Group 1 winner Crowded House retired to stand in Australia

Group 1 winner and Grade 1-placed Crowded House has been retired and will stand at Wattle Grove Stud in Berrima, New South Wales, Australia, for the Southern Hemisphere season.

The 7-year-old Rainbow Quest horse was added to the Wattle Grove roster to replace sires Hellenus, who died earlier this month, and Shellscape, who was withdrawn from stud duty after his foals were both without tails, according to a Racing Post report.

Crowded House, owned by a partnership that includes Paul Reddam, began his career in England with trainer Brian Meehan, with both of his victories coming as a juvenile in 2008. He defeated subsequent Group 1 winner Jukebox Jury when scoring his signature victory in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy.

Group 3-placed in Dubai as a 4-year-old, Crowded House was later transferred to trainer Ben Cecil in the U.S., where he finished second to Richard's Kid in the 2010 Pacific Classic. He concluded his career with $988,576 in earnings.

Bred in Great Britain by Car Colson Hall Stud, Crowded House is out of the Woodman mare Wiener Wald. He is a half-brother to Argent Du Bois, whose offspring include Grade 1 winner Ticker Tape; and to stakes-placed Sant Elena, dam of Group 1 winner Reckless Abandon. He is also a half-brother to stakes winner On Reflection, stakes-placed Forest Crown, and stakes-placed Riotous Applause, the dam of stakes winner Invincible Warrior.

Crowded House's second dam, multiple Grade 2 winner Chapel of Dreams, by Northern Dancer, is a three quarter-sister to breed-shaping sire Storm Cat.