Coolmore relocate top-level hero Magician from Ashford Stud to Castlehyde

Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Magician is returning to the country of his birth after Coolmore announced on Thursday the son of Galileo is to relocate to Castlehyde Stud in County Cork from Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

Currently in quarantine in the United States, Magician will arrive at his new base on May 6 and will start covering mares immediately at a fee of €7,500.

Out of the Mozart mare Absolutelyfabulous, he is a brother to Grade 3 scorer Apple Betty and the Grade 1-placed Oustanding and from the family of four-time top-level performer Henrythenavigator.

Magician was trained by Aidan O'Brien to win five races including a six-length demolition of the opposition when shedding his maiden in the September of his juvenile season at the third time of asking.

At three he made a winning reappearance in the Group 3 Dee Stakes at Chester before going on to a first top-level success in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He would subsequently add the Breeders' Cup Turf to that victory later in 2013, defeating The Fugue by half a length at Santa Anita.

As a four-year-old he won the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes and finished runner-up in three top-level events - the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Arlington Million.

Magician factfile

Pedigree Galileo - Absolutelyfabulous by Mozart

Career Five wins including Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1), Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), Dee Stakes (G3) and Mooresbridge Stakes (G3)

Oldest crop Juveniles of 2018

Highest-priced yearling 210,000gns for a colt out of Perfect Step bought by Amanda Skiffington for Coolmore at Tattersalls Book 2 in 2017

He began his stallion career at Coolmore's American base at a fee of $12,500 in 2015 and his oldest crop are juveniles of 2018. During last year's autumn yearling sales, the eight-year-old had six yearlings sell for an average of 67,333gns and a top price of 210,000gns for a colt out of Perfect Step bought by Amanda Skiffington on behalf of Coolmore.

Castlehyde manager John Kennedy said: "The Magician colt out of Perfect Step bought for 210,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2 has been earning very positive reports from Ballydoyle so it makes sense to bring Magician back to Ireland.

"He also has first crop two-year-olds with British-based trainers Richard Fahey, Charlie Hills, Peter Chapple-Hyam, David Simcock and Charlie Fellowes."