WHEN Eagles By Day beat Communique by half a length to win the Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes over 14 furlongs at York, it was inevitable that he would secure a place at stud.

The Vanessa and Dan Hutch-bred horse had been third to Japan in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes the previous summer, just under two months after a runaway success at Salisbury, and having finished fourth to another son of Sea The Stars, Stradivarius, in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup just 10 days after his pattern success, he rounded off the track phase of his career when chasing home Group 1 winner Hukum in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.

His sire’s sons are attracting plenty of attention in both the flat and National Hunt sectors, such as Sea The Moon, Baaeed, Zelzal, Affinisea, Crystal Ocean and more, but what put this horse on the radar as a sire prospect for the National Hunt sector was the identity of his dam. Missunited (Golan) was one of the best dual-purpose mares on the track, the bare tally of a dozen wins from 29 starts just scratching the surface of what she achieved.

She started off in bumpers, winning easily at Listowel and Punchestown, before a debut success over hurdles that was followed just one month later by her debut on the flat. She was short-headed in that, won easily on her next two starts, and mixed hurdles and the flat over the following year.

She won the Grade A Galway Hurdle by almost four lengths, plus a Grade 3 mares’ novice hurdle at Limerick, she won listed races on the flat at Galway and Leopardstown, and as a four-year-old she made the frame in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup before winning the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes over six furlongs less at Goodwood.

The Ascot feature had produced a three-way finish in which Missunited lost out to Estimate and Leading Light, mares passing the post first and third. However, Estimate was later disqualified, thereby elevating the Michael Winters-trained bay to second. A talented colt of hers was always likely to have a future as a stallion.

Eagles By Day and his three-time winning full-sister Au Clair De Lune are by the superstar and leading classic sire Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), the half-brother to the phenomenal Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) and whose 128 stakes winners so far feature 22 Group 1 scorers. Sea The Moon and Zelzal are making their name as flat sires, the first-named responsible for four Group 1 winners (plus National Hunt Grade 1 standout Allmankind), whereas French-based Zelzal already has a pair of first-crop US Grade 3 scorers to his name.

Race record

EAGLES BY DAY (IRE), Bay or Brown 2016. Won two races, £95,875, from 1½ miles to 1 mile 5¾ furlongs, at 3 and 4 years including, Silver Cup Stakes, York, Gr.3, also placed second in Cumberland Lodge Stakes, Ascot, Gr.3, and third in King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2022. First crop are yearlings.

Information

Stands at: Glenview Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, P61 HE30, Ireland

Contact: Paul Cashman, Rachel Robinson, Stephen O’Flynn

Telephone: +353 25 36701 or +353 86 601 8981

Email: glenview@rathbarrystud.com

Web: www.rathbarrystud.com

Fee: Private