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Farewell M.V.O’Brien

Vincent O’Brien was my hero.  In the post war decades, he showed that Irish people didn’t have to emigrate to succeed on the world stage. In an Ireland that seemed to lack ambition, Vincent always strived for perfection- and usually attained it. He was more than just an incredible trainer he was the ultimate pedigree analyst. It is said that as a toddler he used to sit on his father’s knee and recite the names and pedigrees of all the horses in his fathers yard.  He probably still knew those pedigrees on the day he died.  With respect to the likes of Aidan O’Brien or Michael Stoute or Henry Cecil who are all great trainers of racehorses -they are just trainers.  For much of his career Vincent was overseeing a process that selected yearlings, trained them as well as they could be trained and then stood them or sold them on. In business jargon it was a vertically integrated production line and Vincent had to deal with all this additional responsibility. As the list below shows he made some great stallions.

A reminder of a dozen great stallions he trained (in order)

1. Sadler’s Wells (1981 Norther Dancer-Fairy Bridge by Bold Reason). The greatest European stallion of the past century. 73 Group one winners to date,14 times champion sire and his legacy now secure with his sons Montjeu and Galileo. In South Africa Fort Wood was champion sire and in the US El Prado and now his grandson Medaglio D’oro ensure his legacy throughout the globe. During Sadler’s Wells racing career in the early eighties many well bred horses were being wrapped in cotton wool, lest they lose some value. Not so Sadler’s Wells who was campaigned extensively at three and maintained his form throughout at distances from a mile to a mile and a half. He retired as winner of an Irish 2000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes. He was second in a memorable edition of the French Derby in which he separated Darshaan and Rainbow Quest. For all his talent he was overshadowed in Ballydoyle by his paternal half brother El Gran Senor.  Nobody overshadowed him at stud.  Vincent also trained his dam Fairy Bridge and almost all her offspring. Such knowledge of families developed over a lifetime was invaluable.

2. Nijinsky (1967 Northern Dancer-Flaming Page by Bull Page). The last triple crown winner and unbeaten in his first 11 starts.  A superb sire with three Derby winners (Golden Fleece, Sharastani and Lammtarra) along with a Kentucky Derby winner in Ferdinand to his credit.  He sired 155 stakes winners from 862 foals (18%). Vincent trained many of his best offspring including King’s Lake, Caerleon, Golden Fleece and Royal Academy. He also famously paid 13.1 million for Seattle Dancer, who although he could never realistically justify that price did win the Derrinstown and Gallinule Stakes. Nijinsky was reasonably successful as a sire of sires with Caerleon being his best sire son, followed by Royal Academy and Green Dancer. 

3. Storm Bird (1978 Norther Dancer-South Ocean by New Providence). A champion two year old who defeated To-Agori Mou in the Dewhurst. He  owes his elevated place on the list to the stud exploits of Storm Cat. Storm Bird sired many better racehorses than Storm Cat including Summer Squall and the fillies Balanchine and Indian Skimmer. His place in pedigrees is secure through Storm Cat and his sons. He also was an important broodmare sire counting Thunder Gulch and current hot sire Birdstone amongst the offspring of his daughters.

4. Caerleon (1980 Nijinsky-Forseer by Buckpasser).  An exceptionally good looking colt Vincent reportedly regarded him as a perfect physical specimen. He wasn’t a bad racehorse either becoming Vincent’s only winner of the French Derby and winning a Benson and Hedges Gold Cup as well. He was twice champion sire and sired the outstanding dual derby winner Generous, Arc winner Marienbard, Oaks winner Lady Carla, 1000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi, St Leger winner Moonax amongst 128 (13%) stakes winners. His sons have been mostly unsuccessful to date as sires but he is doing well as a broodmare sire with the likes of Mutafaweq, Patavellian,Dimitrova and Avonbridge.

 5. Roberto (1969 Hail to Reason-Bramalea by Nashua). It has taken breeders a long time to appreciate the worth of Roberto in a pedigree.  As a racehorse he is often overlooked and often credited as merely the horse who produced a freak performance to defeat Brigadier Gerard. He was also a gutsy Derby winner and narrowly defeated in the 2000 Guineas. At four he won a Coronation Cup impressively and Michael Kauntze (who was assistant to Vincent O’Brien at the time), thought he had as much talent as Nijinsky, but just didn’t always display it. As a sire he got many decent performers including Sookera, Slightly Dangerous, Silver Hawk and Lear Fan but he is much more important as a sire of sires and as a broodmare sire. His best stallion sons include Kris S, Dynamformer, Red Ransom and the Japanese based Brian’s time who all sired horses better than themselves. As a broodmare sire he is responsible for Slightly Dangerous multitude of talented offspring (Warning, Commander in Chief,Deploy, Dushyantor) and Sookera has become ancestress of the Hasili tribe. There can be a nasty streak running through his offspring.

 6. Alleged (1974- Hoist the Flag-Princess Pout by Prince John). A dual winner of the Prix de l’Arc his record would have been better had he been at stud in Europe. He sired a pair of Irish Derby winners in Sir Harry Lewis and Law Society, a dual classic winner in Midway Lady, a St Leger winner in Shantou, an Irish Leger winner in Leading Counsel and a Breeders Cup turf winner in Miss Alleged. He was also a top broodmare sire with classic winners Dr Devious, Dream Well, Go and Go, Sulamani, Suave Dancer, Brian Boru, Eswarah amongst a host of top flight winners. His legacy is also strong in National Hunt breeding where he has leading sire Fleminsfirth, following on from Montelimar and others. Like Roberto  many of his offspring are known for their less than pleasant temperaments.

