STRADIVARIUS won a third successive Group 1 Ascot Gold Gup in 2020 with consummate ease for his owner/breeder Bjorn Nielson, beating Nayef Road and Cross Counter, and in so doing he surpassed Cloth Of Gold as the leading money-winner for his sire, the Gilltown Stud-based Sea The Stars (Cape Cross).

That is an honour he continues to hold, thanks to another couple of successful seasons racing, and he retired last year having won 20 of his 35 starts, amassing some €3.9 million. Also a son of Sea The Stars, the brilliant Baaeed, is another to have won in excess of €3 million, while Cloth Of Stars (€2.9 million), Crystal Ocean (€2.3 million) and Harzand (€2 million) are among 10 of his sons and daughters to be racing millionaires.