Crisfords' sprinting ace Flotus set to be covered in Ireland after being retired

Simon and Ed Crisford’s sprinting flagbearer Flotus has been retired and is expected to be covered in Ireland when the breeding season starts.

The daughter of Starspangledbanner was placed in three Group 1s and finished a close sixth to Caravel in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in November.

A €65,000 purchase as a foal, Flotus proved a moneyspinner off the track as well as on it as she changed hands for one million guineas when sold to current owner Katsumi Yoshida at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2021 at the end of her two-year-old season.

As a three-year-old, Flotus finished third to Perfect Power in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June before landing the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York the following month.

Flotus posted another placed effort at the highest level when third to Highfield Princess in the Flying Five at the Curragh before her curtain call at the Breeders’ Cup.

Simon Crisford said: “Mr Yoshida has retired Flotus and I believe she’s in Ireland where she has joined his breeding ranks. She was a star for us and hopefully her progeny will be so too.”

The Crisfords will once again run a satellite operation at this year’s Dubai World Cup carnival, which starts on Friday, that will include the useful Algiers, last seen finishing second in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Lingfield in November.

Algiers is one of 23 entries in Round One of the Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Friday.

The six-year-old won the Group 2 Jebel Ali Mile on the dirt last year before finishing eighth in the Group 1 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night.

Crisford said: “Algiers was supposed to run in the Listed Quebec Stakes at Lingfield before Christmas before it was frosted off and he’s heading out to Dubai with Positive Impact to join our operation for the carnival for 2023."

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