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  • 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
     

    2 responses to “New season, old stories”

    1. Byron Rogers Avatar
      Byron Rogers

      Victor

      You said that “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 is true 15% SW foals is only marginally better than Sadler’s Wells’ overall record but what you are missing is that for Darshaan mares there is not anything better going around. Darshaan mares bred to Sadler’s Wells is at a 15% clip which compares to Darshaan mares with all other stallions which is just 5% (1965 foals for 97SW). It may only be a marginal nick for Sadler’s Wells but is a great one for Darshaan mares.

      Reply
    2. Ed Avatar
      Ed

      Hi Byron, thanks for the comment. I’m not arguing against the cross, I was just making the point that it is not outperforming to the extent that people might have thought. As for the cross being good for Darshaan mares well thats hardly a surprise considering what an exceptional stallion Sadlers Wells was. You can get similar stats for almost any other broodmare sire if you compare their Sadler’s Wells progeny against all other progeny. He wasn’t champion sire 14 times by chance, and a comparison of a c.200k covering fee against one that might be a small fraction of that is likely to be a bit one sided. I suspect that once the cross become fashionable too many under-credentialled Darshaan mares were over bred to Sadlers Wells purely because of a perceived super nick that may have been more illusory than real! Breeding to one of the greatest sires of the past two centuries will certainly increase your percentage chance of success but that doesn’t mean its the correct decision especially on a value for money basis…
      Victor

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  • 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.

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  • 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

    One response to “Binocular-difficult to forsee?”

    1. Robin Howlett Avatar
      Robin Howlett

      Great article again – but can you use paragraphs please; without them it makes things quite hard to read, either on the web site or through a feed reader. R

      Reply

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  • 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

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