Make Believe a classic-winning grandson of Dubawi

MAKE BELIEVE (GB) - 2012 bay horse

A lightly-raced, Timeform 127-rated classic star who also landed a Group 1 over seven furlongs, Make Believe (by Makfi) was a popular addition to the team at Ballylinch Stud, getting a triple-digit book in his maiden season. There were 76 foals in that first crop so he won’t be short of representation.
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The grandson of Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) was a late-season juvenile who ran twice and won on both soft and heavy ground. He lost out by a head in the Group 3 Prix Djebel on his first start at three but then easily beat subsequent classic star New Bay in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas). Later, he beat Limato in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret.

In terms of pedigree, he is something of an unknown prospect as a stallion and it will be fascinating to see how he turns out. It is true that if you go back far enough then you will find that his fifth dam, Ash Lawn (by Charlottesville), was a full-sister to Selhurst and half-sister to Royal Palace (by Ballymoss), which also means that he represents a branch of the family of Welsh Pageant (by Tudor Melody) and Desert Prince (by Green Desert).

Royal Palace, Welsh Pageant and Desert Prince got winners at all levels, but it is fair to say that none became a consistent leading sire. They are, however, only remotely connected to Make Believe, and while their presence does show that a stallion from this family can get stakes, pattern and Group 1 winners, it is possible that their younger relation could surpass their achievements at stud.

He is a three-parts brother to the dual US Grade 1 winner Dubawi Heights (by Dubawi) – who is the dam of Japanese Grade 2 scorer Liberty Heights (by King Kamehameha) – and their dam, Rosie’s Posy (by Suave Dancer), is a winning half-sister to Group 1 Sprint Cup heroine Tante Rose (by Barathea).

That star is the grandam of a Grade 3 scorer in the US, she is a half-sister to pattern-placed stakes winner Bay Tree (by Daylami) and to the dam of Italian Group 3 winner Gothic Dance (by Dalakhani), and she is out of My Branch, who was one of the best runners for her top-class miler sire Distant Relative (by Habitat).

My Branch won the Listed Firth of Clyde Stakes at two and was runner-up in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, she went on to take third in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas and to win the Listed Sceptre Stakes. The best of her siblings is the Grade 1-winning hurdler Celestial Halo (by Galileo).

These are the highlights of the first four generations of the pedigree, hence the unknown element of Make Believe’s stallion potential. It was a weak branch of the aforementioned famous Joel family of Royal Palace, Welsh Pageant, etc – and eighth dam Picture Play (by Donatello) won the 1000 Guineas in 1944 – but there is something about the pedigree that catches the eye.

Make Believe is inbred 4x4 to Green Valley (by Val De Loir). This may have no impact on how he fares, but it is worth noting that this mare gave us classic star and influential sire Green Dancer (by Nijinsky) and also Irish Valley (by Irish River), the dam of juvenile champion and classic sire Alhaarth (by Unfuwain).

His pedigree and racing profile suggest that, depending on the mares, he will get his best winners in the broad five to 12-furlong range, with his better juveniles appearing in the latter half of the season.

