Shergar (by Great Nephew) is one of the most famous names in the world of horse racing but, sadly, a large part of that recognition is due to the circumstances of his disappearance and presumed demise rather than for his brilliant 10-length winning performance in the Derby at Epsom.
He left behind just one crop of foals, a very small one by modern standards but of normal size for the time, and the stakes winners among them included the Group 1 Irish St Leger, Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Group 1 Underwood Stakes star Authaal, the colt who made 3,100,000 Irish guineas in Goffs in 1984. They also include Tashtiya, winner of the Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes, and it is her great-grandson Tribal Beat (by Street Cry) who won the Group 3 Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown on Thursday. This was a second win from six starts for the Darley-bred three-year-old and it was his first outing since he chased home Blue De Vega in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes over seven furlongs at the same venue last October. He took a six-furlong Naas maiden by five lengths just six days before that run and had been in the frame in one of his previous three starts. Street Cry, the son of Group 1 stars Machiavellian (by Mr Prospector) and Helen Street (by Troy), was a full-brother to Helsinki, the stakes-placed dam of classic star and Kildangan Stud stallion Shamardal (by Giant's Causeway), who got his 100th individual stakes winner on Sunday. Street Cry won the Group 1 Dubai World Cup and Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap in 2002, spent his career as a star member of the team at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky, and also shuttled to Australia. His progeny include the outstanding fillies Zenyatta and Winx, the Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Melbourne Cup hero Shocking, and many others of note, and he was recently and posthumously crowned Australian champion sire for 2015/16.
Tribal Beat is the third foal out of Tashelka (by Mujahid), whom Andre Fabre trained to win the Group 3 Prix de la Nonette and Group 3 Prix Fille de l'Air, and that makes him a half-brother to the high-class grey Tasaday (by Nayef) whose career earnings came to just short of £500,000.
She began her career with Fabre, was an unbeaten winner of the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs as a juvenile, was third to Flotilla in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) the following spring, and then won both the Group 3 Prix de Psyche and Group 2 Prix de la Nonette. She then joined the Godolphin team, won listed races at Meydan and York, and was third behind Tapestry in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks. Tasaday's first foal is a Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) colt who arrived at the end of February. Tashelka had a filly by that same sire last year and her two-year-old is a colt who has been named Silver River (by Tamayuz). The best of Tashelka's siblings is Tashkandi (by Polish Precedent), who beat King's Drama easily in a mile listed contest at Chantilly shortly before taking third behind Vespone in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over a furlong farther at the same venue. He was only beaten by a short-neck when runner-up to Special Kaldoun in the Group 3 Prix Messidor the following month, was then off the track for nearly two years and went on to win several times over hurdles. Their dam, Tashiriya (by Kenmare), earned her blacktype when runner-up in the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux and she was the best of several winners out of the aforementioned Tashtiya. As one might expect of a daughter of Shergar, Tashtiya has plenty of notable relations. Her siblings include the pattern scorers Tassmoun (by Kalamoun) and Tashkourgan (by Shardari), and two fillies who won listed races, but the most striking thing about her immediate relations is the number of stakes and pattern winners who descend from several of her sisters. Listed scorer Talaja (by Kalamoun) is the dam of Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot winner Tiangar (by Last Tycoon) and of listed scorer Taboushkan (by Posse). Tarafa (by Akarad) is the grandam of pattern-placed stakes winner Tarakala (by Dr Fong) and third dam of the similarly talented Tarana (by Cape Cross), and Taysha (by Habitat) did her bit for the family by become the dam of a listed race winner in Italy. Tarikhana (by Mouktar) is the stakes-winning dam of Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak winner and Group 1 Prix du Cadran runner-up Tiraaz (by Lear Fan) and she is the grandam of the strikingly different Piccadilly Filly (by Exceed And Excel), a five-furlong listed scorer who was beaten by a short-neck in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene and finished third, at 100/1, behind Sole Power in the 2010 edition of the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes. Then there's the considerable contribution made by Takrana (by Misti IV) and Tadkiyra (by Darshaan). The former is the grandam of classic-placed pattern scorer Tarwiya (by Dominion) and of ill-fated Group 3 Norfolk Stakes winner Blue Dakota (by Namid), and her descendants also include the Group 1 stars Gilt Edge Girl (by Monsieur Bond) and Arcano (by Oasis Dream), Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Godfrey Street (by Compton Place) and this year's Group 2 Curragh Cup scorer Sword Fighter (by Galileo). Tadkiyra, on the other hand, is the dam of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes heroine Damson (by Entrepreneur) and of Group 3 Prestige Stakes winner Geminiani (by King Of Kings), and the former is, in turn, the dam of juvenile Group 2 scorer and current freshman sire Requinto (by Dansili). The first progeny of that young Coolmore Stud stallion include the thrice-raced dual winner Broken Stones, who was third in last month's Group 2 Arqana July Stakes at Newmarket. There is plenty more talent to be found if you go back further in the family as Tremogia (by Silver Shark), the unraced fourth dam of Tribal Beat, was out of the classic-placed Prix Saint-Alary heroine Tonnera (by Wild Risk) and she, in turn, was a daughter of the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp winner and King's Stand Stakes runner-up Texana (by Relic). Tribal Beat is trained by Jim Bolger and he carries the famous Godolphin colours. Both his sire and half-sister stayed 10 furlongs, which makes it possible that the distance could be within his compass too, although the amount of speed he showed over six furlongs at Naas in October could indicate that the mile over which he won last week may be more to his liking. Top-class miler Canford Cliffs (by Tagula) has been represented by four individual stakes winners from his first crop and, although his runners also include the dual classic-placed filly Harlequeen (dam by Rainbow Quest), he is awaiting the emergence of his first Group 1-winning son or daughter.
Only one of the blacktype wins has come in 2016, which is a bit surprising given the promising start he made as a freshman, and that was the Group 3 L'Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes victory of Al Jazi at Goodwood just over two weeks ago. Like last year's Group 3 Balanchine Stakes winner Most Beautiful, she is out of a daughter of Cape Cross (by Green Desert). The third of Canford Cliffs's pattern winners is 2015's Group 2 Railway Stakes scorer Painted Cliffs (dam by Kyllachy) and his other blacktype winner is Aktoria (dam by Zafonic), who took the Listed Prix Six Perfections over seven furlongs at Deauville 12 months ago. Al Jazi is inbred 4x4 to Lyphard (by Northern Dancer), she was bred by Skymarc Farm, made €160,000 as Lot 1 in the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale, is trained in France by Francois Rohaut and carries the famous Al Shaqab Racing colours. She made a winning debut over six furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte as a juvenile and earned her first piece of blacktype when third in a mile listed contest at Toulouse in April. She won over a mile on heavy ground in May and missed out on blacktype by just a head when fourth in a seven furlong contest in early July, both at Maisons-Laffitte, before crossing the channel to beat Mise En Rose by one and three-quarter lengths on fast ground at Goodwood. This was not a strong