Wings Of Eagles

WINGS OF EAGLES not just emulated his sire Pour Moi by winning the Derby (G1) he also almost perfectly replicated the dramatic style of the victory, swooping fast and late to grab glory in the shadow of the famous Epsom winning post.

Behind him that day were a galaxy of stars who would go on to enhance the reputation of the race. Cracksman won four Group 1 races, including successive Champion Stakes, Capri was victorious in the Irish

Derby and the St Leger, Rekindling went on to make history in the Melbourne Cup, while Best Solution and Benbatl would become multiple Group 1 winners.

Wings Of Eagles raced just once more after his Epsom triumph when third to Capri and Cracksman in the Irish Derby, but that run was full of courage as he suffered a career-ending fracture during the race.

He had also won his maiden over a mile at two and finished fourth behind future Group 1 winner Coronet in the Listed Zetland Stakes.

He returned to France to begin his stallion career at his birthplace Haras de Montaigu where he stood for one season at a fee of €12,000 before repatriation to Coolmore’s NH division at Bobby McCarthy’s Beeches Stud.

He was a €220,000 purchase by MV Magnier at Arqana’s August Sale in 2015 from Alliette and Gilles Forien.

As well as hailing from the important Montjeu branch of the Sadler’s Wells line – he boasts Kendor as his dam-sire – as he is out of Ysoldina, who although just a maiden winner, was placed in no less than seven black-type races with her best result third in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Ysoldina is a half-sister to Belle Et Celebre, a daughter of Peintre Celebre, and the winner of the Group 1 Prix Saint Alary. Another of her half-sisters is the Group 2 Prix Jean Romanet and Premio Lydia Tesio winner Whortleberry (Starborough), who is also the dam of the Group 3 Unicorn Stakes winner Straw Hat.

Her half-brothers include the Scandinavian champion Appel Au Maitre, also by Starborough, who won 12 races in total and was placed in three German Group 1 contests. Her Valanour half-brother named Valentino won three Group 3 races in France, including the Prix Edmond Blanc.

With the backing of his breeders, Wings Of Eagles covered a classy book of mares in his sole season at stud in France, including Diamond Light, the dam of Pour Moi’s Listed-winning daughter Diamonds Pour Moi.

The Fantastic Light half-sister to Antoinette, dam of Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes and La Brea Stakes winner Switch, has a yearling threeparts sister to Diamonds Pour Moi.

Also in that first book was Notting Hill, a Grade 2 winner in Brazil and Grade 1-placed both there and in America.

The dam of Grade 2 winner and Classic-placed filly, Notting Tomorrow foaled a colt by Wings Of Eagles. Princesse Demut, a halfsister to the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner and NH sire Prince Flori, produced a colt foal.

The most expensive of his three foals to sell at Arqana’s 2019 Breeding Sale was Montaigu’s colt out of the Shirocco mare Koenigsrone, a halfsister to the Listed winner Koeningstochter, who is the dam of Group 3 Deutsches St Leger winner Kaldera and the Listed winner Kluengel. The colt was purchased by Daniela Nowara for €25,000.

Racing Form

7 runs, two wins, two places | Best Timeform Rating: 124 | Average winning distance: 10.17f

Stakes form

At 2 Killarney Irish Stallion Farms 2YO Maiden S. (8¼f), 4th Newmarket Zetland S., L (1¼m)

At 3 The Derby, Gr.1 (1½m beating The Cliffsofmoher and Cracksman), 2d Chester Vase, Gr.3 (12¼f to Venice Beach and beating The Anvil), 3d Irish Derby, Gr.1 (1½m to Capri and Cracksman)