Green Desert forged one of two powerful branches of the Danzig (by Northern Dancer) sire line and there are early signs that three divisions of the late Nunnery Stud’s line may be emerging. Right now it is the Invincible Spirit offshoot that is strongest, while the Oasis Dream one is yielding blacktype sires with, as yet, just one standout among them. This may change.

The third one is more of a bud, but we may be talking about a Cape Cross branch in the next decade.

Timeform 140-rated Sea The Stars, his most brilliant son, is one of Europe’s leading sires – and has young stallion sons of his own – Awtaad (foals) and Golden Horn (yearlings) are in early stages of their stud careers, Guignol is likely to be a new sire for 2019, and the other pattern winners backing up those Group 1 aces include Group 2 scorer Moohaajim who is off the mark this year with his first juveniles.

Narrow conqueror of Storm The Stars in an eight-and-a-half-furlong Nottingham maiden on his only start at two, Golden Horn went on to become a European champion at three, earning a Timeform rating of 134 and their Horse of the Year accolade.
​
He kicked off that campaign with victory in the Listed Feilden Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket, followed-up with an impressive defeat of Jack Hobbs in the Group 2 Dante Stakes over the extended 10 furlongs at York, and then became the subject of usual debate at that time of the year: would this exciting colt stay the Derby distance?

In my May 2015 analysis in The Irish Field, titled “Golden Horn bred to stay Derby distance”, I noted the speed elements of his pedigree that were leading many to think he would not last the distance, but also pointed out the strong middle-distance aspects of his pedigree, its “record when it comes to producing horses who can be effective at around a mile and a half.”

His unraced dam, Fleche D’Or (by Dubai Destination), is a half-sister to Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner and Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes runner-up Rebecca Sharp (by Machiavellian), but the middle-distance stakes winners Mystic Knight (by Caerleon) and Hidden Hope (by Daylami) are close-up too, and a three-parts sister to the dam of Golden Horn was a multiple winner at around 12 furlongs.

I closed the piece by saying: “There are, of course, no guarantees when it comes to pedigrees, and it is entirely possible that Golden Horn could come cruising two out at Epsom only to falter when his stamina is put to the test. But, his pedigree lengthens the odds of that scenario unfolding, and if he really is the horse he looked to be that day at York, then Golden Horn could be one of the brightest stars of 2015.”

He beat Jack Hobbs by farther at Epsom than he had done at York, and while that rival went to Ireland to take the Irish Derby, his dual conqueror dropped back to 10 furlongs to beat The Grey Gatsby in style in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

His neck defeat by Arabian Queen at York was a shock and a long way below his form, but he bounced back to beat Found in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes before taking the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by two lengths from Flintshire, and then losing out by half a length to his Leopardstown victim in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.

There are no stallions evident in the first three generations of his family – the best winners have all been fillies or geldings – but he is a top-class son of a leading Green Desert stallion, he is by the sire of outstanding racehorse and stallion Sea The Stars, and there is an eye-catching mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree.

Golden Horn’s better two-year-olds are likely to be seen out in the second half of the season, with some of them being blacktype horses, but his strongest record promises to be with three-year-olds and older horses. Depending on whether it is the speed or stamina elements of both their sire’s and dam’s pedigree that his offspring get, it can be expected that some will be milers, while others will prove most effective at middle-distances, and some may stay farther – covering the full classic range.

Golden Horn stands at Dalham Hall Stud and there were 84 foals in his first crop.