7. Sir Ivor (1965 Sir Gaylord-Attica by Mr.Trouble). A brilliant winner of a top class Guineas, he followed up by displaying an electrifying turn of foot in the Derby. He was campaigned relentlessly turning out 13 times over two seasons and like others he maintained his form throughout. However it was testament to Vincent’s skill that he maintained his form throughout. In Sir Ivor’s case he managed to follow on a second place behind Vaguely Noble in the Arc with wins in the Champion Stakes and Arc. He became primarily renowned as a sire of fillies leaving the likes of Arc winner Ivanjica,Lady Capulet (who Vincent trained to win a classic on her debut and is dam of El Prado) and Godetia and Cloonlara (both trained by VIncent). Of his colts the best was Bates Motel. He makes the list by virtue of the moderate runner Sir Tristram who has had a huge influence on Australian/New Zealand breeding and his daughters who have given us such stallions as El Prado, Green Desert, Alzao, and Bluebird.

8. Fairy King (1982 Norther Dancer-Fairy Bridge by Bold Reason).  Sadler’s Wells brother was injured on his only run and gained a place at stud by virtue of his pedigree.  He became a rags to riches success story and died aged 17 when he was starting to enjoy the best of patronage. In his time he manged to sire a Derby winner in Oath, classic winners in Turtle Island and Victory Note along with two exceptional horses in Helissio and Falbrav. His European runners have disappointed as sires of sires but in Australia he has left behind champion sire Encasto de Lago.

9. El Gran Senor (1981 Norther Dancer-Sex Appeal by Buckpasser. Probably the greatest miler that Vincent ever trained. He won the Guineas in devastating fashion. He was a full brother to Try My Best who similarly had been a champion two year old winning the Dewhurst. Try My Best was allegedly  nobbled  prior to finishing last in the Guineas.  The 1984 Derby was meant to be a coronation and in the bloodstock bubble of the time he was being valued at upto $60 million dollars, or someone estimated it to be 12 times his weight in gold.  In a race laced with ironies he was beaten by his paternal half brother Secreto trained by Vincents son David, after looking all over the winner for Pat Eddery.  Lester Piggott allegedly whispered in Vincent’s ear after the race “do you miss me” and many criticised Eddery for his ride. El Gran senors value slumped to $40 million. You couldn’t make it up. He ran once more in the Irish Derby before being retired to stand alongside his sire at E.P Taylors stud in Maryland. Nobody mentioned his parrot mouth. He was a top class sire and could have been a great sire but for fertility problems. His first crop included Racing Post trophy winner Al Hareb and Saratogan who was a close third in the Dewhurst for Vincent. El Gran Senor’s best offspring included 5 time Group 1 winner Rodrigo de Triano, King George winner Belmez and Breeders Cup sprint winner Lit de Justice. He is also sire of Toussaud who apart from being a Grade 1 winner is the dam of 4 Grade 1 winners including Chester House and Empire Maker. His stud record showed a highly respectable 55 stakes winners (14%).

 10.Be My Guest (1974 Northern Dancer-What A Treat by Tudor Minstrel). In 1977 Vincent had an embarrassment of three year old riches at his disposal with The Minstrel, Alleged, Artaius, Godswalk, Lady Capulet and others. Be My Guest was well behind the Minstrel in the Derby but won the Desmond Stakes and the Waterford Crystal mile. His pedigree was sufficient to ensure him a place at newly formed Coolmore. It was said that so ‘no mare could pass by Coolmore without being offered a deal to Be My Guest’ but it certainly paid off. In his first crop he sired Assert who won the Irish and French Derby’s for David O’Brien and On the House who won the 1000 Guineas. He ended up Champion sire in 1982 and predictably his fee soared. He never quite followed through on that initial promise although he was always capable of siring a top horse such as King George winner Pentire, Derby runner up Most Welcome and Dermot Weld’s Belmont winner Go and Go. However he has not produced a major sire son and his legacy might be as a broodmare sire as he is broodmare sire of Rock of Gibraltar and Manduro amongst others.

11. Woodman (1982 Mr Prospector- Playmate by Buckpasser). Vincent trained a few sons of Mr Prospector but he never seemed totally committed to that stallion. That said he paid $3 million for Woodman who was ranked champion Irish two year old in 1984 but who but who was affected by the virus that troubled the stable in 1985.  He was retired to Ashford where he became one of those stallions that seemed to either sire superstars or duds with little in-between. He had an incredible first crop of 45 foals that included three champions in Mujtahid, Hector Protector and Hansel. He never consistently hit those heights afterwards but sired outstanding performers in Bosra Sham (a brother to Hector), Timber Country and Hawk Wing. His sons have been disappointing at stud but he is now compiling a very respectable record as a broodmare sire.

12. El Prado (1989 Sadler’s Wells-Lady Capulet by Sir Ivor). When he retired to stud if anyone had told me that El Prado would become champion sire in the US, I would have laughed at the idea. He was a Group 1 winner of the National Stakes but it was a very weak renewal of the race and he was subsequently well beaten in a sales race. He also won the Beresford stakes but failed to train on and was well beaten in his three runs at three. It must have been a pleasure for Vincent to train him as he knew the family so well, having trained his sire, his dam and his damsire to win classics and his half brother Entitled to be placed in two classics . He was retired to stud in the US and as we now know Sadler’s Wells couldn’t sire a claiming winner on dirt which makes El Prado’s success all the more surprising. And there has been plenty of success headed by Medaglia D’Oro, backed up by the likes of Borrego, Kitten’s Joy and Artie Schiller. The future of the line is also looking promising with many of his better sons at an early stage in their careers and Medaglia D’oro sire of Rachel Alexandra. He may have been an unlikely success but such surprises keep the world of breeding from getting too predictable.

Gems of wisdom in relation to breeding from Vincent.