Group 3 contest, but no matter how the rest of her career turns out, this filly will go to the paddocks as a pattern winner. That is an attribute that boosts her prospects of going to highly ranked stallions and it will add to the appeal of any of her future progeny that might go through the sales ring. Al Jazi is a half-sister to Rime A Rien (by Amadeus Wolf), who was placed in a listed contest over five furlongs at Deauville as a juvenile and is the dam of both a two-year-old colt named Beau Joueur (by Kendargent) and a Kyllachy (by Pivotal) filly that is catalogued as Lot 278 in the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Her two-year-old half-sister Methyar (by High Chaparral) cost Al Shaqab Racing €200,000 at Deauville 12 months ago and her dam had a Champs Elysees (by Danehill) filly last year. That mare is Rainbow Crossing (by Cape Cross), a seven-furlong Gowran Park maiden winner when trained in Ireland as a juvenile and later a dual mile stakes-placed runner in France who rounded off her career with victory in a nine and a half furlong listed contest on the all-weather track at Deauville. She is the only winner among seven foals out of Group 3 Debutante Stakes scorer Rainbows For All (by Rainbows For Life) and that mare is, in turn, the best of eight successful runners out of an unraced mare called Maura's Guest (by Be My Guest). Those siblings include the Grade 3-placed four-time scorer Ray of Sunshine (by Rainbows For Life), two listed-placed horses and also Emly Express (by High Estate), a one-time scorer whose offspring include the stakes-placed sprint handicapper Damika (by Namid): he notched-up 11 wins. These are the highlights of the first three generations of Al Jazi's pedigree, but there is also plenty in the fourth generation that catches the eye, with branches that lead to some notably talented performers, including several with Group 1 form. The fourth dam of Al Jazi is Gay Apparel (by Up Spirits) and she was among the leading juvenile fillies in Canada in 1977. A full-sister to the multiple stakes winners Le Cambrioleur and Brief Escar, she was also a half-sister to Chaleur (by Rouge Sang). Also a leading Canadian juvenile, Chaleur went on to become a notably successful broodmare. Her progeny include the prolific Japanese blacktype scorer Sugino Hayakaze (by Diesis), Group 1-placed triple pattern winner Bog Trotter (by Irish River), dual stakes winner Ice Trick (by Icecapade), and also Poteen (by Irish River), a stakes winner who was placed in the Group 1 2000 Guineas, Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and Group 1 Racing Post Trophy. But back to Gay Apparel, the dam of Italian pattern scorers Bold Apparel (by Bold Forbes) and Conte Grimaldi (by Astronef), of pattern-placed stakes winner Cedrico (by Kings Lake), and of the mares from whom a variety of talented runners descend. Basilea (by Frere Basile), for example, is the dam of Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner and Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) runner-up Pont-Aven (by Try My Best), and that makes her the grandam of the Group 2 scorers Sainte Marine (by Kenmare) and Josr Algarhoud (by Darshaan) and third dam of the dual Group 2 International Bosphorus Cup winner Indian Days (by Daylami), who retired to stud in Turkey. Gale Warning (by Last Tycoon), on the other hand, is the grandam of Group 1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Lily Of The Valley (by Galileo) and of Mubtaahij (by Dubawi), the eight-length Group 2 UAE Derby winner who was runner-up to California Chrome in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March. On his first start since then, the colt was third to Effinex in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park last month. Basilea and Gale Warning's descendants are remotely connected to Al Jazi, a filly whose racing record is somewhat similar to that of her dam and grandam. It will be interesting to see how the rest of her career goes, both on the track and at stud.
Last year, in an article titled 'Ribchester could have classic potential', I stated: “...he is a colt who has the potential to stay a mile, to become a Group 1 contender, and who may have a stallion career in his future.”
