Fly to the Stars

Last updated

Fly to the Stars
Sire Bluebird
Grandsire Storm Bird
DamRise and Fall
Damsire Mill Reef
Sex Stallion
Foaled2 February 1994 [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Colour Bay
BreederBishop's Down Farm
Owner Peter Savill
Godolphin
Trainer Mark Johnston
Saeed bin Suroor
Record24: 6-5-4
Earnings£341,593
Major wins
Britannia Stakes (1997)
Schweppes Golden Mile (1997)
Prix Messidor (1998)
Prix du Rond Point (1998)
Lockinge Stakes (1999)

Fly to the Stars (foaled 2 February 1994) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for his win in the 1999 Lockinge Stakes. He competed in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, winning six of his twenty-four starts in a racing career which lasted from October 1996 to September 2000.

Contents

Originally trained by Mark Johnston he showed very good form as a three-year-old in 1997 when he won the Britannia Stakes and the Schweppes Golden Mile as well as being placed in the Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes and the Topkapi Trophy. In 1998 he raced in the ownership of the Godolphin stable and developed into a top-class miler, winning the Prix Messidor and the Prix du Rond Point as well as finishing second in the Royal Hunt Cup, third in the Dubai Duty Free and fifth in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He recorded his biggest win on his first appearance of 1999 with his win in the Lockinge Stakes. He failed to win in five subsequent starts, several of which saw him being employed as a pacemaker for more highly regarded stablemates.

After his retirement from racing Fly to the Stars stood as a breeding stallion in France, New Zealand and Poland. He has had moderate results as a sire of winners.

Background

Fly to the Stars is a dark bay horse with no white markings bred in England by the Hampshire-based Bishop's Down Farm. [2] As a yearling he was offered for sale at Tattersalls in October 1995 and was bought for 125,000 guineas by the bloodstock agent Charles Gordon-Watson. [3] The colt entered the ownership of Peter Savill and was sent into training with Mark Johnston at Middleham in North Yorkshire.

He was sired by Bluebird, a Kentucky-bred, Irish-trained sprinter who won the King's Stand Stakes in 1987. [4] The best of his other progeny included Lake Coniston, Swallow Flight (Sandown Mile), Dolphin Street (Prix de la Forêt), Twilight Blues (Duke of York Stakes), Bluegrass Prince (Diomed Stakes), Macaw (Elkhorn Stakes), Aube Indienne (Yellow Ribbon Stakes) and Delilah (Park Hill Stakes). [5] Fly to the Stars' dam Rise and Fall showed little racing ability, finishing unplaced in all of her four starts. [4] Her dam Light Duty was a full-sister to the outstanding racehorse and broodmare Highclere. [6]

Racing career

1996: two-year-old season

Fly to the Stars began his racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Newbury Racecourse on 24 October in which he was ridden by Kevin Darley, Starting at odds of 14/1 he finished third of the twenty-three runners behind the Barry Hills trained Za-Im. On 5 November he started favourite for a maiden over seven furlongs at Redcar Racecourse but was beaten into second place by Tayseer. [7]

1997: three-year-old season

On his first run of 1997 Fly to the Stars was ridden by Jason Weaver and started 5/6 favourite for an eight-runner maiden over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse on 20 March and recorded his first win, drawing away from his opponents in the final furlong to win by seven lengths. [8] The colt was then stepped up in class and sent to Ireland for the 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse for which he started favourite but was beaten a short head by the Jim Bolger-trained Lil's Boy. Despite his defeat he was then moved up to Group One class for the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh in May. He led the field into the straight but was outpaced in the closing stages and finished fifth of the six runners behind Desert King.