GOLDEN HORN (GB) - b.2012 - Cape Cross - Fleche d’Or, 7 wins inc Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1), Derby (Gr1), Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Gr1), Qipco Irish Champion Stakes (Gr1), Dante Stakes (Gr2) Fielden Stakes (L), 2nd Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1), Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr1). Sire in England. First foals in 2017.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED
Bc - Alta Lilea (by Galileo)     Arqana     August     €200,000
Bc - Astonishing (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     550,000gns
Bc - Bella Lulu (by Iffraaj)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Biz Bar (by Tobougg)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Brc - Candle Lit (by Duke Of Marmalade)     Goffs     October     €17,000
Bc - Delizia (by Dark Angel)     Tattersalls     October     110,000gns
Bf - Discreet Brief (by Darshaan)     Goffs     October     €170,000
Bc - Divisimo (by Dansili)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bc - Dorcas Lane (by Norse Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     52,000gns
Bc - Faslen (by Fasliyev)     Tattersalls     October     
Bf - Festoso (by Diesis)     Tattersalls     October     
Bf - First Fleet (by Woodman)     Arqana     August     €200,000
Bf - Free Rein (by Dansili)     Tattersalls     October     
Bf - Gaze (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     
Bc - Gwael (by A.P. Indy)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Bf - Hikari (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     150,000gns (p/s)
Bf - Iowa Falls (by Dansili)     Arqana     August     not sold
Bc - Karpina (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     October     
Bc - La Dorotea (by Lope De Vega)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Bf - Lady Penko (by Archipenko)     Tattersalls     October     80,000gns (p/s)
Brc - Liber Nauticus (by Azamour)     Tattersalls     October     75,000gns
Bf - Longing To Dance (by Danehill Dancer)     Arqana     August     €170,000
Bf - Lovely Pass (by Raven’s Pass)     Tattersalls     October     150,000gns
Bf - Molly Malone (by Lomitas)     Arqana     August     not sold
Bf - Morzine (by Miswaki)     Tattersalls     October     
Bc - Night Frolic (by Night Shift)     Tattersalls     October     300,000gns
Bf - Nina Celebre (by Peintre Celebre)     Tattersalls     October     130,000gns
Brc - Ninfea (by Selkirk)     Baden-Baden     August     €205,000
Bc - Polarized (by Medicean)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Bc - Polly’s Mark (by Mark Of Esteem)     Tattersalls     October     220,000gns
Bf - Prima Luce (by Galileo)     Goffs     October     withdrawn
Bf - Quezon Sun (by Monsun)     Arqana     August     €200,000
Bf - Rose Et Noire (by Dansili)     Arqana     October     ​
Grf - Sayfoonisa (by Azamour)     Arqana     August     €32,000
Grc - Screen Star (by Tobougg)     Tattersalls     October     210,000gns
Bc - Sefroua (by Kingmambo)     Arqana     August     not sold
Bf - Simonetta (by Lil’s Boy)     Tatts IRE     September     €78,000
Bc - Snow Pine (by Dalakhani)     Tattersalls     October     280,000gns
Bc - Steel Princess (by Danehill)     Tattersalls     October     100,000gns
Bc - Time Being (by Zamindar)     Tattersalls     October     220,000gns
Bc - What A Picture (by Peintre Celebre)     Tattersalls     October     ​withdrawn

A son of the Group 1-winning miler and leading sire Cape Cross (by Green Desert), whose stallion sons feature Sea The Stars, Moohaajim was a leading sprint juvenile who finished third to Olympic Glory in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes first out at three and was not seen out again after finishing down the field behind Dawn Approach in the Group 1 2000 Guineas.

Timeform rated him 116p at two after he won the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes and had been beaten by just a neck when runner-up to Reckless Abandon in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, his grandam won the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes at that age.

He covered 62 mares in his first season at Rathbarry Stud and his first foals made up to €56,000.

In addition to that pattern success, Theoretically (by Theatrical) was placed in both the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, and she is the dam of the US Grade 3 scorer Niagara Causeway (by Giant's Causeway).

The third dam of Moohaajim is an unraced mare called Aspern (by Riverman), her five blacktype progeny also included the Group 1 Prix Lupin winner and Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) third Cudas (by Seattle Song), and her descendants include the Argentine-bred Grade 1 scorer Pataques (by Catcher In The Rye) and a couple of Brazilian Grade 2 winners.

Her half-brother Vilagro (by Targowice) was a big winner in Belgium, but her half-sister Princess Kathy (by Luthier) is more notable even though she was only stakes placed. That is because she became the dam of the dual Group 2 Prix de l'Opera winner Athyka (by Secretariat) and she is the grandam of both the classic-placed Grade 1 scorer Atticus (by Nureyev) and of Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Dubai Surprise (by King's Best).

There are various other blacktype horses to be found within these first four generations of the pedigree, but nothing that gives us any additional clues as to how Moohaajim might fare as a stallion. He looks a likely candidate to get winners at all ages, mostly sprinters and milers.

