His other progeny include Cape Blanco, Frankel, Golden Lilac, Nathaniel, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, Found, Minding and Ruler of the World.

Sovereign took the lead soon after the start, went clear of his rivals approaching the last quarter mile and recorded his first success as he won "easily" by fourteen lengths despite being eased down by O'Brien in the closing stages.

[6] Twelve days after his win at Galway the colt was stepped up in class and started the 3/1 second choice in the betting behind Mount Everest in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at Naas Racecourse.

He ended his season in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown on 27 October in which he made the running before being overtaken in the final furlong and finishing third to Guaranteed (trained by Jim Bolger) and Masaff.

Acting as a pacemaker for the stable's more highly regarded contenders, he went to the front and led the field into the straight before fading to come home tenth of the thirteen runners, just over nine lengths behind the winner Anthony Van Dyck.

[9] Sovereign was expected to fulfil a similar pacemaking role when he started at odds of 33/1 in an eight-runner field for the Irish Derby over one and a half miles at the Curragh on 29 June.

Anthony Van Dyck started favourite ahead of Broome and the Epsom Derby runner-up Madhmoon while the other four runners were Rakan (King George V Cup), Norway (Zetland Stakes), Il Paradiso and Guaranteed.

[13] The 2020 flat racing season in Britain and Ireland was restructured as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and Sovereign made his first appearance of the year in the fourteen furlong Vintage Crop Stakes which was run behind closed doors at the Curragh on 27 June.

Four weeks later the colt started the 12/1 outsider of three runners for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in which he set the pace and opened up a big lead before being overtaken approaching the final furlong and finishing second to Enable.