When Carlton House quietly disappeared from the Darley stallion roster after just two seasons it contrasted to a career where he was rarely out of the headlines.
It began in his first year of life when he was one of four yearlings gifted by Sheikh Mohammed to the Queen who had earlier presented the ruler of Dubai with a horse called Highland Glen after he had expressed interest in it to race in Dubai.
A son of the then growing influence Street Cry (IRE) out of the classically-bred Bustino mare Talented, who placed in the Ribblesdale and Lancashire Oaks, Carlton House showed ability from day one for trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
He broke his maiden by nine lengths at his second start in an 18-runner maiden over a mile at Newbury at two.
He returned at three to earn favouritism for the Epsom Derby when defeating the future ATC Metropolitan Handicap winner Seville in the Group II Dante Stakes at York.
He did not get the rub of the green in the derby where he finished an honourable third behind Pour Moi and Treasure Beach.
Three weeks later Carlton House finished fourth in the Irish Derby and he was done for the season.
He captured the Group III Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown at his first start at four before heading to Royal Ascot where he finished a two and a quarter-length second to So You Think in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
Carlton House made three more starts at four without winning, culminating in a sixth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin, but he hit the headlines again when The Queen elected to send him to Australia under the care of Gai Waterhouse.
He failed to flatter in his first couple of starts in his adopted homeland. But he showed improvement when second in the Listed Parramatta Cup before taking a quantum leap when looking all over the winner before being nabbed late by Silent Achiever in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill with Dundeel back in third.
The track career of Carlton House (image Mark Smith ) came to a close with a fighting third behind Dundeel and Sacred Falls in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 19 2014.
It was announced that the son of Street Cry would take up residence at Darley in 2014 at a fee of $16,500 but the response was underwhelming. He left 31 live foals from the 40 mares covered.
A halving of his fee to $8,800 generated little more interest the following year but more concernedly he was experiencing fertility issues that brought an end to his stud career. His final crop consisted of 26 live foals.
With his first two-year-old crop last season Carlton House had one winner from his two runners, good enough to place him the 27th leading first-crop sire.
That’s about where he sits on the second crop sires table this season with four winners from 15 starters.
Two of his 26 second crop of two-year-olds have been in the winners circle this season and we are tipping he makes it three when the Godolphin homebred Farlingaye stretches out to 1800 metres in Saturday’s Super Vobis 2-Y-O Hcp at Flemington.
One of three runners from the international powerhouse in the race, Farlingaye was a strong finishing fourth over 1400 metres at Bendigo when making his career debut on July 5.
The son of Carlton House is the final foal of the Sadler’s Wells mare High School (GB) who is a sister to four stakes-winners including the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, Group 1 Coronation Cup and Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner and successful sire In The Wings.
A daughter of the Group 1 Premio Roma winner and Irish Oaks and Italian Oaks runner-up High Hawk (Shirley Heights), High School (GB) failed to live up to her regal heritage.
She has four winners from her first eight foals although her stakes-placed daughter Giggleswick (Elusive Quality) is the dam of Lonhro’s dual Listed stakes-winning son Plague Stone.
