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Crowded to Set Up House in the US
10/08/10

Brian Meehan's Crowded House, leading staying juvenile of the 2008 and ante-post favourite for the Derby the following year, appears to have run his last race on these shores and will head off to the US in the hope that a change of environment might also prompt better fortunes, writes Elliot Slater.

The flashy chestnut son of Rainbow Quest looked the real deal when readily accounting for Jukebox Jury in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October 2008, but hasn't won since and connections believe he may well now prove better suited by a move across the Atlantic.

The ante-post horse racing tips favourite for the 2009 Epsom Derby went off market leader for that year's Dante Stakes at York and finished only eighth of the ten runners behind Black Bear Island, and although he ran respectably to be sixth to the mighty Sea The Stars in the blue riband, (meeting trouble in running), something was clearly amiss and he wasn't seen again until running placed on a couple of occasions at last winter's Dubai Carnival at Meydan.

Last seen in action looking a shadow of his former self when trailing the field in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, Crowded House runs for the final time under Meehan's guidance when contesting the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar this coming weekend, after which he will remain Stateside and join the string of Ben Cecil.

A winner in Britain of more than £470,00 in career prize money, half of which came when runner-up in the Tattersalls Timeform Million at Newmarket in 2008, Crowded House will be remembered by horse racing Ireland as a horse who promised a great deal, but sadly failed to deliver on the big stage.