Leg injury grounds Eagle Mountain

HK Derby winner Eagle Mountain has been retired after injuring a tendon.  He bowed out of racing with a second placing at Meydan last month.

Eagle Mountain won 5 races in 19 starts and, besides the 2008 HK Derby, he also won the G2 UAE Royal Whip Stakes, G3 Beresford Stakes at The Curragh and G3 Joel Stakes at Newmarket.  He also finished second to Authorized in the G1 English Derby and second to Conduit in the G1 Breeders Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Eagle Mountain (6h Rock Of Gibraltar – Masskana by Darshaan) was originally raced by Coolmore before going on overseas sorties for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and trainer Mike de Kock.

“He’s one of the best horses I have ever worked with,” de Kock said this week.  “But it’s his third career-threatening injury and enough is enough.”

Eagle Mountain was a 220,000gns (AUD 537,555) buy for Demi O’Byrne at Tattersalls in October 2005.  He is a younger half-brother to Sulk (Selkirk) who was a G1 winner of the 2001 Prix Marcel Boussac.  Frankie Dettori was aboard when she won the Longchamp feature after a thrilling duel with Danseuse D’Etoile.

The following year Sulk was G1 placed in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Royal Oak at Longchamp.  Their second-dam Masarika (Thatch) was a G1 winner of a French 1000 Guineas for the Aga Khan.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa and de Kock have enjoyed an otherwise fruitful carnival in Dubai this year.  They won the UAE Oaks with Raihana (Elusive Quality) and the UAE 2000 Guineas with Musir (Redoute’s Choice).

Both horses were bred in Australia and Eagle Mountain could become a shuttle stallion in the years to come.  “He’s been a great servant to Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa and did us proud,” de Kock said.  “His future as a stallion is being discussed and we will entertain offers for him.”

Eagle Mountain’s sire Rock Of Gibraltar has been a popular shuttler to Coolmore Australia and his sons at stud out here include Murtajill and British bred G1 winner Mount Nelson who stands at Baerami Thoroughbreds.

Murtajill was a precocious colt winning the G3 AJC Skyline Stakes and Listed AJC Breeders’ Plate for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa.  He has just completed his first season at Patinack Farm.