European Horse of the Year Sea The Stars was represented by his first winner at Ayr on Monday.

Stars Over the Sea (2c Sea The Stars – Exciting Times by Jeune Homme) had been unplaced at Leicester and Haydock Park before claiming the EBF/33 Racecourses Live On Sky 432 Maiden (1400m).

Stars Over the Sea (USA) was bred in Kentucky by Lane’s End Farm and Watership Down Stud.  A half-brother to G1 Beverley D Stakes winner Gorella, he was a $55,000 buy at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale for leading owner Roger Brookhouse.

Starting an odds-on favourite, the Mark Johnston trained colt scored by three lengths from Longton (Myboycharlie) in Scotland.  “I don’t think Sea The Stars has had many runners yet, but to have his first winner is great,” Brookhouse said at Ayr.  “I think everyone was a fan of Sea The Stars, how could you not be?

“This horse ran well first time out and then didn’t have much of a race last time as he reared in the stalls and missed the break.  We’ve been quiet with him as he really wants a mile plus.”

Sea The Stars was retired to the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Ireland, after two sensational seasons of racing.  A Cape Cross half-brother to Galileo – their dam Urban Sea won the 1993 Arc de Triomphe – he captured the English 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Arc de Triomphe among an unbeaten run of six wins in 2009.

Sea The Stars stands at Gilltown Stud for a fee of 85,000 euros (AUD 126,010).  His first book included 84 black-type performers and there are 118 two year-olds in his first crop.