Fly to the Stars was then dropped in class and stepped up in distance for a ten furlong handicap race at Epsom Racecourse and finished fourth to Jaunty Jack under top weight of 133 pounds. On 17 June the colt was one of twenty-eight three-year-olds to contest the Britannia Handicap over one mile at Royal Ascot. Ridden as on his previous appearance by Olivier Peslier he carried 129 pounds and started at odds of 20/1. After racing behind the leaders he began to make progress in the last quarter mile, took the lead a furlong out and "ran on well" to win by one and a half lengths from the Michael Stoute-trained gelding Komi. [9] He was then matched against older handicappers at Sandown Park Racecourse on 16 July and ran poorly, finishing sixteenth of the eighteen runners behind the four-year-old gelding Hawksley Hill. Fifteen days after his disappointing effort at Sandown, Fly to the Stars carried 132 pounds and started at odds of 12/1 for the valuable Schweppes Golden Mile Handicap at Goodwood Racecourse. Peslier positioned Fly to the Stars from the start before sending the colt into the lead inside the final furlong to win by one and a quarter lengths from Crumpton Hill and eighteen others. [10]

In August Fly to the Stars was sent to France and moved back up to Listed level for the Prix de Tourgeville at Deauville Racecourse and finished second to the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained Marathon. The colt ended his season with a trip to Turkey for a run in the Topkapi Trophy over 1600 metres at Veliefendi Race Course on 13 September. After taking the lead 500 metres out he was overtaken in the straight and finished third behind his fellow British challengers Sandstone and Ramooz.

At the end of the season he was bought privately by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation and was moved to the training stable of Saeed bin Suroor.

1998: four-year-old season

Having spent the winter with the Godolphin stable in Dubai, Fly to the Stars began his third season with three races at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. Racing on dirt, he finished second to Wathik in the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge in January and third behind the same horse in the third round of the series in February. On Dubai World Cup Night on 28 March he contested the Dubai Duty Free over 2000 metres and finished third behind Annus Mirabilis and Intikhab. [11]

In June, on his return to European turf racing Fly to the Stars was assigned a weight of 137 pounds for the Royal Hunt Cup and started the 6/1 favourite in a thirty-two-runner field. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, he finished one and a half lengths second to Refuse To Lose, a horse to whom he was conceding twenty-eight pounds. Daragh O'Donohoe took over the ride when Fly to the Stars ran in the Group Three Prix Messidor at Deauville on 12 July and started second favourite behind the André Fabre-trained five-year-old Alamo Bay. After leading from the start he was headed by Jim And Tonic 200 metres out but rallied in the closing stages to regain the advantage and win by a head. [12]

After a break of three months the colt returned in the Group Two Prix du Rond Point over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in October when he was reunited with Dettori and started second favourite behind Gold Away (runner-up in the Prix Jean Prat and Prix du Moulin). The other runners included Silic, Decorated Hero (winner of the race in 1997) and Ramooz. Fly to the Stars led from the start, accelerated clear of the field in the last 400 metres and won by two and a half lengths from Gold Away. [13] On his final appearance of the season, the colt was sent to the United States for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on 7 November and ran fifth behind Da Hoss, with Favorite Trick, Cape Cross, Among Men and Desert Prince finishing further back in the field.

1999: five-year-old season

Fly to the Stars began his 1999 campaign in the Group One Lockinge Stakes over one mile at Newbury on 15 May. With Richard Hills partnering the Godolphin stable's first string Intikhab (the 4/7 favourite) the ride on Fly to the Stars (9/1) went to the Irish jockey Willie Supple. The other four runners were Jim And Tonic, Almushtarak (Sandown Mile), Tomba (Prix de la Forêt) and Duck Row (third in the St James's Palace Stakes). Racing on soft ground Fly to the Stars took the lead from the start and stayed on "gamely" under pressure in the closing stages to win by a lengths and a half from Jim And Tonic with Almushtarak a neck away in third place. [14]

In two subsequent starts that year, Fly to the Stars failed to reproduce his Newbury form when tried on firmer ground. At Royal Ascot in June he started second favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes but faded badly in the last quarter mile and finished seventh of the eight runners, more than twenty lengths behind the winner Cape Cross. At Longchamp in September he set the pace for his stablemate Aljabr in the Prix du Moulin before finishing eighth behind Sendawar.

