Epaulette - Group 1 winning half-brother to Helmet

EPAULETTE (AUS) - 2009 bay horse

Shuttle sire and triple Group 1 star Helmet (by Exceed And Excel) has made a promising start with the European half of his first crop, currently two-year-olds, and it will be interesting to see how his younger sibling gets on, both at the sales and with his juveniles of 2017. Both are by sons of Danehill (by Danzig), so they are a bit closer than just half-brothers.

Epaulette was a dual seven-furlong Group 1 winner as a three-year-old, he was short-headed by the champion Pierro in the Group 2 Todman Stakes over six furlongs at Rosehill as a juvenile, chased home the great Black Caviar in the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes over the same trip at Randwick, and was third behind her half-brother All Too Hard in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over a mile. Pierro was runner-up that day.

Epaulette is also a half-brother to the Group 1-placed pattern winner Bullbars (by Elusive Quality) and to Group 2 scorer Pearls (by Exceed And Excel), a Godolphin-owned filly whose most recent success came in a Group 3 handicap over six and a half furlongs at Randwick on Saturday.

He spent his first northern hemisphere season at Kildangan Stud, his second at Dalham Hall Stud, and his third back at Kildangan, and there are 98 known members of that initial Irish-conceived crop.

Epaulette is out of Accessories (by Singspiel), who is an unraced half-sister to the middle-distance Group 2 scorers Annaba (by In The Wings) and Pozarica (by Rainbow Quest) and also to Group 3 Park Hill Stakes heroine Anna Of Saxony (by Ela-Mana-Mou).

The first-named of that trio is the dam and grandam of listed-race winners in Germany, but Anna Of Saxony's descendants include the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes heroine Ave (by Danehill Dancer) and the Group 1-placed blacktype scorers Anna Salai (by Dubawi) and Dubai Gina (by Dubai Destination), among others of note.

Anna of Kiev (by Salse), who is another sister to Accessories, is the dam of the Group 1 star and German champion Anna Monda (by Monsun), and their unraced dam, Anna Matrushka (by Mill Reef), is out of the dual German champion Anna Paola (by Prince Ippi).

This means that Epaulette's grandam is a half-sister to the classic-placed German pattern scorer Anno Luce (by Old Vic), who is, in turn, the grandam of the Grade 3 winner Lady Pimpernel (by Sir Percy), and also to the mares from whom the ill-fated Irish Derby-placed multiple pattern winner Annus Mirabilis (by Warning) and additional pattern scorers Middle Club (by Fantastic Light), Smooth Operator (by Big Shuffle), Autumn Glory (by Charnwood Forest) and ill-fated Piping Rock (by Dubawi) descend.

This is a well-known European family, which may explain why Helmet has been doing well with his first juveniles, and this may also increase the chances of Epaulette getting some good results in this part of the world.

His racing profile suggests that his better juveniles may appear in the second half of the season and that his progeny could be mostly sprinters or milers. His own ability to stay a mile, coupled with the stamina present in his family, gives him the potential to get some middle-distance horses too, with the right mares.

