ONE of the best two-year-olds of 2013, the handsome bay Cable Bay has been exceptionally popular with breeders since he retired to Highclere Stud in 2016, covering no less than 275 quality broodmares in his first two seasons there.
His first crop of foals were also in strong demand at the sales last autumn and 36 of them sold for an average of almost €26,000, with Glenvale Stud paying 75,000gns for a colt foal at Newmarket, while another colt offered by Norelands Stud at Goffs cost Tally Ho Stud €75,000.
Trained by Charlie Hills, Cable Bay was quickly into his stride in his first season, scoring comfortably over six furlongs at Leicester in June, then was stepped up in class to be second in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, beaten only a neck, before running fourth in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York. He was third to Outstrip in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and second in the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket, before ending his season with a second to War Command in a very fast running of the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, with Outstrip third.
In the European Free Handicap, Cable Bay was rated the best of three sons of Invincible Spirit on 114, with Charm Spirit on 113 and Kingman on 111.
Remaining in training for another two seasons, Cable Bay won two group events over seven furlongs, the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket (in which he was also second in 2014) and the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock Park. In his Challenge Stakes victory he defeated Breton Rock, Belardo and Markaz.
He was also placed in Ascot’s Group 2 Summer Mile and the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh, besides other group races at Ascot, Goodwood and Newbury, where he was also very close behind Night Of Thunder in a field of 16 for the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes.
By champion sprinter Invincible Spirit, Cable Bay is out of Rose of France, placed four times in France and dam of three other winners. The next dam, the brilliantly fast Cherokee Rose, scored in the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup and the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest; she is dam of six winners, including Group 3 hero Bowman, and she is grandam of champions Mastery and Kirklees. She is also the third dam of the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes winner Mukhadram, second in the Dubai World Cup.
CABLE BAY (IRE), Bay 2011. Won three races, £325,037, from 6 furlongs to 7 furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Dubai Challenge Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Timeform Jury John of Gaunt Stakes, Haydock Park, Gr.3, also placed 2nd Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Audi Richmond Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2, vision.ae Challenge Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Somerville Tattersall Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, and 3rd At the Races Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.2, F.Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2 and Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3.
Retired to stud in 2016; first crop now yearlings.
Stands at: Highclere Stud, Burghclere, Newbury, Berkshire RG15 9LT, England
Contact: Jake Warren
Telephone: +44 (0) 1635 253212
Email: jake@highclerestud.co.uk
Web: www.highclerestud.co.uk
Fee: £6,500