Stars Over The Sea opens account for Gilltown sire, closely followed by Sea The Skies. Champion racehorse Sea The Stars got off the mark for his stallion career this week as his son Stars Over The Sea scored at Ayr, followed two days later by Sea The Skies at Sandown. The pair are among just five runners to date from the first crop of blue-blooded six-time Group 1 hero Sea the Stars.

The April-born Stars Over The Sea has now raced on three occasions, taking a promising fourth place on his debut before rearing in the stalls and losing twelve lengths at the start of his following outing at Haydock. At Ayr, the bay put up a professional performance to run out the three-length winner of the seven-furlong contest.

The progressive Stars Over The Sea was the least expensive of his sire’s yearlings in 2012, purchased by trainer Mark Johnston for just $55,000 at Keeneland last September on behalf of owner Roger Brookhouse. Bred by Will Farish and Watership Down Stud, the colt is a half-brother to Gr 1 victrix Gorella and black-type performers Porto Santo and Thanks Again. His dam Exciting Times was sold for $900,000 at Keeneland when carrying her Sea the Stars foal.

Just two days after the victory of Stars Over The Sea, Sea The Skies offered his sire a second success when opening his account on the second time of asking at Sandown. Sea The Skies had finished third on his first public appearance in a Newmarket maiden and the colt put that experience to good use to run out the solid winner of this seven-furlong event. Trainer Gerard Butler indicated that his protégé would now head for the Gr 3 Acomb Stakes at York. Sea The Skies, who is a half-brother to four black-type performers including dual Gr 1 winning sprinter Regal Parade, was purchased as a yearling at Tattersalls for 170,000 Guineas.

Sea The Stars topped last August’s Arqana yearling sale at Deauville with a 1.2 million Euro colt out of Gr 1 winner Alpine Rose, and his son Salamargo set a new record at the same company’s breeze-up sale in May when selling for €520,00.

The catalogue for Arqana’s forthcoming Deauville yearling sale boasts three impeccably-bred Sea The Stars youngsters.

Updated on 26/07/2013.