EPAULETTE (AUS) – b.2009 – Commands – Accessories, 5 wins inc Doomben 10,000 Stakes (Gr1), Golden Rose Stakes (Gr1), Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Gr3), Black Opal Stakes (L), 2nd T J Smith Stakes (Gr1), Todman Slipper Trial (Gr2), 3rd Caulfield Guineas (Gr1), Run to the Rose Stakes (Gr3). Sire in Australia, Ireland & England.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED (updated)
bf – Acts Out Loud (by Mr Greeley)     Goffs     Oct     €15,500
bc – Air Maze (by Dansili)     Goffs UK     Aug     £26,000
bc – Al Andalyya (by Kingmambo)     Tattersalls     Oct     120,000gns
bc – Alexander Wonder (by Redback)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bc - Alexander Wonder (by Redback)     Goffs     Nov     €23,000
bc – Allegrissimo (by Redback)     Goffs     Oct     €95,000
bf – Almansa (by Dr Devious)     Goffs UK     Aug     £16,000
bf - Amethystos (by Danehill Dancer)     Goffs     Nov     €4,500
bc – Amoureux (by Deputy Minister)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bf – Angel Nights (by Night Shift)     Goffs UK     Aug     £35,000
bf – Ann's Annie (by Alzao)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
bf – Aqraan (by In The Wings)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €16,500
bc – Becuille (by Redback)     Goffs UK     Aug     £70,000
bc – Beguiler (by Refuse To Bend)     Goffs UK     Aug     £48,000
bc – Blue Crystal (by Lure)     Goffs     Oct     €9,000
bc – Bronze Queen (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs     Oct     €60,000
bf – Celestial Dream (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £52,000
bc – Cochin (by Swain)     Goffs     Oct     €95,000
bc – Colour Coordinated (by Spectrum)     Goffs     Feb     not sold
bc – Colour Coordinated (by Spectrum)     Goffs UK     Aug     £18,000
bc – Cradle Brief (by Brief Truce)     Tattersalls     Oct     55,000gns
bc – Daliyra (by Refuse To Bend)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €7,500
bc – Delta Diva (by Victory Gallop)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
bf – Dune Breeze (by Azamour)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
bf – El Soprano (by Noverre)     Goffs     Feb     €18,000
bf – El Soprano (by Noverre)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €10,500
bc – Empress Ella (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Tattersalls     Oct     130,000gns
bc – Flying Flag (by Entrepreneur)     Tattersalls     Oct     68,000gns
bf – Freezing Love (by Danzig)     Goffs     Oct     (p/s) €20,000
bc – Funcheon Vale (by Acclamation)     Goffs UK     Aug     £48,000
bf – Fuzzypeg (by Motivator)     Goffs     Oct     €7,000
bf – Grand Slam Maria (by Anabaa)     Goffs UK     Aug     £4,000
bc – Grasshoppergreen (by Barathea)     Goffs UK     Aug     £25,000
bf – Hawk Dance (by Hawk Wing)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     withdrawn
bf – Hawk Dance (by Hawk Wing)     Goffs     Oct     €5,000
bf – Hi Katriona (by Second Empire)     Goffs     Oct     €32,000
bf – Hundredsnthousands (by Thousand Words)     Goffs     Oct     €36,000
bc – Ice On Fire (by Iceman)     Tattersalls     Oct     23,000gns
bc – Intaglia (by Lomitas)     Tattersalls     Oct     70,000gns
bc – Joyride (by Samum)     Goffs     Feb     not sold
bc – Joyride (by Samum)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bc – Jubilant Queen (by Kyllachy)     Goffs UK     Aug     £52,000
bc – La Noe (by Nayef)     Goffs     Oct     €40,000
bf – Lady Pitrizza (by Night Shift)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
bc – Let Me Shine (by Dixie Union)     Tattersalls     Oct     (p/s) 44,000gns
bc – Little Whisper (by Be My Guest)     Tattersalls     Oct     (p/s) 12,000gns
bf - Madam Ninette (by Mark Of Esteem)     Tattersalls     Nov     34,000gns
bc – Manuka Magic (by Key of Luck)     Tattersalls     Oct     26,000gns
bf – Maughami (by Manduro)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €12,000
bc – Miskin Diamond (by Diamond Green)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bc - Miskin Diamond (by Diamond Green)     Tattersalls     Nov     45,000gns
bf – Miss Rosie (by Librettist)     Tattersalls     Oct     30,000gns
bc – Miss Tiptoes (by Mr Greeley)     Goffs     Oct     €26,000
bc – Mon Bijou (by Green Desert)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bc - Mon Bijou (by Green Desert)     Goffs     Nov     withdrawn
bc – Monaazalah (by Green Desert)     Goffs UK     Aug     £32,000
b/brf – Onomatomania (by Mr Greeley)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €150,000
bf – Pearls Of Wisdom (by Kyllachy)     Goffs     Oct     €32,000
bf – Phi Phi (by Fasliyev)     Goffs     Oct     €20,000
bc – Picture of Lily (by Medicean)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
bc – Queen Althea (by Bach)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €13,000
bf – Quickstyx (by Night Shift)     Goffs     Feb     €30,000
bf – Quickstyx (by Night Shift)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
bf – Radha (by Bishop Of Cashel)     Goffs UK     Aug     £16,000
bc – Rayon Rouge (by Manduro)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €65,000
bc – Right Answer (by Lujain)     Tattersalls     Oct     72,000gns
bf – Seasons (by Dubai Destination)     Goffs     Oct     €5,000
bf – Sensasse (by Imperial Ballet)     Goffs     Oct     €13,500
bf – She Runs (by Sheyrann)     Goffs     Oct     €8,000
grc – She's A Minx (by Linamix)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €18,000
bf – Simply The Best (by Jet Master)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
bf – Skeleton (by Tobougg)     Tattersalls     Oct    55,000gns
bf - Snowfield (by Tale Of The Cat)     SGA     Sept     €92,000
bc – Sonny Sunshine (by Royal Applause)     Tattersalls     Oct     20,000gns
bc – Spirit of Success (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls     Oct     20,000gns
bf – Supreme Spirit (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs     Oct     €32,000
bf - Sweet Home Alabama (by Desert Prince)     Goffs UK     Oct    not sold
bf – Sweet Kristeen (by Candy Stripes)     Goffs     Oct     €47,000
bf – Taqqara (by Spectrum)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
bf – Third Dimension (by Suave Dancer)     Goffs     Oct     €25,000
bf – Three Times (by Bahamian Bounty)     Goffs UK     Aug     £15,000
bc - Tranquil Ways (by Authorized)     Goffs     Nov     €2,000
bc – Tymora (by Giant's Causeway)     Tattersalls     Oct     150,000gns
bc – Union City Blues (by Encosta De Lago)     Tattersalls     Oct     38,000gns
bc – Uvinza (by Bertolini)     Goffs UK     Aug     £18,000
bf – Very Nice (by Daylami)     Tattersalls     Oct     26,000gns
bc – Wait Watcher (by Fath)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €11,500
bc – Wild Ocean (by Pivotal)     Goffs UK     Aug     £50,000
bf – With Distinction (by Zafonic)     Tattersalls     Feb     3,000gns
bf – With Distinction (by Zafonic)     Goffs     Oct     €20,000
bf – Yaqootah (by Gone West)     Goffs     Oct     €19,000
b/blc – Yin (by Dansili)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €6,500
bc – Zoudie (by Ezzoud)     Goffs     Oct     €85,000
bc – Zoumie (by Mark Of Esteem)     Tattersalls     Oct     ​60,000gns