MAKE BELIEVE (GB) - b.2012 - Makfi - Rosie’s Posy, 4 wins inc Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr1), Prix de la Foret (Gr1), 2nd Prix Djebel (Gr3). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2017.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED
Bc - Avizare (by Lawman)     Goffs UK     August     £38,000
Bc - Bailonguera (by Southern Halo)     Goffs     February     not sold
Bc - Bailonguera (by Southern Halo)     Goffs     October     €38,000
Bf - Basira (by Azamour)     Arqana     August     not sold
Bc - Bayja (by Giant’s Causeway)     Goffs     October     €22,000
Bc - Bound Copy (by Street Cry)     Goffs     February     €32,000
Bc - Bound Copy (by Street Cry)     Goffs     October     €17,000
Bc - Charmgoer (by Nureyev)     Tatts IRE     September     withdrawn
Bf - Cruck Realta (by Sixties Icon)     Tatts IRE     September     €3,000
Bc - Dream Date (by Oasis Dream)     Arqana     August     withdrawn
Bc - Dream Date (by Oasis Dream)     Tattersalls     November     55,000gns
bf - Elite (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Elshamms (by Zafonic)     Tattersalls     October     42,000gns
Bc - Esuvia (by Whipper)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bc - Esuvia (by Whipper)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Bc - Expectation (by Night Shift)     Goffs     February     €42,000
Bc - Expectation (by Night Shift)     Tatts IRE     September     €25,000
Bf - Ezalli (by Cape Cross)     Goffs     October     €75,000
​Bf - Famusa (by Medicean)     Tatts IRE Ascot     December     not sold
Bf - Follow My Lead (by Night Shift)     Tatts IRE     September     €7,500
Bf - For Joy (by Singspiel)     Tattersalls     October     16,000gns
Bc - French Fern (by Royal Applause)     Tattersalls     October     55,000gns
Bf - Gilded (by Redback)     Tattersalls     October     35,000gns
Bc - Hayyona (by Multiplex)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bc - Indiana Annie (by Indian Ridge)     Tatts IRE     September     withdrawn
Bf - Iuturna (by Intidab)     Goffs     October     €22,000
Bc - Kayd Kodaun (by Traditionally)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Knapton Hill (by Zamindar)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Lady Pimpernel (by Sir Percy)     Arqana     August     €180,000
Bc - Lady Shanghai (by Alhaarth)     Goffs     February     €115,000
Bc - Lady Shanghai (by Alhaarth)     Tattersalls     October     210,000gns
Bc - Lake Moon (by Tiger Hill)     Tattersalls     October     40,000gns
Bf - Laviniad (by Lawman)     Goffs     October     €150,000
Bc - Levanto (by Lawman)     Tattersalls     October     9,000gns
Bf - Lisselan Diva (by Barathea)     Tattersalls     October     27,000gns
Bc - Malea (by Oratorio)     Goffs     October     €35,000
Bc - Manaka (by Falco)     Tatts IRE     September     €8,000
Bc - Mary Arnold (by Hernando)     Tattersalls     October     6,500gns
Bc - Mise (by Indian Ridge)     Tattersalls     October     22,000gns
Bf - Miss Bex (by Dalakhani)     Arqana     October     €5,000 (p/s)
Chf - Miss Lucy Jane (by Aqlaam)     Goffs UK     August     £35,000
Bf - Mouriyana (by Akarad)     Goffs     October     €20,000
Bf - Never Change (by New Approach)     Tattersalls     October     15,000gns
Bf - Newsletter (by Sir Percy)     Tatts IRE     September     €55,000
Bf - Night Fever (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     35,000gns (p/s)
Bc - Ocean Bluff (by Dalakhani)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Bf - Okba (by Diesis)     Tatts IRE Ascot     September     £5,500
Bf - Pharadelle (by Lope De Vega)     Goffs     October     withdrawn
Bf - Pharadelle (by Lope De Vega)     Tattersalls     November     3,000gns (p/s)
Bc - Pirate Cove (by Lawman)     Goffs     October     withdrawn
Bc - Pirate Cove (by Lawman)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Bc - Purple Sage (by Danehill Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     24,000gns
Bc - Purple Tigress (by Dubai Destination)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bf - Queen Jock (by Repent)     Tatts IRE     September     €14,000
Grf - Queen Of Power (by Medicean)     Goffs     October     €75,000
Bc - Realt Eile (by Dark Angel)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bf - Roxy Star (by Fastnet Rock)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bf - Roxy Star (by Fastnet Rock)     Tatts IRE Ascot     November     ​not sold
Bf - Royal Alchemist (by Kingsinger)     Goffs     October     €20,000
Bf - Royal Razalma (by Lope De Vega)     Goffs     October     €15,500
​Bf - Russian Rave (by Danehill Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     4,000gns
Bf - Ryninch (by Dr Devious)     Goffs     October     not sold
Bc - Sandslide (by King’s Best)     Goffs     October     not sold
Bf - Shirin Of Persia (by Dylan Thomas)     Goffs     October     €6,500
Bc - Slope (by Acclamation)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bf - Somoushe (by Black Minnaloushe)     Goffs     October     €115,000
Bc - Sound Of Guns (by Acclamation)     Tattersalls     October     ​35,000gns
Bc - Spontaneous (by Sinndar)     Goffs     October     €90,000
Grc - Stella River (by Stormy River)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bc - Stylish One (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bf - Sun City (by Montjeu)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bf - Sun City (by Montjeu)     Goffs UK     October     withdrawn
Bf - Tanouma (by Mr Greeley)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bf - Three Choirs (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Goffs     October    not sold 
Bf - Topka (by Kahyasi)     Tattersalls     October     55,000gns
Bf - Twiggy’s Sister (by Flying Spur)     Goffs     October     €30,000
Bf - Waafiah (by Anabaa)     Goffs     October     ​€70,000
Bf - Water Fountain (by Mark Of Esteem)     Goffs     November     ​€1,000
Bf - Zerka (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs UK     October     ​not sold