Dual Derby hero and prolific champion sire Galileo (by Sadler's Wells) is on his way towards potentially become an even more influential stallion than was his own great sire.
His notable early sire sons include the Derby hero New Approach, an undefeated juvenile champion who rounded off his career with a six-length victory in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket. Three stakes winners at Royal Ascot among his first two-year-olds signalled tremendous potential, and that crop featured juvenile champion and classic star Dawn Approach, Oaks winner and St Leger runner-up Talent, and Derby second Libertarian. Sultanina, who raced only as a four-year-old, is another Group 1 winner among New Approach's oldest progeny, and the southern hemisphere half of that crop includes the Australian 10-furlong Group 1 scorer May's Dream. His current figures are 18 pattern winners and 11 listed scorers among 55 blacktype progeny. His third-crop daughter Beautiful Romance, who was Group 1-placed last year, won the Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York in May, his fourth-crop son Herald The Dawn won the Group 2 Futurity Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes in 2015, and at Munich yesterday, his second-crop son Elliptique won the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen. The Rothschild Family's homebred entire is trained by Andre Fabre, he was favourite for the 10-furlong contest, which he won by half a length from the Group 2-winning German-trained filly Royal Solitaire (by Shamardal), and another half-length back in third was dual Group 3-scorer Potemkin, also a five-year-old son of New Approach.
Not only is Elliptique a fifth individual Group 1 winner for New Approach, but he joins the roll of honour of horses who got an early start on the artificial tracks before going on to succeed at the highest level.
Last year both the Irish Derby (Jack Hobbs) and Irish Oaks (Covert Love) went to horses whose maiden success came on all-weather surfaces, and in 2016 we have seen Hawkbill (Coral-Eclipse), Seventh Heaven (Irish Oaks), Silverwave (Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud) and Zelzal (Prix Jean Prat) graduate from the all-weather surfaces to Group 1 glory. Also notable are last month's Group 2 Lancashire Oaks scorer Endless Time and the Group 2 Dante Stakes winner Wings of Desire, who chased home Highland Reel in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot nine days ago. Elliptique got his start in a seven and a half-furlong conditions race for two-year-olds on the fibresand at Deauville three years ago. That was a few weeks before he finished third behind Ectot in a listed contest on turf at the same venue. He chased home that same colt in the Group 3 Prix des Chenes and then rounded off his first season with victory in the Group 3 Prix de Conde at Longchamp. His only win at three came in a 10 furlong conditions event on soft ground at Maisons-Laffitte, but at four he won the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy. He kicked off the current season with defeat of Manatee on the polytrack at Chantilly in March and then chased home Air Pilot in the Group 3 La Coupe, his only other outing before his Group 1 success. Elliptique is out of Uryale (by Kendor) and that makes him a half-brother to the triple mile stakes winner Cicerole (by Barathea). She was only beaten by half a length when runner-up in both the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom and the Group 3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud, and she was also placed in the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs and Group 3 Prix la Rochette. Their dam was listed-placed in France as a two-year-old, and that half-sister to listed scorer Wedding Night (by Valanour) is out of dual winner Green Field Park (by Akarad), a mare who has some well-known relations. Her half-brother Majorien (by Machiavellian) won the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris and was runner-up in Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap, Group 1 Grand Criterium and Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt. She also has two notable half-sisters, one of whom is Listed Hopeful Stakes winner Rose Indien (by Crystal Glitters). That speedy filly became the dam of eight winners, headed by the prolific Salty Sea (by Siberian Express), whose double-digit tally includes a listed handicap at Calder. His nine-times winning half-brother War Tempo (by Quiet American) has been placed in a listed contest and in more than 20 other races, and they have a stakes-placed half-sister called Darkwood (by Fit To Fight). Rose Indien is also the grandam of the Grade 2 Strub Stakes winner and dual Grade 2-placed Guilt Trip (by Pulpit) and of Group 2 Superlative Stakes scorer Silver Grecian (by Haafhd), and the latter is a half-brother to the Grade 2-placed hurdler Lettre de Cachet (by Authorized). Guilt Trip entered stud in Louisiana in 2015. The other notable sister of Green Field Park is the Group 2 Prix de Mallaret winner America (by Arazi) and it is she who is the dam of Group 1 Melbourne Cup hero Americain (by Dynaformer). He also won the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, Group 2 Prix Kergorlay, Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Group 2 Zipping Classic and Group 3 Geelong Stakes, and his blacktype placings include the runners-up spot in the Group 1 BMW Stakes and third in the Group 1 Australian Cup and Group 1 Hong Kong Vase. Americain took up stallion duties at Calumet Farm in Kentucky, spent the 2015 season at the Irish National Stud, and then returned to Calumet. He got off the mark as a sire when his daughter Folk Magic, who is out of a half-sister to the pattern-placed multiple stakes winning sprinter/miler Chan Chan (by Spinning World), made a winning debut over six furlongs at Woodbine nine days ago. Green Rosy (by Green Dancer), the stakes-placed third dam of Elliptique, is a full-sister to the listed scorer and successful National Hunt and sport horse stallion Big Sink Hope, she is a half-sister to the US Grade 3 scorer Rose Bouquet (by Full Out), and to two mares who have produced stakes winners at stud. More notable of that pair is Rensaler (by Stop The Music) because she is responsible for the Grade 1 Oaklawn Handicap winner Jovial (by Northern Jove), Grade 3 scorer Brave Note (by Dancing Brave) and two listed scorers, whereas Aroz (by Fappiano) is the dam of two listed race winners and grandam of another one. It is fair to say that Elliptique was well-placed to pick up a Group 1 prize and that considerable improvement would be required from him if he is to repeat the feat against a top-class field. But with this win comes the possibility that he may now get a place at stud whenever his racing days come to an end, and as a grandson of Galileo and from the family of American, it would be interesting to see how he might fare in that role. Derby and Champion Stakes hero New Approach (by Galileo) got outstanding results with his first crop. He had three juvenile stakes winners at Royal Ascot, a remarkable feat even though he himself was an undefeated champion at that age, and that first crop did not disappoint when they reached three and four years of age.