Now, almost 11 months later, the Richard Fahey-trained bay is well-known as being the classic-placed colt who took the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville on Sunday. Ribchester is by the sire of Wootton Bassett (by Iffraaj) - the Group 1-winning Haras d'Etreham stallion whose first-crop son Almanzor today added the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano – Haras du Logis Saint-Germain to his earlier success in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) - and he comes from the famous Fall Aspen (by Pretense) family, which all but guarantees that this top-class colt will get plenty of attention and a top home as a stallion whenever his racing career comes to a close. Bred by Andrew Thompson and Mike O'Brien, the colt made €78,000 in Goffs as a foal and, when he returned to that venue the following autumn, made €105,000 at that company's famous Orby Sale. He was runner-up in a Doncaster maiden on his debut, then chased home Ajaya in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York, and was bought by Godolphin before winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. He was second past the post in the Group 3 Prix Djebel over seven furlongs on heavy ground at Maisons-Laffitte on his seasonal reappearance, but was relegated to fifth following an enquiry. Surprisingly, he seemed to be something of a forgotten horse when lining up for the Group 1 Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket just over three weeks later, but he belief his 33/1 starting price to take third behind Galileo Gold and Massaat. The Group 3 Jersey Stakes was an obvious target after this fine effort and, again, he was generously priced, paying out at 7/1 after his two and a quarter-length defeat of Thikriyaat. His performance at Goodwood last month, however, represented a step forward and the impression he created in the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes was that, by the end of the year, it was potentially he who could take the crown as the season's top three-year-old miler. The Gurkha won by a neck from Galileo Gold, but Ribchester was running on strongly, finishing just a short-head back in third and looking as though victory could have been his in just a few more strides. There was, therefore, no surprise that he won the feature race at Deauville on Sunday, beating Vadamos by half a length and with last year's classic heroine Ervedya another one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
A triple seven-furlong Group 2 scorer who was only beaten by a head when runner-up to Les Arcs in the Group 1 July Cup over six, Iffraaj (by Zafonic) is a Darley stallion and he represents the Gone West branch of the Mr Prospector (by Raise A Native) line.
He stood at Kildangan Stud in Ireland until moving to Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket in 2015 and, in addition to the aforementioned Wootton Bassett (dam by Primo Dominie), he has been represented by the Australian Group 1 and New Zealand classic star Turn Me Loose (dam by Danehill), the Italian Group 1 scorer Benvenue (dam by Be My Guest), and the top-class fillies Chriselliam (dam by Danehill) and Rizeena (dam by Statute Of Liberty). The former was the juvenile filly champion of 2013 when she beat Rizeena by a length in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket and then stormed home by two and a half lengths in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf over the same trip at Santa Anita. The Ballylinch Stud-bred and Charles Hills-trained bay was regarded as being a major classic contender, but, tragically, complications from a foot infection cost her her life just three months after her American success. The Clive Brittain-trained and Roundhill Stud-bred Rizeena, who had won the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes before that Newmarket defeat, went on to take the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Ascot, chased home Integral in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, was a half-length runner-up to Fiesolana in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, and runner-up to Amazing Maria in last year's Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Ascot. Iffraaj's tally of 38 stakes winners also included the classic-placed New Zealand Group 2 scorers Fix (dam by Danehill) and Serena Miss (dam by More Than Ready), and the Group 1-placed Group 2 Temple Stakes winner Hot Streak (dam by Housebuster), who has completed his first season at Tweenhills Farm & Stud in Gloucestershire. Ribchester is the first foal out of Mujarah (by Marju). His half-brother Golconda Prince (by Arcano), who made €39,000 in Goffs as a foal and 85,000gns from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, is also trained by Fahey and he finished third in a seven-furlong novice event on his debut at Catterick 13 days ago. The mare has no yearling but she had a Raven's Pass (by Elusive Quality) filly in early March of this year. Mujarah ran five times in England, from eight to 12 furlongs, but showed little aptitude and was beaten by a total of 96 lengths. Her half-brother Tactic (by Sadler's Wells) won the Group 3 Curragh Cup and her stakes-placed half-sister Zahoo (by Nayef) is the dam of the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes winner Convergence (by Cape Cross), so there was certainly no suggestion that she might represent a weakening branch of her famous family. There was always the chance that she might compensate at stud for her failure on the track. Last year her half-sister Yaazy (by Teofilo) won a listed contest in France and was placed in both the Group 3 Prix Minerve and Group 2 Prix de Mallaret from just a handful of starts. Another member of the family hit the headlines again on Saturday with a major win on the international circuit, and there is also a recent Irish blacktype scorer on the page.
Tanaghum (by Darshaan), the grandam of Ribchester, was listed-placed at Ascot, she is a half-sister to the Group 2 Premio Lydia Tesio scorer Najah (by Nashwan), and she is out of Mehthaaf (by Nureyev), the white-faced bay who won the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh in 1994.