2000: six-year-old season

Fly to the Stars remained in training as a six-year-old but failed to win or place in three races. He began his season by running for the second time in the Dubai Duty Free and set the pace before finishing seventh to his stablemate Rhythm Band. On his European seasonal debut he contested the Group Three Diomed Stakes at Epsom Racecourse but after losing a shoe early in the race he finished last of the five runners behind Trans Island. [15] On his final appearance he acted as a pacemaker for Diktat in the Prix du Moulin and led for most of the way before finishing fourth of the eight runners behind Indian Lodge.

Stud record

At the end of his racing career, Fly to the Stars became a breeding stallion for his owners Darley Stud. He began his stud career at the Haras du Logis in France, [16] and was also "shuttled" to stand at the Ashwell Farm in Cambridge, New Zealand. [17] He was later exported to stand in Poland. The best of his offspring have included th Listed winner Salsalavie and the steeplechaser Cafe de Paris. [18]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Fly to the Stars (GB), bay stallion, 1994 [1]
Sire
Bluebird (USA)
1984
Storm Bird (CAN)
1978 
Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
South OceanNew Providence
Shining Sun
Ivory Dawn (USA)
1978
Sir Ivor Sir Gaylord
Attica
Dusky Evening Tim Tam
Home By Dark
Dam
Rise and Fall (GB)
1984
Mill Reef (USA)
1968
Never Bend Nasrullah
Lalun
Milan Mill Princequillo
Virginia Water
Light Duty (GB)
1972
Queen's Hussar March Past
Jojo
HighlightBorealis
Hypericum (Family: 2-f) [6]

Related Research Articles

Twice Over British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Twice Over is British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a top-class middle-distance performer whose wins included the Eclipse Stakes, the International Stakes and two runnings of the Champion Stakes.

Aljabr was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who was trained in England and Dubai during a racing career which lasted from 1998 to 2000. He was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt for 1998, a year in which he was unbeaten in three starts including the Group One Prix de la Salamandre and the Group Three Vintage Stakes. Training problems restricted Aljabr to only six races in the next two seasons, but he won the Sussex Stakes as a three-year-old and the Lockinge Stakes at four.

Toormore Thoroughbred racehorse

Toormore was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was the champion two-year-old in Europe in 2013 when he was undefeated in all his races including the Vintage Stakes and Vincent O'Brien National Stakes. In 2014 he won the Craven Stakes and finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for his 7 middleham Park racing syndicate owners, Mr James Pak, Miss Lynn Douglas, Mr Peter Barker, Mr Tony Denham, Mr Keith Denham, Mr Danny Nundram & Mr Steve Studley. He returned in 2015 and was then sold to Darley Stud July 2015 for future stallion duties, going onto win the Lennox Stakes and the International Topkapi Trophy for Godolphin. In 2016 he recorded another major win in the Bet365 Mile. He was retired to stand as a stallion at the end of the 2016 season but returned to training early in 2018. He suffered a fatal injury on the gallops in Dubai 22 February 2018.

Night of Thunder (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Night of Thunder is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In May 2014, he won the 2000 Guineas. He failed to win again as a three-year-old but finished second in both the St James's Palace Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and third in the Prix du Moulin. On his four-year-old debut, he won the Lockinge Stakes.

Jack Hobbs (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Jack Hobbs is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile, he established himself as a potentially top-class colt with a twelve length win in a race at Sandown on his three-year-old debut. He finished second to his stable companion Golden Horn in both the Dante Stakes and The Derby before winning the Irish Derby by five lengths. He ran twice more in 2015, winning the September Stakes before being beaten when favourite for the Champion Stakes. His 2016 season was badly disrupted by injury and he ran only twice, failing to complete his first start and being beaten on his eventual reappearance. However, he rebounded in 2017 by winning the Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on Dubai World Cup Night.

Dubai Destination is a retired American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. As a two-year-old he showed great promise, winning two of his three races including the Champagne Stakes, but was beaten on his only run in 2002. He returned after a year-long absence in 2003 and recorded his biggest win when taking the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was retired to stud at the end of the year and has had some notable successes as a breeding stallion.

