WINGS Of Eagles was well named as the son of Pour Moi came from the clouds to capture the 2017 Investec Derby at Epsom and continue the dominance of his grandsire on Europe’s premier classic.

One of a handful of stallions to ever sire four Epsom Derby winners, Montjeu died at the age of 16 and one can only wonder if he would have gone on to become the most successful stallion in Derby history had he lived for a few more years. A son of Sadler’s Wells, Montjeu won two classics, the Irish Derby and the French equivalent, the Prix du Jockey Club, but these were just two of his 11 victories which also numbered the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

He enjoyed huge success at stud with four Derby winners – Motivator, Authorized, Pour Moi and Camelot – and a total of 31 Group 1 winners, including the likes of Hurricane Run, Leading Light, St Nicholas Abbey, Fame And Glory, Frozen Fire, Scorpion and the classic winning fillies Chiquita and Bracelet.

Pour Moi landed the 2011 Epsom Derby for trainer Andre Fabre and this was the highlight of a racing career that spanned just five starts. He won over nine furlongs at Longchamp from just a pair of juvenile starts, while at three he earned his place in the Derby line up after landing the 10-furlong Group 2 Prix Greffulhe. In August of his three-year-old season he suffered an injury at home and had to be retired. He joined the stallion ranks at Coolmore and started his stud career at a fee of €20,000.

While he got a full book of mares in his first season at stud, he inexplicably saw the numbers fall by almost half in his next two seasons, though that reduced second book of mares was to produce the Derby winner.

His fee also fell during this time and while this produced a short increased spike in popularity he was moved this year to join the National Hunt ranks at Coolmore’s Grange Stud at a fee of just €5,000.

Breeders sometimes have short memories and Wings Of Eagles’ success last Saturday was reminiscent of the way that his sire captured the Derby just six years ago. Since he went to stud Pour Moi has shown that he can sire winners, though a relative shortage of top-notch performers meant that the marketplace for his offspring was often soft. Even so, he is sire of the New Zealand champion Sacred Elixir, winner at two of the Group 1 BMW J.J.Atkins over a mile and placed this season in the Victoria Derby, the Epsom Derby hero Wings Of Eagles, the very smart filly Only Mine, Italian and French stakes winners Freedom Beel and Diamonds Pour Moi, and the stakes-winning two-year-old Haussmann.

Wings Of Eagles was bred by Gilles and Aliette Forien and sold for €220,000 as a yearling at Arqana to MV Magnier. He is the best of four winners from the Kendor (Kenmare) mare Ysoldina. She may have won just a single race at two years but she was placed seven times in stakes company, notably when runner-up in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte and third in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the French 1000 Guineas, to Divine Proportions.

In addition to Wings Of Eagles she is dam of a pair of stakes-placed winning fillies by Oasis Dream, as well as a winning daughter of Sea The Stars. Last year the Hong Kong Jockey Club paid €130,000 for a Holy Roman Emperor half-brother to Wings Of Eagles at Arqana, the colt being sold from Haras de Montaigu, while they have a yearling half-sister by Kingman.

13 WINNERS

Ysoldina is one of 13 winners from the Crystal Glitters mare Rotina who was placed and is a half-sister to seven winners, the best of which was the listed winner Rupert, himself a son of Ysoldina’s sire Kendor. Rotina may not have lived up to expectations on the racecourse but she did exceptionally well at stud.

Her daughter Belle Et Celebre (by Peintre Celebre) was a surprise winner of the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary, her only success, while her Valanour son Valentino was successful a dozen times in a long racing career, three of those victories gained at Group 3 level.

In addition, Rotina bred a pair of stakes winners by Starborough, these being the leading Scandinavian winner and sire Appel Au Maitre and the Group 2 French and Italian winner Whortleberry. The latter went on to be a group-producer in Japan.