That Shadwell-homebred was trained by John Dunlop, she also won the Group 2 Celebration Mile and the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, and the races in which she was placed included the Group 1 Coronation Stakes, Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, and Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. On her final start, she finished fourth in a five-way finish for the Group 1 Dubai Champion Stakes at Newmarket, beaten a by short-head, a neck and a head by Dernier Empereur, Grand Lodge and Muhtarram, and with Hatoof a neck back in fifth. Mehthaaf was the best daughter of the Group 2 Prix d'Astarte winner Elle Seule (by Exclusive Native) and the best of her brothers was Group 1 July Cup hero and long-time Derrinstown Stud stallion Elnadim (by Danzig). His stakes-winning offspring include the mile Group 1 scorer Culminate and also Elletelle, the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes heroine who died young but left us with the dual Group 1 star and young Australian-based stallion Adelaide (by Galileo). Elnadim's full-sister Ashraakat was a listed race winner and their blacktype siblings also include the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Khulood (by Storm Cat). That chestnut also won the Listed Oh So Sharp Stakes and was runner-up in a Group 3 sprint at York, and the best of her progeny is the Dermot Weld-trained three-year-old Adool (by Teofilo). Also owned and bred by Hamdan Al Maktoum, that chestnut filly made a winning debut over 10 furlongs at Fairyhouse in early June, showed considerable potential when taking third to the older colts Decorated Knight and Portage in the Group 3 Meld Stakes the following month, and won the Listed Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Hurry Harriet Stakes over nine and a half furlongs at Gowran Park five days ago. She holds entries in several pattern events. Only Seule (by Lyphard) won once as a two-year-old, she too is out of Elle Seule, and the better of her two stakes-winning progeny is the French champion Occupandiste (by Kaldoun), winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret and Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. That star is, in turn, the dam of Saturday's night's Grade 1 Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (by Galileo), who won the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last year before chasing home Tepin in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, and she is also responsible for three other stakes winners, most notably Impressionnante (by Danehill). That high-class miler won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham, she was runner-up in both the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) and Group 1 Prix d'Astarte, and her classic-winning son Intello (by Galileo) has his first yearlings on offer now. They include a €360,000 filly (out of Platonic, by Zafonic) and a €320,000 colt (out of Nuit Polaire, by Kheleyf) sold at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale, which started yesterday. Intello won the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), Group 3 Prix du Prince d'Orange and Group 3 Prix Messidor, he was third in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) and Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, and he has completed a first season at Haras du Quesnay after two spent at Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket. These are the highlights of the first four generations of Ribchester's pedigree but, as is well known, there is considerably more depth to the family, because the fifth dam is Fall Aspen. She won the Grade 1 Matron Stakes in 1978 and became one of the most celebrated broodmares of the modern era. Northern Aspen (by Northern Dancer) won the Grade 1 Gamely Handicap, Hamas (by Danzig) won the Group 1 July Cup and sired stakes winners without making an impact, and Timber Country (by Woodman) was a US juvenile champion and Grade 1 Preakness Stakes hero who got winners at all levels including US Grade 1 scorer Baletto and Japanese multiple Group 1 star Admire Don. Fort Wood (by Sadler's Wells) won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris before going on to become a major sire in South Africa, and Bianconi (by Danzig), who won the Group 2 Diadem Stakes, also sired winners at the highest level. Unraced filly Dance of Leaves (by Sadler's Wells) produced Group 1 scorer Medaaly (by Highest Honor) and Group 1-placed Group 2-winning miler Charnwood Forest (by Warning), the latter a stallion who died young but left us with the mile Group 1 scorer Firebreak. And then there's Colorado Dancer (by Shareef Dancer), the Group 2 Prix de Pomone winner and Group 1 Prix Vermeille third who gave us the Timeform 140-rated superstar Dubai Millennium (by Seeking The Gold), sire of the phenomenal Dalham Hall Stud stallion Dubawi. Ribchester represents a branch of one of the most famous families in the stud book and he is a classic-placed Group 1-winning son of a stallion whose first sire son has got a classic star in his first crop. His entries include the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by Qipco, to be run at Ascot in mid-October, and he looks sure to be a very popular addition to the stallion ranks when the time comes.
