ONE bid short of €60,000 was the average price paid last year for foals by Earthlight, who started his stud career at a fee of €20,000, but can now be had for €15,000 in his third season at Kildangan.

Demand was strong for his stock, 30 of the 32 lots offered were sold, and he had a pair of colts that realised 100,000gns and €120,000, while his best filly sold for €105,000. He certainly makes great appeal to any breeder looking for speed and precocity.

Earthlight, a son of Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway), was the unbeaten champion juvenile 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. 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 carrying Group 1 status.

Trained by André Fabre for Godolphin, Earthlight made a winning first appearance in June at Maisons-Laffitte, and he followed 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 July, before adding the Group 1 Prix Morny in August, with three Royal Ascot winners, including Raffle Prize and Arizona, in arrears.

In September Earthlight made his only visit to England, starting favourite for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket and scoring comfortably – and for the second time – from subsequent Group 1-winning sprinter Golden Horde, setting a new record time for the race.

Earthlight did not reappear as a three-year-old until July, 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 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.

Successful stallion

Earthlight has all the credentials to become a successful stallion, as he is one of 27 Group 1 winners sired by the mighty Shamardal, a double champion whose four Group 1 wins comprised the Dewhurst Stakes, Poule d’Essai des Poulains-French 2000 Guineas, Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby, and St James’s Palace Stakes Among the other sons of Shamardal, the best son of Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat), are Blue Point, Pinatubo, Lope De Vega and Mukhadram.

Winters Moon, dam of Earthlight, won as a two-year-old and the daughter of New Approach (Galileo) was third in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile. Earthlight is her first foal.

Out of the Deauville group winner Summertime Legacy (Darshaan), Winters Moon is half-sister to Mandaean (Manduro) and Wavering (Refuse To Bend), both Group 1 stars in France, and she is from the family of Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Golden Fleece (Nijinsky)

Race record

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.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2021. First crop are yearlings.

Information

Stands at: Kildangan Stud, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare W34 HR98, Ireland

Contact: Eamon Moloney, Anthony O’Donnell or Tom Fogarty

Telephone: +353 45 527600

Email: hello@darley.co.uk

Web: www.darleyeurope.com

Fee: €15,000