Alfred Nobel, a brilliant winner of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, has been retired and will join the Coolmore roster for 2011. As a two-year-old the son of Danehill Dancer went on an unbeaten run of three races at the Curragh, beginning with a maiden in May. This was followed by a victory in the Group 2 Railway Stakes on Irish Derby day and another authoritative display in the aforementioned Phoenix Stakes, Europe’s first juvenile Group 1 of the season, in late July.
Alfred Nobel was bred by Seamus Burns of Lodge Park Stud from a daughter of Dazzling Park who was herself a winner of the Matron Fillies Stakes and was runner-up in the Irish Champion Stakes and third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Dazzling Park is also a half-sister to World Champion New Approach and a daughter of champion two-year-old and Phoenix Champion Stakes winner Park Express.
“Alfred Nobel was one of the fastest horses that I’ve ever bred,” said Burns. “Being such a fast and early maturing son of Danehill Dancer makes him an ideal stallion for the commercial market, especially as he was such a good-looking yearling when we sold him.”
Coolmore’s Christy Grassick said “Alfred Nobel was a very fast two-year-old and is a fine looking horse with great presence. He’s also from a great family and we’re very encouraged by the fact that two of Danehill Dancer’s first sons to retire to stud sired Group 1 winners in Europe this year.”