It may seem hard to believe now, especially to those who have only been a part of the industry since the turn of the century, but there was a time when there was doubt about the potential of Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) to leave a lasting legacy.
Even when Salsabil swept the Group 1 classic treble of 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Irish Derby, for example, there were some who claimed that he was not a good sire of fillies, and as the 1990s were coming to an end there were more of his sons disappointing at stud than were succeeding, and it seemed that only In The Wings had a shot at extending the male line in this part of the world, with Fort Wood potentially doing it in South Africa and El Prado in the USA. In The Wings was his sire's best stallion son in Europe, but as we now know, all of his achievements at stud have been overtaken by Montjeu and Galileo. The former, one of the world's leading sires of Derby-type horses, has a few sons who are getting Group 1 horses, but it is unclear if his male line might extend much further. Galileo, on the other hand, is forging a dynasty and is arguably an even greater progenitor than was Sadler's Wells, something that most, if not all, of who those were around the for entirety of his career did not expect to see in their lifetimes. Galileo and Montjeu are more current than In The Wings, who died in 2004, and so may more easily come to mind in discussions of the impact of Sadler's Wells's stallion sons in this part of the world, but he remains one of his sire's most successful and influential representatives. He has not had many stallion sons, and most of them have sired at least one stakes or pattern winner, but the Group 1 stars Singspiel, Adlerflug and Soldier Hollow have excelled at stud. The first-named failed to get an important stallion son, leaving his influence to be carried on via his daughters, but the other pair are German-based stallions of note, albeit still at somewhat early stages of their careers. Adlerflug, who comes from the family of Galileo and Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross), stands at Gestüt Harzburg and his eldest progeny are five years old. His early standouts include Group 1 star and likely future sire Ito; the Group 2-winning colt Iquitos, who was a close fourth to Elliptique in a Group 1 event at Munich recently; Group 1-placed pattern-winning filly Wunder; and several other blacktype scorers. Soldier Hollow, who is a few years older, began his career at Gestüt Röttgen, he is a member of the team at Gestüt Auenquelle since 2011, and he got his third Group 1 winner when Serienholde took the Group 1 Henkel Preis der Diana (German Oaks) over 11 furlongs at Düsseldorf on Sunday. Gestüt Wittekindshof's lightly-raced filly is trained by Andreas Wöhler.
One of 17 stakes winners for her sire, she joins the triple Group 1 stars Ivanhowe and Pastorius at the top of his roll of honour. The first-named has raced in several countries, runs under Our Ivanhowe in Australia, and was most recently in action when taking the 10-furlong Group 1 Doomben Cup in May. Group 1 Deutsches Derby hero Pastorius, on the other hand, stands at Gestüt Fährhof and will have some of his first progeny on offer during newly starting yearling sales season.
