Epsom Icon represents a branch of a famous family

EPSOM ICON (GB) - 2013 bay filly

Norman Court Stud stallion Sixties Icon (by Galileo) has had a good run recently with Grade 2 success at Santa Anita for Nancy From Nairobi in early May and then a European blacktype double on a single afternoon this month. Czabo won a listed contest at Deauville just after Epsom Icon took the Group 3 Investec Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom.

The latter, who won the Listed Denford Stud Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury as a juvenile, is one of a career total of six stakes winners for her sire, a figure that looks sure to rise a lot in the coming seasons.

The three-year-old was bred by the stud, as were Nancy From Nairobi, Czabo and Chilworth Icon, she is trained by Mick Channon, and she is entered in both Wednesday's Listed Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot and in next month's Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes at the Curragh.

Epsom Icon was Lot 3 in the 2014 Tattersalls December Sale in Newmarket but failed to meet her reserve and was led out unsold at just 9,500gns. She is the second foal out of the four-times sprint winner Hairspray (by Bahamian Bounty), that mare is a full-sister to a winning plater and a half-sister to several other successful runners. Those include the 81-rated six and eight-furlong scorer Watneya (by Dubawi) and also Medieval (by Kodiac), a Paul Cole-trained colt who made a winning debut at Newbury last month and is available at around 20/1 for Tuesday's Group 2 Coventry Stakes.

They are all out of a one-time scorer called Quickstyx (by Night Shift), who retired rated just 63, and although this family has strong roots, this branch is a weak one, which adds to the amount of credit due to Sixties Icon.

Red Bouquet (by Reference Point), the third dam of Epsom Icon, won three times in Germany before going on to a notably successful career at stud. Seven of her eight foals made it to the racetrack, six of them won, and they included the Grade 1-placed stakes winner Red Fort (by Green Desert) and also Red Carnation (by Polar Falcon), the stakes-winning dam of Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes winner and Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes third Legendary (by Exceed And Excel).

As you might imagine of a mare by the ill-fated Derby and St Leger hero Reference Point (by Mill Reef), she comes from a top family and the best of her siblings is Red Camellia (by Polar Falcon), the Group 3 Prestige Stakes winner who was third in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 1000 Guineas) before becoming the dam of the Group 1-winning miler Red Bloom (by Selkirk). She is also the dam of the listed scorer Red Gala (by Sinndar) and grandam of Thanksfortellingme (by Notnowcato), an unbeaten juvenile mile stakes winner last season for the Ralph Beckett stable.

Red Camellia and Red Bouquet are also half-sisters to Red Azalea (by Shirley Heights), the dual winning grandam of Group 3 Select Stakes scorer Red Badge (by Captain Rio), and they are out of Cerise Bouquet (by Mummy's Bet), a half-sister to the Group 1 stars Ibn Bey (by Mill Reef) and Roseate Tern (by Blakeney).

Ibn Bey notched-up 10 wins that included the Group 1 Irish St Leger, Group 1 Gran Premio d'Italia, Group 1 Preis von Europa and Group 1 Grosse Preis der Berliner Bank. He also won the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville, Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil and Group 2 Geoffrey Freer Stakes, he was runner-up in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic and in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, and he was third in both the Group 1 Prix Ganay and Group 1 Coronation Cup. He spent his stallion career in Japan, failed to make an impact in that role, retired from service in 2007 and died five years later, at the age of 28.

Roseate Tern won the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, finished third in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, and was promoted to the runners-up spot in the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom following the eventual disqualification of Aliysa who has passed the post three lengths clear. Snow Bride, who was a short-head in front of Roseate Tern, and who later became the dam of Derby hero Lammtarra, was awarded the race.

Roseate Tern also won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes and the Group 3 Lancashire Oaks, and the best of her progeny is the Group 1-placed dual 10-furlong stakes winner Esloob (by Diesis). Her daughter Siyadah (by Mr Prospector) also won the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket and that filly is now the grandam of Full Rose (by Aqlaam), the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas heroine of 2015.

If you go back further you find that Rosia Bay (by High Top), the fifth dam of Epsom Icon, was a half-sister to the top-class gelding Teleprompter (by Welsh Pageant), to Group 3 scorer Chatoyant (by Rainbow Quest) and also to Selection Board (by Welsh Pageant), the mare who gave us the prolific Group 1 star Ouija Board (by Cape Cross), a champion also famous as being the dam of Derby hero Australia (by Galileo).

The relationship of Epsom Icon to the Group 1 stars in her family ranges from distant to remote. She was raised to a mark of 105 after her latest success, so still has a long way to go if she is to be up to winning at higher levels, but she is improving and talented and is now very valuable as a potential broodmare.