Group wins for Sea The Stars and Makfi. Sunday’s meeting at Saint-Cloud was a successful one for the Aga Khan Studs as sires Sea The Stars and Makfi lifted the day’s two Group contests, courtesy of Cloth of Stars and Maimara.

A Group 1 runner-up as a juvenile, Cloth of Stars cemented his classic credentials with a smooth victory on his return to action in the Gr. 3 Prix La Force. With just four runners in the ten furlong contest run on heavy ground, Mickaël Barzalona settled his colt in the rear of the field, as Viserano took a several length lead. Once in the straight, the race was little more than a training gallop for Cloth of Stars, who progressed easily to the head of affairs in the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter.

Winner of the Gr. 3 Prix des Chênes at Longchamp last September and second in the Gr. 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud in November, Godolphin’s Cloth of Stars looks certain to be a Classic contender in the coming months.

The son of Gilltown Stud’s Sea The Stars and Strawberry Fledge, a full sister to Oaks heroine Light Shift, Cloth of Stars was bought as a yearling by John Ferguson for 400,000 Guineas at Tattersalls.

The Haras de Bonneval’s Makfi took the honours in the second Group 3 event of the day, with Maimara emphatically winning the Prix Edmond Blanc. Trained like Makfi by Mikel Delzangles, Maimara ran out the stylish winner of this mile contest, beating the colts in the process.

The four-year-old filly has now won three Stakes contests, as she was successful in the Listed Prix de Bagatelle and Gr. 3 Prix de Lieurey last season. She is now likely to be aimed towards the Gr. 2 Prix du Muguet, at Saint Cloud on 1st May or the Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

Updated on 04/04/2016.