'I had great belief in him becoming a stallion' - Mohaather and Jim Crowley partnership comes full circle with Arkinthestars

It will be five years in July since Jim Crowley and Mohaather secured Group 1 success in the Sussex Stakes and the pair have combined again, albeit in very different circumstances. 

Mohaather's Arkinthestars broke her maiden at Ripon this month in no uncertain terms, pulling eight and a half lengths clear of the runner-up. The breeder of the Karl Burke-trained filly? A certain Jim Crowley. 

Sold to Glidawn Stud for 15,000gns at Tattersalls as a foal, the three-year-old was then picked up by owner Nick Bradley and Kelly Burke for €45,000 from the following year's Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. 

Crowley said of his venture into bloodstock: "It was my first foray into breeding and it was a massive learning curve, I'd not done anything like that before. I'd bought the mare at the December Mares Sale while she was in foal to Almanzor and I got her with the view of sending her to Mohaather."

Arkinthestars' dam, Sea The Stars mare, Too The Stars is out of dual 1,000 Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo and won one race for owner George Strawbridge. Too The Stars is a half-sister to Beresford Stakes winner Ol' Man River and was picked up for 100,000gns by Jeremy Brummitt on behalf of Crowley at the 2020 Tattersalls December Mare Sale with the intention of sending the mare to Shadwell's top-class miler.

"I thought they'd be an ideal cross for each other and it's nice to breed a winner," he added. "I got great pleasure out of watching her win the other day, especially as it was a GBB Bonus race as well."

Too The Stars was sold on at the 2022 December Mares Sale, leaving Crowley with something of a taste for breeding racehorses.

"I sold her on in foal to Ulysses, who was unproven at the time. It didn't work out as well as I'd have hoped but it was nice to breed a winner. I'd definitely do it again, I'm very fortunate to have some nominations to some very nice stallions at Shadwell. It's something that one day when I'll stop riding I'll take more of an interest into."

Crowley was also quick to highlight his admiration for Beech House Stud's exciting second-season sire, the source of Molecomb Stakes winner Big Mojo and Listed scorers Yah Mo Be There and Merveilleux Lapin from his first crop.

"You get a lot more of a buzz breeding [a racehorse] I think. It was great to see Arkinthestars win the other day and hopefully she can go on for Karl Burke. It looks like the stamina has come from the dam side, but I'm a big fan of the stallion, hence why I bought her to go to him. I think he's an exceptional stallion.

"He was a very good racehorse and his conformation was good, I had great belief in him becoming a stallion and making it. Whenever I'm in Newmarket I try to pop in and see him, Baaeed and Mostahdaf too."

Having started the British turf season with Gordon Richards Stakes success on old-timer Al Aasy and steered the blue-blooded Alfareqa to her first success at Doncaster, it appears there is plenty to look forward to for Shadwell and Crowley in the months ahead. 

Crowley added: "We've got some beautifully bred horses coming through and I'm looking forward to riding them. There's a particularly nice Dark Angel with William Haggas who has a beautiful pedigree called Almeraq."

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