1. Vincent once said in an interview that you can’t train a horse to stay. You can teach them to settle but pedigree dictates whether they stay or not.

2. Ignore the experts. There was a bias against chestnuts, a bias against having four white socks and a bias against small horses. Vincent still paid $200,000 for The Minstrel and ended up with a champion worth $9 million.

 What did he ever get wrong? Very little but he did let Nureyev slip through his hands at the sales. There was also a time when Ballydoyle was host to a lot of Forli’s and although they enjoyed success on the track (especially with Thatch) no significant stallion emerged. Vincent also  was very partial to the first crop of Golden Fleece, but like then stable jockey Cash Asmussen, they proved disappointing. However such things are mere trifles. Vincent O’Brien has utterly changed the history of the thoroughbred. His legacy is the Irish bloodstock industry and the thousands of jobs which it supports. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis

Ghanaati and the sport of Queens

The 1000 Guineas was meant to be a coronation for Rainbow View. She was the best two year old filly of her generation and the Guineas seemed to be at her mercy. Her most obvious challengers Fantasia and Proportional were both waiting for the French Guineas albeit for very different reasons. However Rainbow View never really looked like she was going to follow the script and in the end she finished a disappointing fifth, three lengths behind 20/1 shot Ghanaati. 

Ghanaati was also making her seasonal debut and indeed her first ever appearance on turf. Her two year old campaign was restricted to two appearances at Kempton -finishing third on her debut and then impressively winning her maiden by six lengths. In the Guineas she was always prominent and she could be called the winner two furlongs from home. Her victory was a surprise but with the benefit of hindsight, history and pedigree analysis it was an obvious outcome 🙂

 The family of Ghanaati has lots of links with the Newmarket Guineas. Both of Ghanaati’s parents contested a Guineas at Newmarket. Giant’s Causeway was second to King’s Best in 2000 and Sarayir finished 9th behind Sleepytime in 1997.  Coincidentally Sarayir also started at 20-1 in her Guineas which was a fair representation of what she had achieved to that point, winning both her starts at two including a listed race at Newmarket. She ran four more times after Newmarket including when last in both the Ribbesdale at Royal Ascot and the Sun Chariot at Newmarket before winning a handicap at Newcastle. Sarayir was trained by Dick Hern who enjoyed Guineas success with Sarayir’s outstanding half brother Nashwan in 1989. This was in keeping with the family tradition, for their granddam Highclere had provided him and Highclere’s owner the Queen, with success in the 1974 1000 Guineas. For good measure, Highclere was also successful in the French Oaks, just as Nashwan added a second classic in the Derby. Nashwan bettered his granddam in winning a King George whereas she was runner-up to Dahlia. Highclere was a daughter of Queens Hussar who is best remembered as the sire of Brigadier Gerard.

Ghanaati’s granddam Height of Fashion was a top class racehorse as well as a phenomenal producer. She was joint top rated two year old after winning the May Hill Stakes and the Hoover fillies mile back when they were both Group 3 events. At three she won a Princess of Wales stakes and she seemed destined to make a valuable addition to the Queens broodmare band. However she accepted a reputed £1 million pounds (did she need the money…. 🙂 ) from the representatives of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and thereby thoroughbred history was changed. 

 It’s not often that somebody pays a million for a piece of horseflesh and gets an absolute bargain but such was the case with Height of Fashion. Aside from Nashwan (by Blushing Groom), she produced Nayef (by Gulch) who won four Group ones including a Champion Stakes, a Juddmonte International,Sheema Classic and Prince of Wales Stakes. Better still he is a a very promising young stallion with the likes of Tamayuz and Lady Marian to his credit and he represents one of the few top class stallions in Europe free of Northern Dancer blood. Height of Fashion also produced Unfuwain (by Northern Dancer) who emulated his granddam by finishing second in a King George and emulated his mother in winning the Princess of Wales Stakes. He compiled a very respectable stud record before his death in 2002 siring the likes of Alhaarth and more especially a host of top fillies including classic winners Lailani, Lahan, Bolas, Petrushka and Eswarah. She also produced another Group winner in Alwasmi (by Northern Dancer) who won the John Porter stakes and finished fourth in an Irish Leger and Listed winner Mukddaam (by Danzig) who was also second in the King Edward Stakes at Royal Ascot. Another foal Bashayer a full sister to Sarayir achieved fame of a sort when finishing second in the Cheshire Oaks. Her rider that day Willie Carson dropped his hands prior to the line and rightfully earned the wrath of punters and the stewards. Another full sister Wijdan finished second in the 1994 Pretty Polly Stakes (run on Guineas day) where she was defeated by Wind In her Hair (by Alzao). Coincidentally Wind in her Hair was another granddaughter of Highclere and she did her bit for the family legacy by finishing second in the Oaks, winning a Group one in Germany and becoming dam of Japanese superstar Deep Impact (by Sunday Silence) who will be having his first runners next year. Wind in her Hair is also granddam of Jeremy (by Danehill Dancer) who won the Jersey Stakes and the Group 2 Betfred mile. He is now standing at the Irish National Stud.

Giant’s Causeway

Ghanaati’s sire Giant’s Causeway is a sire that divides opinion. What is not in dispute is that he has been an incredibly profitable sire for Coolmore. He is now standing at $125,000 having reached a high of $300,000. He has over 1100 foals of racing age and he also shuttled to Australia but made a limited impact down under. With typical hyperbole Coolmore describe his as ‘the best young sire in the world’. He certainly made the right start to his career getting Shamardal who won a Dewhurst, French Guineas, French Derby and the St James Palace Stakes, Footstepsinthesand who won the 2000  Guineas and Maids Causeway who won the Coronation Stakes from his initial crop who were conceived in Ireland. His second crop conceived in Ashford contained First Samurai who was dual Grade 1 winning two year old and had Coolmore hope that Giants Causeway was that most valuable of commodities, a sire who could get top class dirt and turf runners. Interestingly considering his own reputation for toughness Shamardal, Footstepsinthesand,Maids Causeway and First Samurai all had truncated careers due to injury.

