Pedigree, ability and good looks may be the holy trinity of attributes for commercial stallions but by far the most important requirements in a racehorse are soundness and resolution. Judging by the race record of Cosmic Case, which stands at 147 runs for 18 wins and 37 places, her legs must have been hewn from iron girders strong enough to carry the biggest of hearts.
During an outstanding career on the flat and over hurdles, which saw her race for eight consecutive seasons and win at each of Scotland’s five racecourses, the mare gave her final, tear-inducing effort at Musselburgh on 21 January 2005. At the age of ten, Cosmic Case won for the seventh time at the course and, in so doing, landed the race named in honour of her retirement in typically dogged fashion, driven out to hold on by a length. ‘Just an ordinary handicap,’ said the Racing Post. Maybe so, but an extraordinary result.
With the covering season springing into action just weeks after her retirement, the daughter of Casteddu visited the Arc winner Helissio, with recent Royal Ascot winner Cosmic Sun, who sprang a 66-1 shock in the King George V Stakes, the result. Her firstborn, now three, has since won again at York and he is clearly cut from the same cloth as his mother, having raced eight times at two – agonisingly finishing runner-up on five occasions.
“He’s a good horse and is still improving,” says Cosmic Sun’s part-owner and breeder Malcolm Wassall, who races under the name The Cosmic Cases with friends Ian Buchanan and Laurence Flynn. “The mare was fantastic, just a pleasure to own and to race and he’s tough, just like her. He could be a dual-purpose horse too but I think we’d really like to stick to the flat.”
Next in line to uphold the family honour is a yearling filly by Doyen, already named Cosmic Moon, who will go into training later this year with Richard Fahey, keeping her half-brother company at his successful Yorkshire stable.
“She’s beautiful,” says Malcolm. “We’re thrilled with her and can’t wait to see her race.”
Farther down the line and, according to her proud breeder, the best looking yet of Cosmic Case’s offspring is a yearling filly foal by Halling.
“Dawn Laidlaw came to look at her and she thought she was a cracking foal – and it takes an awful lot to get Dawn excited,” says Malcolm of the filly who may end up being named Cosmic Star.
Cosmic Case, who is currently in foal to Refuse To Bend, is now a permanent resident in Scotland. Having won all but two of her races north of the border, it is a fitting venue for phase two of her career.
“She boards with Gordon Thom at New Hall Stud and he does a wonderful job,” says Malcolm. “He looks after all our breeding stock and brings on the youngsters for us.”
The Cosmic Cases also race the half-brothers Mister Hardy and Mister Laurel (by Darley Japan stallion Diktat), both of whom were bred by Melba Bryce and have now won nine races between them.
The lucky owners are clearly not strangers to the winner’s enclosure and if Sun, Moon and future stars align, there will be many more successful days yet to come.