Proclamation was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After winning his only race as a juvenile in 2004 he emerged as a top-class miler in the following year, recording wins of progressively greater importance in the Heron Stakes, Jersey Stakes and Sussex Stakes. After being beaten in his three remaining races he was retired from racing at the end of 2006. He has had little success as a breeding stallion.

Soviet Star was an American-bred French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was bred in Kentucky, sold as a yearling for $310,000 and sent to race in Europe where he proved to be an outstanding sprinter-miler, winning eight of his fourteen starts. After winning his only race as a two-year-old he became a top-class performer in 1987, winning the Prix de Fontainebleau on his debut and recording Group One victories in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Sussex Stakes and Prix de la Forêt. He remained in training as a four-year-old and added wins in the Forte Mile, July Cup and Prix du Moulin. He was retired to stud at the end of the year and had considerable success as a breeding stallion. He died in 2014 at the age of 30.

Hawkbill American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Hawkbill is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. During his racing career he competed in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Canada and Dubai. In 2015 he was beaten on his first two appearances but then recorded three consecutive wins in minor races. As a three-year-old in 2016 he made rapid progress, taking his winning run to six with victories in the Newmarket Stakes, Tercentenary Stakes and Eclipse Stakes. As a four-year-old he won the Aston Park Stakes and Princess of Wales's Stakes and was placed in the Coronation Cup, Grosser Preis von Berlin and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. He began his fourth season by winning the Dubai City of Gold and followed up by recording his most valuable success when he took the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Diktat is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He spent most of his racing career at distances of around seven furlongs but recorded his two biggest wins when dropped to sprint distances. Unplaced on his only start as a two-year-old in 1997 he showed improved form in 1998, winning his first three races including the Jersey Stakes but missed the second half of the season. He returned as a four-year-old to win four major races from five starts: his victories came in the Shergar Cup Seven Stakes, Criterion Stakes, Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Haydock Sprint Cup. He failed to win in 2000 but finished second in the Yasuda Kinen and third in the Prix du Moulin. He stood as a breeding stallion in England, France, Japan and Spain and sired several important winners including Dream Ahead and Rajeem.

Creachadoir is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a specialist miler who won four of his fifteen races between May 2006 and March 2009. Originally trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger he showed promise without winning in two races as a juvenile in 2006. In the first half of 2007 he won the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial and the Tetrarch Stakes and went on to finish second in both the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the Irish 2000 Guineas. He was then bought by Godolphin and won the Joel Stakes before being narrowly beaten in the Hong Kong Mile. In May 2008 he recorded his biggest success when he won the Group One Lockinge Stakes over one mile at Newbury Racecourse. He then suffered a serious leg injury and made only one subsequent appearance before being retired from racing in 2009. He has had limited success as a breeding stallion.

Keltos is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for his win in the 2002 Lockinge Stakes. After finishing second on his only appearance as a juvenile he won four races in 2001 including the Listed Prix de Pontarme and the Group Three Prix Perth. In the following spring he won the Prix du Muguet and defeated a top class-field in the Lockinge Stakes before being retired to stud. After suffering from low fertility he returned to racing in 2004 and won the Listed Prix Tantieme as well as being placed in several important races. In 2005 he won one minor race from starts and was retired from racing at the end of the season. He has had moderate success in his second spell as a breeding stallion.

Valixir is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was trained for most of his career in France where he won two minor races and finished second in the Prix des Chênes as a juvenile in 2003. When campaigned over middle distances in 2004 he won the Prix Matchem, Prix Eugène Adam and Prix Niel as well as being placed in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix Lupin. He was even better when brought back to shorter distances in the following year and recorded Group One victories in the Prix d'Ispahan and the Queen Anne Stakes. He transferred to the Godolphin stable in 2006 but showed no worthwhile form in three starts. Valixir was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion in Australia.

