By Tom Frary
Minutes after the sensational debut of I'm The One at Newbury, Sea The Stars was pinged back into the spotlight as his son Maltese Cross provided him with a quickfire double of TDN Rising Stars, Presented by Hagyard.
While his narrow win lacked the visual panache of that provided by the filly who preceded him, George Waud's Newmarket maiden winner who represents the same Camelot cross was winning a competitive renewal of this Darley EBF Novice Stakes which boasts such a rich history.
“I thought this was a strong race on paper and they looked nice horses in the paddock,” Haggas said. “All the right ones were in the first six and I think he's earned the right to go for a trial. He'll either go to Lingfield or Chester. He's a very fluent mover who I think will enjoy fast ground. The further he goes the better he'll be.”
Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the 10-furlong contest used in the past by the Classic winners Hurricane Lane, Enable, Star Of Seville and Light Shift, the 350,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase was settled off the true early pace by Tom Marquand.
Staying on dourly to overhaul My Love Is King (Kingman) late on, the William Haggas-trained relative of the Deutsches Derby hero Nutan (Duke Of Marmalade) had a neck to spare over Normandie Stud homebred at the line. There was another head margin back to Al Shaqab's well-regarded Joulany (Sea The Stars), a brother to Al Aasy, with Godolphin's impressive debut winner Shabab Al Ahli (Frankel) another half length behind in fourth with the winning time over two seconds faster than that recorded by I'm The One.
“Tom said he's still floating a bit and so he needs a unique test like Lingfield or Chester to get him a bit more agile,” Haggas added of the winner, the 23rd TDN Rising Star for his sire. “I was pleased with the way he knuckled down to win and we're very keen to have a shot at the Derby this year. He's put his hat in the ring.”
Some nice types here!
Maltese Cross – who holds a Dante and Derby entry – wins a thriller at @NewburyRacing for @TomMarquand and @WilliamHaggas… pic.twitter.com/32jkSS1ypa
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 17, 2026
Pedigree Notes
Maltese Cross is the third foal out of Nabatea (Camelot), whose first was the Listed-placed Namouria (Adlerflug). She is a half-sister to the aforementioned Classic-winning sire Nutan and also to the Grosser Preis von Berlin heroine Nymphea (Dylan Thomas) and the Group 3-winning Prix Jean Romanet third Navaro Girl (Holy Roman Emperor). One of her other two half-siblings with black-type is the Listed scorer Nazbanou (High Chaparral) whose two Stakes winners include the Grosser Preis von Berlin runner-up Nerik (Ruler Of The World).
The third dam Night Teeny (Platini) produced the G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Night Of Magic (Peintre Celebre) and is the ancestress of the dual Preis von Europa heroine Nightflower also by Dylan Thomas, another G2 Oaks d'Italia winner in Nachtrose (Australia) and the Prix Jean Prat hero Intellogent (Intello). The family also features the Preis der Diana heroine Night Petticoat (Petoski) and her Deutsches Derby-winning son Next Desert (Desert Style) and Preis der Diana-winning daughter Next Gina (Perugino). Nabatea's two-year-old colt by Persian King was a €65,000 purchase by Jeremy Brummitt for Quantum Leap Racing at Arqana Deauville August.
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