Giant’s Causeway went through a bit of a barren patch in Europe and wasn’t represented by another Group 1 winner until Intense Focus battling win in last years Dewhurst and now Ghanaati’s Guineas victory. In the meantime he had a number of top performers in the States such as Aragorn, Heatseeker and My Typhoon. Interestingly many of his US performers need time to produce their best and Aragorn was best at 4, Heatseeker at 5 and My Typhoon at 5. Giants Causeway has also benefitted from the move to synthetic surfaces and his runners seem to like both very fast ground or synthetic surfaces. He works well with Mr Prospector line mares and aside from Ghanaati, Aragorn is out of a daughter of Mr Prospector and Shamardal ,My Typhoon, Carriage Trail and Heatseeker are all out of Mr Prospector line stallions. Giant’s Causeway is well capable of siring a top class performer at up to 10 furlongs but his percentages are such that he was massively overpriced at 300k and even at 125k another price reduction might be in order. He is still a young stallion but he needs a top dirt performer to retain his position in the elite of US stallions. My view is that he should be returned to Ireland where his most successful first crop was conceived.

Conclusion. Ghanaati’s pedigree is nicely balanced with no duplication in the first five generations. Giant’s Causeway may not be the best young sire in the world but he is a capable sire and he works well with Mr Prospector line mares. Sarayir is a representative of one of the most successful European classic families of the past two decades.  Ghanaati is merely upholding a fine family tradition.

 

GHANAATI (USA) 2006 f b
Giant’s
Causeway (USA) 1997		 Storm
Cat (USA) 1983		 Storm
Bird (USA) 1978		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961
South
Ocean (USA) 1967
Terlingua
(USA) 1976		 Secretariat
(USA) 1970
Crimson
Saint (USA) 1969
Mariah’s
Storm (USA) 1991		 Rahy
(USA) 1985		 Blushing
Groom (FR) 1974
Glorious
Song (USA) 1976
Immense
(USA) 1979		 Roberto
(USA) 1969
Imsodear
(USA) 1967
Sarayir
(USA) 1994		 Mr
Prospector (USA) 1970		 Raise
A Native (USA) 1961		 Native
Dancer (USA) 1950
Raise
You (USA) 1946
Gold
Digger (USA) 1962		 Nashua
(USA) 1952
Sequence
(USA) 1946
Height
Of Fashion (FR) 1979		 Bustino
(GB) 1971		 Busted
(GB) 1963
Ship
Yard (GB) 1963
Highclere
(GB) 1971		 Queen’s
Hussar (GB) 1960
Highlight
(GB) 1958

Who said it’s difficult to breed a classic winner?

It used to be said that the fittest horse wins the Guineas, the luckiest horse wins the Derby and the best horse wins the St Leger. Whatever about being the fittest, Sea the Stars was the best bred horse in the Guineas field coming from a truly outstanding female line that produce top racehorses with remarkable regularity.  This was not rags to riches but untold riches to further riches.

Sea the Stars is the remarkable fourth Group 1 winner produced by surprise Prix de l’Arc winner Urban Sea. At the time of her conception she would have been described as having an unremarkable pedigree but all has changed utterly in the past two decades. Her dam Allegretta was a German bred who finished second in the Group 3 Lingfield Oaks Trial. Allegretta comes from an unfamiliar background being by Lombard who won a German 2000 Guineas and German St Leger among 20 races over five seasons.  Allegretta’s brother Anno ended up being rated champion three year old in Germany in 1982, winning the German St Leger but in recent years the success has moved to a different level.

Allegretta must be almost unique as being the dam and granddam of a 2000 Guineas winner for she was the dam of King’s Best who comprehensively defeated Giant’s Causeway in the 2000 Guineas of the year 2000.  Her Prix Flore winning Riverman daughter Allez Les Trois became the dam of Anabaa Blue who won the 2001 Prix de Jockey Club (back in the good old days when it was over 12 furlongs). Allez les Trois is also granddam of Tamayuz who was an outstanding miler last year winning the Prix Jean Prat and Jacque le Marois and is now at stud in Derrinstown. Allegretta is also grandam of Anzillero (by Law Society) who was a 12 furlong Group 1 winner at Dusseldorf in 2001.  Urban Sea was similar to Kings Best in producing one outstanding performance (in her case the Arc, in his the Guineas) but at stud she has been remarkably consistent.

Her first foal was the lazily named Urban Ocean who won the Gallinule Stakes for Aidan O’Brien. He subsequently lost his form but he is now operating as a National Hunt stallion.

Her next mate was the newly retired Lammtarra, who had just completed a scintillating career winning a Derby, King George and Prix de l’Arc. The filly called Melikah was unraced at two and her entire career encompassed only 4 races. She won the Pretty Polly stakes before finishing third in the Oaks to Love Divine and then second in the Irish Oaks. At stud she is the dam of 2 winners including Valedictory (by Dubai Destination) who was very impressive in winning his sole start last year at Saint Cloud and who could yet add further lustre to the family.

