Cloth of Stars Leads Big Day for Godolphin

The winner's enclosure at Saint Cloud belonged to Godolphin May 1, as colts owned by Sheikh Mohammed's racing enterprise won all three stakes races on the Parisian racetrack's Monday card. 

The Prix Ganay, Europe's first flat group 1 of the year, went to the Andre Fabre-trained Cloth of Stars, who remained perfect on the year, posting a victory over the Aga Khan's homebred Zarak, a Dubawi colt from the Aga Khan's unbeaten Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) champion Zarkava.

Earlier in the season Cloth of Stars won the group 3 Prix Exbury over the Saint Cloud course and the group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Chantilly. The Prix Ganay victory was his first group 1 score.

Ridden by Mickael Barzalona, Cloth of Stars broke well and settled in third as his Godolphin stablemate Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) pressed Guignol through the early furlongs, followed by Potemkin and Zarak. When the running began in earnest, Cloth of Stars, shuffled behind the early movers, found a seam and split Guignol and Hawkbill to take command.

As the early leaders gave way, Zarak displayed a brilliant turn of foot to eat up the open-length advantage forged by Cloth of Stars. At the wire the margin dwindled to a short neck. Silverwave finished third three-quarters of a length behind Zarak and a head in front of Erupt.

Winning time for about 10 1/2 furlongs was 2:11.70.

Peter Anastasiou bred the Ganay winner in Ireland, and John Ferguson purchased the bay colt at the Tattersalls October yearling sale for $675,444.

Cloth of Stars is a 4-year-old son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) out of Strawberry Fledge, a Niarchos family-bred, Kingmambo half sister to group 1 winner Shiva (Hector Protector) and group 2 winner Limnos (Hector Protector). Strawberry Fledge is out of Lingerie (Shirley Heights), who also produced Vodafone Epsom Oaks winner Light Shift (Kingmambo), whose Galileo son Ulysees won the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (G3) at Sandown Park April 28.

Third dam Northern Trick, a $530,000 Keeneland July purchase, won the Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, G1) and the Prix Vermeille (G1) for Stavros Niarchos. 

Godolphin's recent purchase Jimmy Two Times won the one-mile Prix du Muguet (G2) as the favorite. Also trained by Fabre, but ridden by Vincent Cheminaud when Barzalona opted for Godolphin's Usherette, Jimmy Two Times responded to Cheminaud's urgings to post a half-length victory over Kourkan. Usherette finished third in her first start of 2017. 

A gray 4-year-old colt by Kendargent (Kendor) out of the Anabaa mare Steel Woman, Jimmy Two Times was bred in France by Francis Teboul and Jean Boniche and raced for Haras de Saint Pair until selling to Godolphin after his April 2 victory in the Prix Edmond Blanc (G3).

Godolphin also took the listed Prix de l'Avre with Wolf Country, a son of Dubawi, who was making his 2017 debut for trainer Charlie Appleby.

In Irish racing at Naas, Cartier champion Minding launched her 2017 campaign for the Coolmore/Ballydoyle contingent, easily winning the 10-furlong Camelot Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes (G2). Jockey Ryan Moore brought the 4-year-old daughter of Galileo—Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer), home 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Godolphin's Moonlight Magic. 

The Aga Khan stable indicated it might have a classic contender in its homebred Dark Angel 3-year-old filly Rehana, who won the grade 3 Canford Cliffs Irish EBF Athasi Stakes by 2 3/4 length over Moyglare Stud's Rose de Pierre. 

Italy held the first classics of the season on May Day. Anda Muchacho, a 3-year-old son of Helmet, won the group 3 Premio Parioli Sisal Matchpoint (Italian Two Thousand Guineas) and Mi Raccomando, a 3-year-old Poet's Voice filly won the group 3 Premio Regina Elena Dimensione Suono 2 (Italian One Thousand Guineas).