Serienholde is out of the Listed Diana-Trial runner-up Saldenehre (by Highest Honor), and although her half-sister Serienhoehe (by High Chaparral) missed out on classic placing when fourth in the 2009 edition of the Group 1 Preis der Diana, that filly went into the race with Group 3 and listed success to her name. That sibling's first foal is the multiple winner Shining Rules (by Aussie Rules), who finished down the field in last year's Group 1 Deutsches Derby. She is also a half-sister to Serienschock (by Sholokhov). He won just once on the flat but is an effective jumper who has been a Grade 3 winner at Auteuil, listed scorer at Enghien and Cagnes-sur-Mer, and the latter, which was in January, preceded a fourth-place finish behind Thistlecrack in the Grade 1 Liverpool Stayers' Hurdle in April. Saldenehre is a daughter of the nine-furlong listed scorer Salde (by Alkalde) and that makes her a half-sister to a string of notable individuals. Saldenschwinge (by In The Wings), who is closely related to Serienholde, won the Group 3 Deutscher Stutenpreis over 12 furlongs and the Group 3 Hamburger Stutenpreis over 11, the races in which she was placed included the Group 2 Deutsches St Leger, which is over 14 furlongs, and her Markus Klug-trained son Swinging Duke (by Duke Of Marmalade) was a listed scorer over 11 furlongs at Düsseldorf in April. Salden Licht (by Fantastic Light) won a listed contest in France, Saldennahe (by Next Desert) got her listed success in Italy, Saltas (by Lomitas) was runner-up in the Group 1 Rheinland-Pokal, and Saldentigerin (by Tiger Hill) has the distinction of being both a champion on the track and the dam of one at stud. Only beaten a head when favourite for the Group 3 Premio Dormello as a juvenile, Saldentigerin kicked off her classic campaign with listed success over 11 furlongs at Cologne, suffered a shock defeat by Amarette in the Group 3 Schwarzgold-Rennen a few weeks later, and then finished a three-quarter length third behind that same filly in the Group 1 Preis der Diana, a month before taking fourth (no blacktype) behind Shirocco in the Group 1 Deutsches Derby. The best of her form after that included a half-length defeat by Albanova in the Group 1 Preis von Europa and victory in the Group 3 Baden Wurttemberg-Trophy, the latter on her final start as a four-year-old. Seven years later her daughter Salomina (by Lomitas) beat subsequent Group 1 star Nymphea by three and a half lengths to take the Group 1 Preis der Diana. Saldentigerin is also the dam of the pattern-placed stakes-winning stayer Salut (by Lomitas), and her current juvenile is a colt named See The Tiger (by Sea The Stars). Salde, the grandam of Serienholde, was out of the three-times scorer Saite (by Marduk). That made her a half-sister to two listed-placed multiple winners, but two of her other siblings are of more interest. Sweet Royale (by Garde Royale), who won twice, is the dam of Group 2 Grosser Mercedes-Benz Preis scorer Sweet Wake (by Waky Nao), while four-times winner Sweet Tern (by Arctic Tern) is the dam of Group 3 Preis der Winterkönigin winner and German juvenile champion Sworn Pro (by Protektor). Sweet Tern is also responsible for Sworn Mum (by Samum), who is the stakes-placed dam of last season's Grade 3 The Ladbroke Hurdle winner and Grade 3 Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle third Sternrubin (by Authorized). His full-brother Summer Paradise was not beaten by far when fourth (no blacktype) in a Group 2 contest at Cologne last summer, but was unplaced in both the Group 1 Deutsches Derby and Group 2 Derby Italiano. Also of note is Sworn Sold (by Soldier Hollow). That dual stakes winner was unplaced in Salomina's Group 1 Preis der Diana, and her first foal is the Lawman (by Invincible Spirit) colt catalogued as Lot 318 at next week's Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale. With just a handful of runs behind her so far, it is hard to know just how good Serienholde will be when she reaches her peak, but as a Soldier Hollow filly from a top German family it would be no surprise to see her move quite a bit further up the rankings before going on to what could eventually be a notable career at stud.
With at least some degree of inbreeding to the most dominant and popular sires appearing in the first four or five generations of the pedigrees of so many leading horses, and sometimes closer than that, it is important that alternative lines emerge and develop.