Urban Sea then made four consecutive visits to Sadler’s Wells. The results were outstanding, headlined by the outstanding Derby winner and now outstanding sire Galileo. His younger sibling Black Sam Bellamy was Group one placed at two, won the Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club at three at looked a star in the making when winning the Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup at 4. He then ran well in the Coronation Cup but failed to shine in his subsequent outings. He retired to stud in Germany and although there was some promise in initial results he was brought back to Shade Oak Stud in the UK where he will fulfill a dual purpose role. The third foal Atticus was unraced but the next foal All Too Beautiful won her first two races before finishing runner-up to Ouija Board in the 2004 Oaks.  In one of those neat twists of fate it was that winning performance of Ouija Board that was almost certainly the inspiration for the mating with Cape Cross. Ouija Board added an Irish Oaks and a Breeders Cup Fillies and Mare Turf to her haul that year and although there were other stakes winners from that first crop, it was Ouija Board who propelled Cape Cross to the top table.

Urban Sea was then sent to another hot freshman sire in Giant’s Causeway. Their filly foal My Typhoon was sold for a record 1.8 million guineas and although she was never going to earn that amount on the track she managed 4 stakes wins including a Grade 1 as a five year old.

Urban Sea paid two visits to Cape Cross’s sire Green Desert with slightly disappointing results.  Her 2004 filly Cherry Hinton retired a maiden but she did finish second in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes and ran a creditable fifth to Light Shift in the Oaks. Still at least she made the track unlike Sea’s Legacy who was unraced for John Oxx. Sea’s Legacy was sold for 10,000 Guineas at last years Tattersalls October Sales. It would be no surprise to see him appear as a stallion somewhere in the near future.

That leads us to Sea the Stars. As already mentioned he is a product of the better mares received by Cape Cross post Ouija Board. Cape Cross has lacked a follow up superstar in Europe but did enough with decent performers such as Rising Cross, Sabina Perdida, Halicarnassus and others to remind us that he was a more than capable sire. Many of his progeny stay better than he did and they generally prefer good or better ground. His record will improve as the offspring of the better mares he received over the last few years come on stream. Although Cape Cross was a miler the aformentioned Ouija Board (broodmare sire Welsh Pageant) won an Oaks and Rising Cross (broodmare sire Nomination) was placed in an Oaks. These give hope that Sea the Stars can follow his many siblings who all stayed middle distances well. He is around 4-1 for Epsom which is a fair price as he showed such class at Newmarket that if he stays he wins. The Guineas Derby double has not been done since Nashwan in 1989 but Galileo’s son New Approach came within a nostril of achieving it last year.

Conclusion.

Normally we tend to focus on the stallion and assume that he is at least 50% responsible for the ability of the offspring.  However in the case of Sea the Stars and with no disrespect to Cape Cross (whom I like as a stallion) this success was all about the dam.  Looking at this female line it makes you question how much we really know about genetics and how many of our assumptions are incorrect. Urban Sea has produced top performers to a variety of stallions even as she aged. Her dam Allegretta has seem her influence on the stud book grow dramatically and even her grandson Anzillero (who is by Law Society out of a Plugged Nickel mare) has rightfully earned his place at stud.   We might have to wait a few years for science to unravel some of the mysteries of hereditary but it only took 24 hours for another reminder of the power of certain female families. The  1000 Guineas was won by Ghanaati a descendant of Highclere and as remarkable a producer as Allegretta, of which more anon.

 

Urban Sea’s Foals of Racing Age

Name Foaled sex Sire Best Result
Urban Ocean 1996 c Bering Gr3 winner (Gallinule Stakes)
Melikah 1997 f Lammtarra 2nd Irish Oaks, 3rd Oaks
Galileo 1998 c Sadler’s Wells Grp 1 winner Derby,Irish Derby, King George
Black Sam Bellamy 1999 c Sadler’s Wells grp 1 winner*2 incl Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup
Atticus 2000 c Sadler’s Wells unraced
All too Beautiful 2001 f Sadler’s Wells 2nd Oaks
My Typhoon 2002 f Giants Causeway Grade 1 winner
Cherry Hinton 2004 f Green Desert 5th Oaks, 2nd Gr 3
Sea’s Legacy 2005 c Green Desert unraced
Sea the Stars 2006 c Cape Cross 2000 Guineas winner

 

SEA THE STARS (IRE) 2006 c b
Cape
Cross (IRE) 1994		 Green
Desert (USA) 1983		 Danzig
(USA) 1977		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961
Pas
De Nom (USA) 1968
Foreign
Courier (USA) 1979		 Sir
Ivor (USA) 1965
Courtly
Dee (USA) 1968
Park
Appeal (IRE) 1982		 Ahonoora
(GB) 1975		 Lorenzaccio
(IRE) 1965
Helen
Nichols (GB) 1966
Balidaress
(IRE) 1973		 Balidar
(IRE) 1966
Innocence
(GB) 1968
Urban
Sea (USA) 1989		 Miswaki
(USA) 1978		 Mr
Prospector (USA) 1970		 Raise
A Native (USA) 1961
Gold
Digger (USA) 1962
Hopespringseternal
(USA) 1971		 Buckpasser
(USA) 1963
Rose
Bower (USA) 1958
Allegretta
(GB) 1978		 Lombard
(GER) 1967		 Agio
(GER) 1955
Promised
Lady (GB) 1961
Anatevka
(GER) 1969		 Espresso
(USA) 1958
Almyra
(GER) 1962

New season, old stories

The Craven meeting at Newmarket is all about looking ahead to future classics, but it can also remind us of past glories. The highlight of the first day was the very impressive performance of Fantasia in the Nell Gwyn stakes.  In winning, Fantasia became the first winner of the race for Sadler’s Wells. The King of Coolmore may be retired but he still has plenty of runners to come and he could still conceivably challenge for a 15th sires title.

Fantasia is another success for the Sadler’s Wells-Darshaan cross. From 158 foals,  24 (15%) were black type winners and 8 were Group 1 winners. Standouts included High Chaparral, Islington, Milan,  Ebadiyla, and Septimus. However, impressive as these figures seem, they are only marginally better than the great sires overall record.