Ribchester (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ribchester is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2015 he finished second in the Gimcrack Stakes on his second racecourse appearance and then won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes. In 2016 he was rated the best British-trained colt of his generation and was one of the top milers in Europe, winning the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Jacques Le Marois in France as well as being placed in the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. In 2017 he added further major victories in the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and Prix du Moulin

Masar (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Masar is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2018 Epsom Derby. He was highly tried as a two-year-old, finishing third in the Chesham Stakes and winning the Solario Stakes before contesting major races in France and the United States. After racing unsuccessfully in Dubai he returned to Europe in the spring of 2018 to win the Craven Stakes and then ran third when favourite for the 2000 Guineas. After winning the Derby in June he had injury problems and was off the course for over a year before returning as four-year-old in 2019. He failed to recover his form in two starts and was retired from racing.

Dick Turpin (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Dick Turpin is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In three years of racing he won nine of his twenty races, showing consistent top-class form over distances of around one mile. As a two-year-old in 2009 he won the first four of his six races including the Richmond Stakes and the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes. In the following year he won the Greenham Stakes and the Prix Jean Prat, finished second in the 2000 Guineas, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and St James's Palace Stakes and ran third in the Prix de la Forêt. As a four-year-old in 2011 he added victories in the Sandown Mile, Summer Mile Stakes and Premio Vittorio di Capua before being retired to stud at the end of the year.

Cityscape (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Cityscape is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, who raced in England, Ireland, Hong Kong, France, Dubai, Canada and Italy and was twice rated among the top 40 racehorses in the world.

Indian Lodge was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He failed to win as a two-year-old in 1998 but made steady progress in the following year, taking two minor races in spring and ending the season with victories in the Joel Stakes and Darley Stakes. He reached his peak as a four-year-old in 2000 when he won the Earl of Sefton Stakes, Sandown Mile, Prix du Moulin and Prix de la Forêt. He had little success as a breeding stallion.

Ghaiyyath Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ghaiyyath is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed very promising form as a juvenile in 2017 when he won two of his three races including the Autumn Stakes. Training problems restricted him to only one start in 2018, a victory in the Prix du Prince d'Orange. In the spring of 2019 he won the Prix d'Harcourt and ran third in the Prix Ganay before returning in autumn to win the Grosser Preis von Baden by fourteen lengths. In 2020 he added victories in the Dubai Millennium Stakes, Coronation Cup, Eclipse Stakes and International Stakes.

Mustashry is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He finished fourth on his only run as a juvenile and won two minor races in the following year. As a four-year-old in 2017 he improved to win two races including the Group 3 Strensall Stakes. After being gelded he returned in 2018 to win the Gala Stakes, Park Stakes and Joel Stakes. In 2019 he won the Lockinge Stakes and the Challenge Stakes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Fly to the Stars pedigree". Equineline. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  2. "Fly to the Stars profile". Godolphin.
  3. "Tattersalls October sale 1995". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 Timeform staff (1988). Racehorses of 1987. Timeform. ISBN   0-900599-46-4.
  5. "Bluebird – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  6. 1 2 "Hyacinthus Mare – Family 2-f". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  7. "EBF Birch Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 5 November 1996.
  8. "Melton Wood Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 March 1997.
  9. "Britannia Stakes result". Racing Post. 17 June 1997.
  10. "Schweppes Golden Mile result". Racing Post. 31 July 1997.
  11. "Dubai Duty Free result". Racing Post. 28 March 1998.
  12. "Prix Messidor result". Racing Post. 12 July 1998.
  13. "Prix du Rond Point result". Racing Post. 4 October 1998.
  14. "Lockinge Stakes result". Racing Post. 15 May 1999.
  15. "Diomed Stakes result". Racing Post. 10 June 2000.
  16. "Fly to the Stars to Haras du Logis". The Blood-Horse . 18 October 2000.
  17. "New sire at Ashwell Farm". Thoroughbred News NZ. 23 January 2001.
  18. "Fly To The Stars – Stud Record". Racing Post.