Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
The electric son of Justify (USA) who cemented his sire’s place amongst Australia’s most desirable shuttle stallions, Storm Boy will land at Coolmore Stud’s Jerrys Plains base this coming breeding season, where he will stand his first season for $16,500 inc GST.
Bred by Katom and offered at auction by Coolmore, the rising 4-year-old was a $460,000 yearling purchase for his Australian trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, in partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds, and impressed so significantly in his juvenile season that Coolmore bought into his ownership ahead of his G1 Golden Slipper Stakes attempt.
The heartbreaker
Unbeaten in his first four starts, Storm Boy was victorious in his highly anticipated debut at Rosehill Gardens in December of 2023, backing up two blistering trials with trouncing a field including fellow future stallion Traffic Warden by over two lengths. Sent north to the Sunshine State, the colt again breezed past his opposition to claim first the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes, then the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, a year on from his own sale at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Such a performance had The Thoroughbred Report hailing him as "relentless, unstoppable, and oh-so brilliant" - and no doubt Coolmore thought the same, sealing the deal in early February ahead of the colt’s frontrunning victory in the G2 Skyline Stakes, defeating future stallion Prost by over a length and a third.
“His performance in the Magic Millions had to be seen to be believed,” Coolmore’s Tom Magnier said at the time of the sale. “He broke his opponents’ hearts in a similar way to what Justify himself did in his own racing career.”
Waterhouse described his Magic Millions performance as him “basically toying with them, he was really really impressive. He annihilated them, it was just so dominant.”
The Golden Slipper was not to be for the hot favourite, but it wouldn’t be because of lack of heart or a drop in performance; missing the kick and forced into the worst part of the track, the colt still managed to reel the leaders in over the closing stages, finishing just a length and a half back when coming third. The field behind him included fellow future Coolmore stallion Switzerland, subsequent Group 1 winner Manaal (Tassort), and multiple Group performer Bodyguard.
His highly commendable fourth in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes next start came facing similar difficulties and a fight through a wet track unlike what he had faced before.
The athlete
Resuming as a 3-year-old, a stronger, more developed Storm Boy launched to the front in the G3 San Domenico Stakes for an emphatic victory that would serve to further drive home his ability.
"I was nervous before the race, so it was so exciting to see Storm Boy do that knowing there is so much improvement to come," Magnier said after the race, drawing comparisons between Storm Boy’s performance and that of his future roster mate Cartier Horse Of The Year City Of Troy (USA).
Tom Magnier | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Storm Boy added a third in the G2 Run To The Roses to his record before a heartbreaking fourth in the G1 Golden Rose Stakes, where he crossed the line just over half a length behind the victor. Connections set him on a path to the G1 Everest, where he finished less than two lengths behind Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), beating the likes of G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) and G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup winner I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel).
Placed in the ever-capable hands of Aidan O’Brien, Storm Boy was aimed at an ambitious Northern Hemisphere campaign.
“We took Storm Boy to Europe with the plan of winning the QE II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to give him the ideal prep,” Magnier said. “We felt we were getting back to where we needed to be with him, but he was found to be quite lame since returning to Ballydoyle on Saturday.”
“We are delighted to welcome Storm Boy back to Coolmore Australia for the 2025 season. He won five of his first seven starts in a really dominating fashion and was unlucky not to include a Golden Slipper in that tally.”
“He (Storm Boy) was jaw-dropping, much like his sire Justify, he broke his opponents’ hearts!” - Tom Magnier
The future
“What's also particularly gratifying is the fact that we have come full circle with Storm Boy,” Coolmore’s Colm Santry said. “He was born and raised here at Coolmore, by the best young stallion in the world and out of a daughter of one of Australia's greatest broodmare sires, Fastnet Rock. He went through our draft at Magic Millions for $460,000, after which we were happy to have bought him back for many multiples of that price.”
Colm Santry | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Storm Boy’s dam Pelican (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), a dual metropolitan winner as a juvenile, continues the great tradition of not only daughters of Fastnet Rock at stud, but also that of her illustrious family.
A daughter of NZ Horse of the Year Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Pelican’s close family includes G1 Levin Classic victress Keepa Cruisin (NZ) (Keeper), G2 Alister Clark Stakes winner Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}), G3 Barneswood Farm Stakes winner Raziah (NZ) (Niagara), and recent Listed Lightning Handicap winner Vodka Martini (Agitate).
“Given his pedigree and his fantastic physical presence, had he (Storm Boy) been by one of the big three, he would have made a million,” bloodstock consultant James Bester said recently, when discussing Justify’s finest offspring. “So magnificent was he, out of a Fastnet Rock mare from a super family.”
Storm Boy | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
In part due to Storm Boy, the Australian market has since come to appreciate the might of Justify’s influence on his offspring.
“Any horse that does what he (Justify) did in winning the Triple Crown is a very special animal,” Bester said.
“Any horse that does what he (Justify) did in winning the Triple Crown is a very special animal.“ - James Bester
“Being a son of Justify is a huge positive for us,” Coolmore’s Tom Moore said. “What we're witnessing from Justify the world over is incredible. He'll stand alongside Justify's Champion 2YO and World Champion 3YO, City Of Troy, who is already fully booked for the coming season. It's imperative that we stand the best sons of Justify globally, and we're very excited to see what Storm Boy can do in this next chapter.”
“It's imperative that we stand the best sons of Justify globally.” - Tom Moore
Storm Boy will join City Of Troy, G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland, and G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life as the newest additions to Coolmore’s elite roster of stallions for the 2025 season.