MOOHAAJIM (IRE) – b.2010 – Cape Cross – Thiella, 2 wins inc Mill Reef Stakes (Gr2), 2nd Middle Park Stakes (Gr1), 3rd Greenham Stakes (Gr3). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2016.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED:
bc - Alhena (by Alhaarth)     Goffs UK     Aug     £55,000
bc - April Green (by Green Tune)     Tattersalls     Nov     not sold
bc - Bahati (by Intikhab)     Goffs UK     Aug     £85,000
bc - Barracade (by Barathea)     Tattersalls     Oct     55,000gns
​bc - Cheherazad (by Elusive City)     Goffs     Feb     €26,000
bc - Cheherazad (by Elusive City)     Goffs UK     Aug     £27,000
bc - Double Precedent (by Polish Precedent)     Goffs     Sept     €35,000
brf - Easee On (by Hawk Wing)     Goffs     Oct     €1,000 (p/s)
bf - Fine Prospect (by Namid)     Goffs     Oct     €5,500
​bf - Fruits Of Our Love (by Zebedee)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
​bc - Gracilia (by Anabaa)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bc - Hatria (by Royal Applause)     Goffs     Feb     not sold
bc - Hatria (by Royal Applause)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bf - Make Amends (by Indian Ridge)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €8,000
​bc - Nectar Grey (by Mastercraftsman)     SGA     Sept     €12,000
brc - Nellie Forbush (by Phoenix Reach)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
brc - Nellie Forbush (by Phoenix Reach)     Goffs     Oct      €16,000
bc - Omanome (by Acclamation)     Goffs UK     Aug     £30,000
bc - Pandoras Secret (by Monashee Mountain)     Goffs     Feb     withdrawn
bc - Pandoras Secret (by Monashee Mountain)     Goffs     Sept     ​​€12,000
bc - Piece Unique (by Barathea)     Goffs     Oct     €15,000
bf - Poker Hospital (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Goffs     Oct     €2,500
bf - Red Japonica (by Daylami)     Tattersalls     Oct     32,000gns
bf - Scarlet Rosefinch (by Cockney Rebel)     Goffs     Feb     €6,000
bf - Scarlet Rosefinch (by Cockney Rebel)     Goffs UK     Aug     ​£3,000
bf - Shehira (by Sendawar)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €7,000
bc - Shirley Blake (by Acclamation)     Tattersalls     Oct     60,000gns
bf - Sunlit Romance (by Hernando)     Goffs     Feb     withdrawn

Jet Away is among the best bred horses at stud, but this Timeform 118-rated son of Cape Cross (by Green Desert) is standing as a National Hunt stallion and so will have few representatives appearing on the track over the next few years.

He stands at Arctic Tack Stud in Co Wexford, he covered 180 mares in his first season and his first foals made up to €26,000.

He is by the sire of Sea The Stars and Golden Horn, his unraced dam, Kalima (by Kahyasi), is an unraced full-sister sister to two stakes winners, and that pair are Arrive and the phenomenal Hasili.

​Arrive won the Listed Bahrain Trophy and she is the dam of Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Promising Lead (by Danehill). She is also responsible for the Grade 1-placed dual pattern scorer Visit (by Oasis Dream) and she is the grandam of the Group 3 Autumn Stakes winner Commemorative (by Zamindar).

Hasili, of course, is not only the dam of the Group/Grade 1 stars Banks Hill (by Danehill), Cacique (by Danehill), Champs Elysees (by Danehill), Heat Haze (by Green Desert) and Intercontinental (by Danehill), but also of the Group 1-placed pattern scorer Deluxe (by Storm Cat) and of the multiple Group 1-placed Group 2 miler Dansili (by Danehill). The latter is one of the best sires around and his early stallion sons having been doing well.

Cacique has sired Group 1 winners, Champs Elysees has sired pattern winners, and Banks Hill is the dam of the Breeders' Cup-placed Group 1 star Romantica (by Galileo) and of the Group 2-placed multiple stakes winner Ideal World (by Kingmambo). That horse has made a promising start to his stallion career in South Africa where his progeny include the multiple Grade 1 heroine Smart Call.

Others produced from siblings of Kalima include the Grade 1 star and classic sire Leroidesanimaux (by Candy Stripes). Kerali (by High Line), the winning grandam of Jet Away, was out of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Sookera (by Roberto), which made her a half-sister to the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes scorer So Factual (by Known Fact).

There are many others of note within the branches of these first three generations of the pedigree. Jet Away is an exceptionally well-bred horse and this 10-furlong Group 3 scorer is one of the most interesting stallions to retire directly to a National Hunt stud in recent years.

JET AWAY (GB) – b.2007 – Cape Cross – Kalima, 8 wins inc Easter Cup (Gr3), Festival Stakes (L), 2nd Rose of Lancaster Stakes (Gr3), Tapster Stakes (L), 3rd Pontefract Castle Stakes (L). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2016.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED:
​bf - Chanceid (by Bach)     Tattersalls IRE     Jan     not sold
chc - Golan Days (by Golan)     Tattersalls IRE     Jan     not sold
bc - Golden Fantasy (by Shernazar)     Tattersalls IRE     Jan     €6,000
bg - Hollyville (by Hubbly Bubbly)     Tattersalls IRE     Nov     €2,500
bg - Invisible Spirit (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls IRE     Nov     withdrawn
bc - Just For Jean (by Presenting)     Tattersalls IRE     Jan     not sold
chc - Missikinsho (by Shinko Forest)     Tattersalls IRE     Jan     ​not sold
bg - Pollys Leader (by Supreme Leader)     Tattersalls IRE     Nov     withdrawn