Awtaad a classic star from the family of Seattle Slew

Not only is the classic-winning miler Awtaad a representative of the Green Desert branch of the Danzig (by Northern Dancer) line, but he comes from the family of a stallion whose most famous son forged a dynasty. He is one of two new stallions joining the team at Derrinstown Stud – the other is Markaz – and he looks sure to prove popular.

He is by the sire of the Derby and Arc heroes Sea The Stars and Golden Horn, and the former is already well-established as being a leading European stallion and classic sire whose roll of honour includes dual Derby winner Harzand. Golden Horn's first foals will arrive in the spring.

Awtaad is the first foal out of Asheerah (by Shamardal) and that stakes-placed half-sister to three stakes-placed fillies is out of Adaala (by Sahm), who won the Listed Kilboy Estate Stakes and was third in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes.

His third dam, Alshoowg (by Riverman), is an unraced half-sister to the dam of classic-placed Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner Nasheej (by Swain) and his fourth dam is Ghashtah (by Nijinsky), an unraced full-sister to Seattle Dancer and half-sister to Lomond (by Northern Dancer) and to Seattle Slew (by Bold Reasoning).

Seattle Dancer, famously a $13.1 million yearling purchase in Keeneland, was a lightly-raced Group 1-placed dual Group 2 scorer on the track and his progeny included the Group/Grade 1 winners Caffe Latte, Pike Place Dancer and Seattle Rhyme. Lomond won the Group 1 2000 Guineas and his offspring featured Group 1 stars such as Marling, Valanour and River North.

Seattle Slew, of course, was the US Triple Crown hero of 1977 before going on to become a hugely influential sire whose male line has become one of the most dominant in North America, largely thanks to the exploits of his son A.P. Indy and the powerful line that champion has established (Bernardini, Malibu Moon, Pulpit, Tapit, etc).

Being related to a successful stallion boosts the prospects of a younger relation doing well in that role too, and as Awtaad is by the sire of Sea The Stars and from the family of three Group 1 sires, that places him highly among the most promising new recruits for 2017.

​AWTAAD (IRE) – br.2013 – Cape Cross – Asheerah, 5 wins inc Irish 2000 Guineas (Gr1), Solonaway Stakes (Gr2), Tetrarch Stakes (L), 3rd St James's Palace Stakes (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2018.