CONSIDERING that he was the champion older horse in France in 2017 when he won the Group 1 Prix Ganay, that he won five other group races and that he was twice placed in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the fee of €7,500 that Darley is asking for Cloth Of Stars in his first season at Haras du Logis seems a remarkable bargain. He also offers an outstanding pedigree, as he is rated the best son of champion Sea The Stars, and he is very closely related to European champion Ulysses, as they are by half-brothers out of own-sisters.
One of the best two-year-olds in France in 2015, Cloth Of Stars scored in the Group 3 Prix des Chenes and a maiden race at Deauville, besides finishing second in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and third in the Group 3 Prix de Conde, his only starts that season.
The next year he carried off the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe and Group 3 Prix La Force, both over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud, and was third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris.
Improving all the time, Cloth Of Stars was assessed on the world rankings of 2017 as the second best older horse in Europe on 125, only 1lb below Ulysses, with Ribchester on 124 and Highland Reel on 123. In that year he defeated Zarak and Silverwave in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, besides winning the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt and the Group 3 Prix Exbury,. Then in his other two starts he was second to Enable in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (with Ulysses third) and was also second in the Group 2 Prix Foy.
Proving his soundness and durability by racing in the top tier for a fourth season in 2018, Cloth The Stars again found Enable just too good for him in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, while he was third to Hawkbill in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and to Cracksman in the Group 1 Prix Ganay. He ended a brilliant racing career with earnings of £2,525,001 and he was again rated the best older horse in France on 123 in the World rankings.
Sea The Stars, the sire of Cloth Of Stars, won six consecutive Group 1 races in 2009, including the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and the Arc de Triomphe.
He has already sired 48 stakes winners, among them Harzand who achieved the Epsom and Irish Derby double, the outstanding stayer Stradivarius and Sea Of Class, who followed up a win in last year’s Irish Oaks with a very close second to Enable in the Arc, just ahead of Cloth Of Stars.
The dam of Cloth Of Stars is Strawberry Fledge, a daughter of Kingmambo and own-sister to Epsom Oaks heroine Light Shift, the dam of Ulysses, the champion older horse in Europe in 2017 after scoring in the Group 1 Juddmonte International and the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes.
CLOTH OF STARS (IRE). Champion older horse in Europe in 2017 (11-13f.). Champion older horse in France in 2017. Won seven races, £2,525,001, from 1 mile to 1 mile 2½ furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Prix Ganay, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Prix Greffulhe, Saint-Cloud, Gr.2,Prix d’Harcourt, Chantilly, Gr.2, Prix Exbury, Saint-Cloud, Gr.3, Prix La Force - Figaroscope, Saint-Cloud, Gr.3, Prix des Chenes, Longchamp, Gr.3, also placed second in Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Chantilly, Gr.1, Qatar Prix Foy, Chantilly, Gr.2, and third in Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, Meydan, Gr.1, P.Ganay L’Inauguration de Parislongchamp, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Qatar Prix Foy, Parislongchamp, Gr.2, Prix de Conde, Chantilly, Gr.3.
Retires to Stud in 2019.
Stands at: Haras du Logis, Louvieres en Auge, 61160 Trun, France.
Contact: Julian Ince or Anthony Picot
Telephone: +33 2 33 36 21 20 or +33 6 16 87 35 84
Email: enquiries@godolphin.com
Web: www.darleystallions.com
Fee: €7,500 SLF