NOW in his third year at Dalham Hall Stud at Newmarket is Territories, a Group 1 winning son of Invincible Spirit who was one of the top three-year-old milers of 2015 when he scored in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly and was also a close second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He was rated on 119 in the world rankings, only 3lbs below the double Guineas winner Gleneagles.

Territories had 92 first crop foals born in 2018 and they were in strong demand at the sales last autumn, with prices up to 70,000gns at Newmarket and €68,000 at Deauville. There were 14 foals sold for €30,000 or more.

Trained by Andre Fabre for Godolphin, Territories began his racing career with a third to the smart Ride Like The Wind at Maisons-Laffitte in July 2014, then comfortably won the Prix de Bertinval at Chantilly later that month, also over six furlongs. In September he was a close third to Full Mast in the Group 3 Prix La Rochette at Longchamp, before being an unlucky loser in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at the Arc meeting. In that race Gleneagles was disqualified after he passed the post first in a very close finish, with Full Mast and Territories being promoted to winner and second. In the official ratings, Territories was assessed as the joint champion two-year-old trained in France, level with Full Mast.

At three Territories started with a two-length win in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau over a mile at Longchamp in April, but Gleneagles then took his revenge in the Group 1 Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, with Territories second and Ivawood third in a large field of 18 runners. Two months later, at Chantilly in July, he came from last to first for an impressive win in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over a mile, with Dutch Connection second ahead of Kodi Bear and Full Mast, then at Deauville he was second to the top older filly Esoterique in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, with Karakontie, Belardo and Estidhkaar all behind him. In a brief campaign as a four-year-old, Territories was third in the Group 3 Prix du Messidor and the Group 3 Prix du Palais Royal.

Territories is one of 18 Group 1 winners sired by champion sprinter Invincible Spirit, whose other top-class sons include Kingman, Lawman, Shalaa, Charm Spirit and Mayson, not forgetting his brilliant daughter Moonlight Cloud.

Taranto, dam of Territories, won twice in France, was listed placed and is dam of five winners. She is by Machiavellian out of Magna Graecia whose five wins included the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville at Longchamp.

The fourth dam Helen Street won the Group 1 Irish Oaks and was the dam of US champion Street Cry, winner of the Dubai World Cup, and she was also the grandam of Shamardal, successful in the French 2000 Guineas and the French Derby, so this is a family of top stallions.

TERRITORIES (IRE). Won three races, £554,020, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, Prix Jean Prat, Chantilly, Gr.1, Prix de Fontainebleau, Longchamp, Gr.3, also placed second in P. Fresnay le Buffard Jacques Le Marois, Deauville, Gr.1, Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Gd.Crit, Longchamp, Gr.1, Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, and third in Prix La Rochette, Longchamp, Gr.3, Prix Messidor, Maisons-Laffitte, Gr.3, Prix du Palais Royal, Deauville, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2017, first crop now yearlings

Stands at: Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9HE, England.

Contact: Dawn, David, Franziska, Antonin, Claudia or Lucie

Telephone: +44 1638 730070

Email: hello@darley.co.uk

Web: www.darleystallions.com

Fee: £12,000