It would be easy to assume that the Oaks would be the natural target for Fantasia, but that would be to ignore the other influences on her family. Fantasia’s dam Blue Symphony ran 13 times for Ed Dunlop and Gainsborough Stud (the name for Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoums interests), managing just one win as a three year old in a 10 furlong Brighton maiden. She was decidedly moderate and at her best was rated 67.  Blue Symphony was deemed surplus to requirements by Gainsborough and was eventually submitted to the Tattersalls November sales where she fetched 250,000 Guineas.

As such a price indicates there was more to like about Blue Symphony than a Brighton maiden win. The attraction was Fantasia’s grand dam Blue Duster who was a brilliant unbeaten two year old for David Loder. Amongst her four victories were the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and the Cheveley Park. At three her best run was a second in the Haydock Sprint Cup. The furthest she ran was the six and a half furlongs of the Prix Maurice De Gheest.  Remarkably her brother Zieten was also an unbeaten two year old, who won four times  and he won the Middle Park stakes which is the colts equivalent of the Cheveley Park. Kept in training for two more years he failed to significantly enhance his reputation although he did manage a victory in the Challenge Stakes (again at Newmarket).

Blue Duster’s aptitude for sprint distances was hardly surprising for a daughter of Danzig and the Habitat mare Blue Note.  Blue Note was a top class performer who also won the Prix Maurice de Gheest (back when it was a Group 2) and the Prix de la Porte Maillot.  Her dam Balsamique was a multiple winner in France and interestingly also won twice over jumps,something we can confidently say Fantasia will not be asked to emulate.

Fantasia was a top class two year old winning the Prestige Stakes and running second to Rainbow View in the Fillies Mile at Ascot for trainer Luca Cumani. She was subsequently purchased by George Strawbridge who has decided that he will not run her against Rainbow View (whom he also owns) and instead will target the French Guineas. There is little doubt that she will handle the mile but the question is whether she will get further? Bookmakers seem to think she will and she is currently favourite for the Oaks at 5-1. Those looking to back her for the Oaks (and who believe in such things) would also find some reassurance from her dosage index of 1.0 with a centre of distribution of +.13. However looking at the turn of foot she showed at Newmarket I will be surprised if she stays the Oaks trip. I expect her to be best at a mile like King of Kings, Gossamer and Barathea who were by Sadler’s Wells out of speedy Habitat mares.  That said I would be delighted if she makes a fool of me and gives Sadler’s Wells his sixth Oaks winner.

Regardless of how far she eventually stays, she is an ultra desirable broodmare combining pedigree and performace. The three great European broodmare sires of the modern era Sadler’s Wells, Darshaan and Habitat are all close up in her pedigree. At the end of her racing career George Strawbridge faces a wonderful dilemma in choosing her first mate. Some might think such speculation is premature, but as already stated, classic trials are all about looking to the future….

 

FANTASIA (GB) 2006 f b
Sadler’s
Wells (USA) 1981		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961		 Nearctic
(USA) 1954		 Nearco
(ITY) 1935
Lady
Angela (USA) 1944
Natalma
(USA) 1957		 Native
Dancer (USA) 1950
Almahmoud
(USA) 1947
Fairy
Bridge (USA) 1975		 Bold
Reason (USA) 1968		 Hail
To Reason (USA) 1958
Lalun
(USA) 1952
Special
(USA) 1969		 Forli
(ARG) 1963
Thong
(USA) 1964
Blue
Symphony (GB) 2000		 Darshaan
(GB) 1981		 Shirley
Heights (GB) 1975		 Mill
Reef (USA) 1968
Hardiemma
(GB) 1969
Delsy
(FR) 1972		 Abdos
(FR) 1959
Kelty
(FR) 1965
Blue
Duster (USA) 1993		 Danzig
(USA) 1977		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961
Pas
De Nom (USA) 1968
Blue
Note (FR) 1985		 Habitat
(USA) 1966
Balsamique
(FR) 1973
 

Cheltenham 2009 by numbers

Cheltenham is almost overwhelming.  Four days, twenty four races, twelve Grade 1 races and remarkable individual achievements such as Ruby Walsh’s record breaking 7 winners or Tony McCoy’s astonishing never-say-die ride on Wichita Lineman.  21 stallions got on the roll of honour and only 3 stallions managed to sire more than one winner. So what did we learn from the week?

 

1. Stallion of the week was Presenting. He sired two Grade 1 winners in Weapons Amnesty who battled to win the Albert Bartlett hurdle and Dunguib who was an ultra impressive winner of the bumper. For good measure he sired Some Present who was runner up in the bumper and Denman showed he has retained most of his  ability with a fine second in the Gold Cup. Presenting is still only 17 and has bigger and better crops coming through and he will hopefully be around for a few years yet.  It is also interesting that Weapons Amnesty is out of an Old Vic mare and this is a cross or reverse cross we are likely to see tried a great deal over the coming years. Old Vic and Presenting are the two outstanding National Hunt stallions of our era and it will be interesting to see if this proves to be a potent nick.

 

2. Well done to Nikos who sired two winners in Master Minded and Oh Crick. Nikos was retired some years ago so his success will have little practical impact on breeders. Nikos won the Prix Edmond Blanc and was twice runner up in the Prix de la Foret. On the flat his best runner was Nononito who won a Prix du Cadran and over jumps he also left Cenkos who won a Victor Chandler Chase and finished third in a Queen Mother. Nikos was a son of Nonoalco the 1974 2000 Guineas winner who also won a Prix Jacques le Marois and at two he won the Prix Morny and Prix de la Salamandre. He was exported to Japan but left behind the great Katies. Trivia fans will be interested to note that Nonoalco was by Nearctic (sire of Northern Dancer) and was bred by Forest E Mars of chocolate bar fame.

