to his sire Kingman and with both Coolmore and Juddmonte supporting him at stud he will be given the best possible opportunity to succeed as a stallion.”

The deal to stand Calyx gives Coolmore a foothold on an increasingly important sire-line, with Kingman having delivered 12 stakes winners from his first two crops including the likes of Persian King, Headman and King Of Comedy.

The son of Invincible Spirit, who is becoming an influential sire of sires, stood at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket at £75,000 this year but can expect a significant pay rise for 2020.

Calyx naturally has a fine Juddmonte pedigree too. He is out of Group 3 winner and Prix Marcel Boussac second Helleborine, an Observatory sister to Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose. Further back it is the family of Group/Grade 1 winners Distant Music, Termagant and Vanlandingham.

Coolmore’s director of sales David O’Loughlin said: “We're thrilled to get Calyx. He had an explosive turn of foot, as did his sire Kingman, while his dam is a Group-winning two-year-old and a full-sister to a Group 1-winning sprinter.

“He’s a quality individual too so he has the complete package.”

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