THIS year Kildangan Stud has a new young stallion who should make great appeal to any breeder looking for speed and precocity.
Earthlight, a son of Shamardal, was the unbeaten champion two-year-old in France in 2019 and was one of the three best juveniles in Europe that season, winning all his five starts, two of them at Group 1 level. Then, in his second season, he won twice more, including a group race over seven furlongs at Deauville, and was in the frame in his other two starts, both Group 1 status.
Trained in France by André Fabre, Earthlight made his first racecourse appearance in June 2019, when he won at Maisons-Laffitte, and he soon followed that up with a three-length success over six furlongs at Deauville. He then completed a Deauville hat-trick, coming home four lengths clear in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg in late July, before adding the Group 1 Prix Morny in August, ahead of three Royal Ascot winners including Raffle Prize and Arizona.
At the end of September Earthlight made his only visit to England, when he started favourite for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and scored comfortably from subsequent Group 1 sprint winner Golden Horde, setting a new record time for this event.
Earthlight did not reappear as a three-year-old until July 2020, scoring his sixth consecutive win by two and a half lengths in the Listed Prix Kistena over six furlongs at Deauville, before finishing a close fourth there to Space Blues in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Moving up to seven furlongs for the first time, he scored in the Group 3 Prix du Pin, still at Deauville, before ending his illustrious racing career with a close second in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Arc day, beaten only a neck by One Master who was winning that race for a record third time.
Earthlight has all the credentials to become a successful stallion, as he is one of over 25 Group 1 winners sired by the mighty Shamardal, a double champion whose four Group 1 wins included the Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby. Among the other brilliant sons of Shamardal, who was the best son of Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat), are Blue Point, Pinatubo, Lope De Vega and Mukhadram.
Winters Moon, the dam of Earthlight, won as a two-year-old and this daughter of New Approach was also third in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile and the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes. Earthlight is her first foal. Out of the Deauville group victress Summertime Legacy, Winters Moon is half-sister to Mandaean and Wavering, both Group 1 stars in France, and she is from the family of Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Golden Fleece.
EARTHLIGHT (IRE), Chesnut 2017. Champion 2yr old colt in France in 2019. Jt 2nd top rated 2yr old colt in Europe in 2019. Won seven races, £491,281, from 5½ furlongs to 7 furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Darley Prix Morny, Deauville, Gr.1, Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Darley Prix de Cabourg, Deauville, Gr.3, Prix du Pin, ParisLongchamp, Gr.3, Prix Kistena, Deauville, L, also placed second in Prix de la Foret, ParisLongchamp, Gr.1.
Retires to Stud in 2021.
Stands at: Kildangan Stud, Monasterevin, Co Kildare, Ireland.
Contact: Eamon Moloney, Anthony O’Donnell or Caoimhe Doherty
Telephone: (353) (0) 45 527600.
Email: enquiries@darleyireland.com
Web: www.darleystallions.com.
Fee: €20,000