It is hard for an unfashionably-bred horse to get the sort of opportunities afforded to his more regally-related cohorts, but once he has proved his worth, that should change. There are no guarantees that the flashier mates will 'click' as effectively as his supposedly lesser ones did, but if he can do at least as well with that stronger support then there is the potential for that horse to play an important role within the bloodstock industry. Linamix (by Mendez) was a striking example, but at least he had a classic-winning career of his own to help him get started. His maternal grandson Kendargent (by Kendor), on the other hand, did not win even a listed race. He was beaten by a head in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac over a mile at Chantilly as a three-year-old, which remained his only pattern placing. A month after that narrow defeat he finished fourth behind Stormy River in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over the same course and distance, but, of course, that fine effort did not count for blacktype, even though it was pretty much the highlight of his career. He took up stallion duties in 2008, and such is the reputation that this Haras de Colleville stallion has built as a blacktype sire that his fee increased from €1,000 in 2011 to €4,000 in 2012, increased again to €6,000 in 2013, and then jumped up to €15,000 in 2014. He has stood the past two seasons for €18,000. A total of 26 of his offspring have earned of blacktype, nine of those have won at listed level, and five have tasted pattern race success at least once. Restidargent (dam by Montjeu) won the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg as a juvenile and was later third in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Kendam (dam by Indian Rocket) won the Group 3 Prix Eclipse, notched-up a string of pattern placings, most notably third to star Irish gelding Gordon Lord Byron in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret, and these two fillies came from their sire's first crop. Kenhope (dam by Chato) beat Tasaday by a length in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte, chased home Sky Lantern in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes, was third to Elusive Kate in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild and fourth (no blacktype) to La Collina in the Group 1 Matron Stakes. She was also placed in the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham and in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon, and she represents his second crop. Last year's Group 3 Prix Texanita scorer Goken (dam by Indian Rocket) was only beaten by a length and a quarter when third to Profitable in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and the fifth of the Kendargent pattern winners is the Andre Fabre-trained three-year-old Jimmy Two Times. Bred by the partnership of Francis Teboul and Jean Boniche, the grey colt was stakes-placed over six furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte as a juvenile and kicked off his current campaign with a head defeat by the subsequent Group 1 star Quiet Reflection in the Group 3 Prix Sigy over the same trip on heavy ground at Chantilly in April. He tried a mile and a huge step up in class at Deauville a month later, but finished down the field behind The Gurkha. Since that outing in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas), he has run twice more at the same venue and he is due to make his next start there too. First, he easily won the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or over six and a half furlongs and then he added the Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot over a half-furlong farther. The colt is due to return to the highest level on Sunday when he tackles the Group 1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest, over the same trip as his listed race success, and his future entries include the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot in October.
He has won four of his eight starts, including that pattern victory, but although he may already have generated some interest as a prospective stallion, any wins or placings at Group 2 and Group 1 level would enhance his appeal, and as the distaff side of his pedigree could be described as being unexciting, he will need those CV enhancements.
An €85,000 Arqana Deauville October Sale graduate, Jimmy Two Times is the third foal out of Steel Woman (by Anabaa), a one-time scorer whose dam, Saperlipoupette, was both talented and prolific. The best of her seven wins came in a Group 3 contest over 11 furlongs at Hamburg, the standout effort among 17 places was her third to Lomita in the Group 2 Premio Lydia Tesio three months later, and as she is a daughter of Highest Honor, her grandson is inbred 3x4 to that horse's sire, Kenmare (by Kalamoun). He is also inbred 4x4 to Gay Mecene (by Vaguely Noble). A half-sister to the pattern-placed triple winner Barouf (by Kenmare), Saperlipoupette is out of the eight-times scorer Emmanuelle (by Margouillat). That mare's siblings included the French listed scorers Solido (by Solicitor) and Envie De Rire (by Trepan), the latter won two listed races in 1984, before crossing the Atlantic, and later achieved a career-best performance of third in the Grade 1 Ramona Handicap. Their siblings also include the dual hurdles winner Escomptee (by Roi De Rome), and what makes her noteworthy is that she is the grandam of 2015's Grade 3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle scorer Qualando (by Lando). With all of this taken into consideration, it would appear likely that Jimmy Two Times owes his speed to his sire, Kendargent, and to his broodmare sire, Anabaa (by Danzig). It remains to be seen just how good he is, but he appears to be a highly talented young sprinter who is on the upgrade. |
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