 

3. Old Vic also got two winners in Ninetieth Minute (in the Coral Cup) and Andytown (Martin Pipe hurdle) as well as being broodmare sire of the previously mentioned Weapons Amnesty.

 

3. Sons of Sadler’s Wells are everywhere. Amazingly 7 different sons of the Coolmore legend sired winners. They were Kings Theatre sire of Wichita Lineman,  Oscar sire of Tricky Trickster,  Old Vic sire of Ninetieth Minute and Andytown, Barathea sire of Silk Affair, Kayf Tara sire of Kayf Aramis, Dolpour sire of Something Wells and Accordion sire of Character Building.  Interestingly none of the wins came in Grade 1 races, however Galileo came close to adding a Champion Hurdle to his role of honour through Celestial Halo who was a close second.  Funnily enough the hurdler who’s reputation was most enhanced after Cheltenham was Hurricane Fly (by Montjeu and subject of a previous article) who had previously hammered the Supreme Novice winner Go Native at Leopardstown.

 

 4. The diminutive Mill Reef pops up with surprising frequency. It is well recorded that Kauto Star is bred 4*4 to Mill Reef through Moulin and Port Etienne.  Mill Reef’s son Garde Royale is sire of Garde Champetre winner of the cross country chase and is broodmare sire of Master Minded.  Garde Royale is also sire of Robin des Champs the sire of Quevega the easy winner of the David Nicholson hurdle for mares. Finally the Triumph hurdle winner Zaynar is by Daylami who is by Doyoun who is by Mill Reef. 

 

5. Two sons of Top Ville sired winners. Beneficial sired Cooldine the impressive winner of the RSA chase and Pistolet Bleu sired Cappa Bleu the winner of the Foxhunters.

 

6.  Nijinsky obviously didn’t want to be upstaged by Mill Reef and crops up with some regularity.  His son Moscow Society sired his second Arkle winner in Forpaddytheplasterer who followed in the hoofprints of Moscow Society.  Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi was out of a Hernando mare and thus has Nijinsky in the fourth generation and he also appears in the fourth generation of Mikael D’Haguenet. World Hurdle winner Big Bucks is by Cadoudal a grandson of Nijinsky through Green Dancer and Triumph hurdle winner Zaynar is out of French Oaks winner Zainta a daughter of Kahyasi who is by Nijinsky’s son Ile de Bourbon.

 

7. The other sires to get on the scoresheet are Double Eclipse who gave his career a nice fillip as sire of Supreme Novice winner Go Native.  Komaite sired Punjabi the winner of the Champion Hurdle, Lavirco sired Mikael D’Haguenet and it will be interesting to see if we are about to witness German breds make an impact on the National Hunt scene in the same way that Monsun has led their assault on the flat. Turgeon sired Chapoturgeon and Sendawar sired American Trilogy. Finally Flemensfirth sired Ryanair chase winner Imperial Commander.  Considering he stood for €10000 and is hyped by Coolmore as one of the hottest jumps sires around it was important he sired a winner. However it is interesting that he is the same age as Presenting and to me he still has a long way to go to match the achievements of his Rathbarry rival.

Binocular-difficult to forsee?

 Binocular is a very short priced favourite for the Champion Hurdle, especially for a horse who was beaten on his only previous visit to Prestbury Park. That aside his pedigree is interesting and serves as a reminder of some stars of yester-year who had disappeared from the public eye.  His sire Enrique ran 8 times for three wins, three seconds and two unplaced runs. At two he won his maiden, the listed Tattesalls Sommerville Stakes before being sent off as joint favourite for the Dewhurst along with Stravinsky. He seemed to be going very well with a furlong to go but found little to finish a disappointing fourth. At three he returned with a win in the Group 3 Greenham, before finishing a close second to Island Sands. It was a substandard Guineas and probably not Kieran Fallons finest hour. He gained his revenge on Island Sands in the Irish Guineas but this time he was convincingly beaten by Aidan O’Briens Saffron Walden.  Enrique was dropped back to 7 furlongs at Royal Ascot for the Jersey Stakes but unfortunately for him he was again beaten into second by outsider Lots of Magic who never before or after showed such a level of form. It was a good renewal of the Jersey as the third was Bertolini and fourth was Stravinsky with fifth going to Industrialist who subsequently did well in Hong Kong.  Back to a mile and Group one company Enriques next and final start was in the Sussex Stakes where he made no impression behind Aljabr. Whether injured or not Enrique’s next public appearance was in the August 1997 Deauville Sales where he fetched a paltry 350000 French francs. Fate is fickle, had the Guineas gone his way he would have been an attractive stallion prospect instead the length of Island Sands neck meant he retired as only a Group 3 winner. His dam Gwydion was a speed machine winning the Queen Mary finishing second in the Diadem and third in a July Cup. In hindsight it would have been interesting to see Enrique dropped back to sprint distances. There was no major demand for Enrique at stud but the fact that he now stands for €4000 at Haras de Hoguenot indicates that some success has come his way and he was certainly a shrewd purchase at 350000 Ffr. His best flat runner is Obrigado (Enrique-Banakill by Funambule by who won a Grade 2 in the States and was narrowly beaten in the Hollywood Turf Cup. He also sired Group 2 placed Baby First (Enrique-First Turn by Alleged). Binocular was useful on the flat winning his only two starts at two, before being listed place at three. However once he switched to the UK and started hurdling he really blossomed and his only defeat from 6 starts was in last years Supreme Novice Hurdle when beaten by the older Captain Cee Bee who is also owned by JP McManus. The dam of Binocular, Blue Ciel et Blanc (literally blue sky and white) is by Pistolet Blue who covered huge books when moved to Coolmores National Hunt division later in his career. He left behind the likes of Sizing Europe, Geos and Katarino with large numbers of runners still to come. Blue Ciel et Blanc bred another winner in Assassino (by Kabool) but Binocular is by far the star of the family. It was difficult to see the union of Enrique of Blue Ciel et Blanc producing a top runner but such fairytales keep the sport from becoming too predictable. The real winner in all this is the slightly unlucky racehorse Enrique who is now lucky enough to be guaranteed decent books as a dual purpose stallion.

