Stage Presence, Dam of Star of Seville, Dies at 23

Stage Presence, Lady Bamford's top-class producer and dam of Prix de Diane Longines (G1) heroine Star of Seville  and the stakes-winning St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) runner-up King of Comedy , has died at the age of 23.

The daughter of Selkirk, who was out of the listed-placed Tirol mare Park Charger and from the family of Ballycorus Stakes (G3) winner Rum Charger and Coventry Stakes (G3) runner-up Pakhoes, won two of her 11 starts for Barry Hills, having been a €40,000 (US$54,532) purchase from Goffs Orby as a yearling. 

Stage Presence, a 49,000 guineas purchase by Horse France from Swettenham Stud at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2004, produced six winners from seven runners at stud, most notably the Duke of Marmalade -sired Star of Seville. 

Having been snapped up by Hugo Lascelles for 475,000 guineas ($1,025,430) at the Mare Sale in 2007, her broodmare value grew in tandem with Star of Seville's rise to top-level success. 

The Lady Bamford-bred Star of Seville, trained by John Gosden, was a six-length maiden winner on her second start at 2, before winning at Newbury and then landing the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3) at 3.

She finished down the field in the Investec Oaks (G1) at Epsom but the filly then added classic honors to her name with a length success over Physiocrate  in the Diane under Frankie Dettori. 

Daylesford Stud's manager Charlie Brewer said: "She was a fabulous mare and a real character. She'll be greatly missed on the stud, everyone loved her."

Stage Presence also produced two other black-type winners in Swynford Paddocks Hotel Sweet Solera Stakes (G3) victress and Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (G1) third English Ballet  and King of Comedy, a listed-winning son of Kingman  who was also second in the 2019 St. James's Palace Stakes.

English Ballet, a daughter of the great Danehill Dancer, was bred by Swettenham Stud and was a €70,000 purchase by BBA Ireland from Glenvale Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland September Sale in 2005. 

The 17-year-old, who was also second in the Keepmoat May Hill Stakes (G2) for Hills and owners David Reid Scott and the Sangster family, has enjoyed success as a broodmare.

Her winning daughter Aunt Bee , by Australia , was listed-placed last year for Jessica Harrington, while the Shadwell-owned Ejaazah —a daughter of Acclamation —won on her second start and was subsequently stakes-placed for Richard Hannon. 

Among Stage Presence's other notable progeny were the winning Spectrum mare Spectacular Show, the dam of listed scorer Valbchek  and the multiple stakes-placed Schroders Mistake , and the useful Oasis Dream  geldings Star of Bengal and Sacred Act.