BINOCULAR (FR) 2004 c b
Enrique
(GB) 1996		 Barathea
(IRE) 1990		 Sadler’s
Wells (USA) 1981		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961
Fairy
Bridge (USA) 1975
Brocade
(GB) 1981		 Habitat
(USA) 1966
Canton
Silk (GB) 1970
Gwydion
(USA) 1983		 Raise
A Cup (USA) 1971		 Raise
A Native (USA) 1961
Spring
Sunshine (USA) 1966
Papamiento
(USA) 1973		 Blade
(USA) 1946
Commemoration
2nd (USA) 1953
Bleu
Ciel Et Blanc (FR) 1995		 Pistolet
Bleu (IRE) 1988		 Top
Ville (IRE) 1976		 High
Top (IRE) 1969
Sega
Ville (USA) 1968
Pampa
Bella (FR) 1981		 Armos
(IRE) 1967
Kendie
(FR) 1963
Bouge
De La (USA) 1990		 Trempolino
(USA) 1984		 Sharpen
Up (GB) 1969
Trephine
(FR) 1977
Syndaar
(FR) 1978		 Lyphard
(USA) 1969
Sweet
And Lovely (FR) 1963

Montjeu jumps to the fore

Sadler’s Wells has had a profound effect on the jump racing scene, even more so than his impact on the flat. A look at the current jump stallions standings shows Sadler’s Wells himself in 15th position by prize money and an astonishing 7 of his sons are ahead of him in the stallion rankings. These are Old Vic, Oscar, Accordion, Saddlers’ Hall, Kayf Tara, King’s Theatre and the new kid on the block Montjeu who sits one place ahead of his sire in the table. To date in the 2008/09 season Montjeu has been represented by 60 runners and 11 winners and considering that his oldest progeny have just turned seven he is likely to move nearer the top of the table over the coming years.  Montjeu’s merits as a jumps sire were highlighted over the Christmas period when he sired a grade 1 hurdles winner, and two placed grade 1 runners. The placed runners were Blue Bajan (2002 Montjeu-Gentle Thoughts by Darshaan) who finished a close up third to Harchibald in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and Won in the Dark (2004 Montjeu-Mesata by Lion Cavern) who ran Sublimity to half a length in the Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown. Won in the Dark had previously scored in Grade 1 company when running away with the champion 4 year old hurdle at Punchestown and he is currently quoted at 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle. However Montjeu’s Christmas cracker was Hurricane Fly (2004 Montjeu-Scandisk by Kenmare) who won his second Grade 1 in spectacular fashion when quickening right away from the field in the champion novice hurdle at Leopardstown. Hurricane Fly showed real acceleration after the last and it was no surprise that he had been more than useful on the flat where he once won a listed race defeating no less than Literato and Spirit One in  France.  He is now clear favourite for the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham and he is even quoted in the Champion Hurdle betting by some firms. The dam of Hurricane Fly produced another stakes horse in Hunzy (by Desert King) who picked up some cheap Italian black type. Hurricane Fly’s second dam Yankee Lady was a sister to Yankee Gold who won a Royal Whip and Ballymoss Stakes. She was by Lord Gayle who is now in so many National Hunt pedigrees because of the impact of his son the champion sire Strong Gale. Hurricane Fly was not bred for the National Hunt game but it is no surprise that he has shown such talent in the field. As for Montjeu’s credentials as a jumps sire, they could hardly have been better. Sadlers Wells was an outstanding sire of hurdlers siring Istabraq, Theatreworld, Pridwell and French Ballerina amongst others. Montjeu’s broodmare sire Top Ville sired a number of top jumps sires and promising younger sires including the tragically short lived Toulon, Beneficial, Un Desperado, Pistolet Bleu and Norwich. Had Montjeu not been such a success on the flat no doubt he would now be a very stallion at Coolmores National Hunt division. As it is he seems set to follow in his fathers footsteps as a top class stallion in both realms.

HURRICANE FLY (IRE) 2004 c b
Montjeu
(IRE) 1996		 Sadler’s
Wells (USA) 1981		 Northern
Dancer (CAN) 1961		 Nearctic
(USA) 1954
Natalma
(USA) 1957
Fairy
Bridge (USA) 1975		 Bold
Reason (USA) 1968
Special
(USA) 1969
Floripedes
(FR) 1985		 Top
Ville (IRE) 1976		 High
Top (IRE) 1969
Sega
Ville (USA) 1968
Toute
Cy (FR) 1979		 Tennyson
(FR) 1955
Adele
Toumignon (IRE) 1971
Scandisk
(IRE) 1995		 Kenmare
(FR) 1975		 Kalamoun
(GB) 1970		 Zeddaan
(GB) 1965
Khairunissa
(GB) 1960
Belle
Of Ireland (GB) 1964		 Milesian
(GB) 1953
Belle
Of The Ball (GB) 1958
Yankee
Lady (IRE) 1977		 Lord
Gayle (USA) 1965		 Sir
Gaylord (USA) 1959
Sticky
Case (USA) 1958
Ceol
An Oir (GB) 1961		 Vimy
(FR) 1952
Pal
An Oir (IRE) 1956