Unbeaten juvenile champion Dawn Approach won the Group 1 2000 Guineas and Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, Talent took the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom and was runner-up in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, and the Group 2 Dante Stakes scorer Libertarian was runner-up in the Group 1 Derby at Epsom. That same crop also yielded the Group 1 Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina, who got her big win as a four-year-old. New Approach's tally now stands at 27 stakes winners, seven of whom come from his Australian-born crops, and they include last year's Group 1-placed juvenile Group 2 scorer Herald The Dawn and the notably talented filly Beautiful Romance. A third-crop daughter of the Dalham Hall Stud stallion, Godolphin's four-year-old is trained by Saeed bin Suroor, she was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, and her first start of 2016 was in the Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes over 10 and a half furlongs at York, which she won by one and a quarter lengths. She began her career with a nine-length score in a mile maiden at Doncaster on her only start as a two-year-old, she was third behind Osaila in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes first time out at three, easily beat Gospel Choir in an 11 and a half furlong listed contest at Windsor, and rounded off that season with third place to Simple Verse and Journey in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot. That prestigious 12-furlong contest came a month after her disappointing fifth place finish behind Treve in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille, which was run on very soft ground, and her only other start was in the Group 3 Prix de Psyche over 10 furlongs at Deauville, in which she finished last of six. Beautiful Romance is the fifth foal out of the Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes winner Mazuna (by Cape Cross) and it is a little surprising that she is one of only two winners for her dam so far, from five runners, especially given the good strike-rate of some of the mare's relatives. What is no surprise is that Mazuna could produce at least one high-class performer, for not only is she by a regally-related leading sire, but she comes from a family whose first few generations have yielded several Group 1 horses, two of whom became the sires of Group 1 winners. Mazuna had a first-crop son of Australian-born Darley shuttle sire Sepoy (by Elusive Quality) in 2014 and a first-crop daughter of Group 2 scorer and Yorton Farm Stud stallion Universal (by Dubawi) 13 months ago. She is out of Keswa (by Kings Lake), who was a stakes-placed dual winner, six of her nine siblings were successful, one was listed placed, and several of them scored at least four times. One of that latter group was Compradore (by Mujtahid), who won four times in England from five to seven furlongs, and she is the dam of the 106-rated sprinter Beyond Desire (by Invincible Spirit) who won a listed contest over six furlongs at Haydock, another over five at Bath, and the Group 3 Prix de Saint-George at Longchamp, also over five furlongs. She was runner-up in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes on her second outing as a juvenile, second also in the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown and in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown, and on her penultimate start, as a five-year-old, was only beaten by three lengths when fifth of 19 in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, which was won by Ortensia. Beyond Desire's first two foals are a first-crop Frankel (by Galileo) filly and a yearling daughter of Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium). The third dam of Beautiful Romance is the triple winner Reves Celestes (by Lyphard). She produced six winners from nine foals, all of whom raced, and although they include Matahif (by Wassl), a juvenile stakes winner in England who went on to become a top-class performer in Scandinavia, her lasting contribution is through the success of her daughters. Only the afore mentioned Keswa earned blacktype, but one-time winner Rafif (by Riverman) became the dam of Pressing, and the progeny of dual winner Starlight Dreams (by Black Tie Affair) feature four-times Group 1 winner and Group 1 sire Mastercraftsman. Pressing (by Soviet Star) won 13 times, including the Group 1 Premio Roma and the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr Bayerisches Zuchtrennen, he was multiple Group 1-placed and he went to stud in Turkey where his oldest progeny are four years old. Mastercraftsman (by Danehill Dancer) got his Group 1 wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, National Stakes and Phoenix Stakes, his Group 1 placings came in the Juddmonte International Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes, and the most recent of his four Group 1-winning progeny is Valley Girl who took the Herbie Dyke Stakes over 10 furlongs at Te Rapa, in New Zealand, in February. The other three – Amazing Maria, Kingston Hill and The Grey Gatsby – have notched up six Group 1 wins between them, including two classics, and they represent his first crop. Mastercraftsman's half-sister Genuine Devotion (by Rock Of Gibraltar) won a Grade 3 handicap in the USA and is the dam of the stakes-placed filly Genuine Quality (by Elusive Quality). These first three generations of the pedigree are more than enough to show why Beautiful Romance always had the potential, on breeding, to become a high-class racehorse, and the amount of success contained within them also suggests that she could have a notable broodmare career ahead of her whenever her racing days come to an end. If you go back to the fourth generation of the family then you will find a plethora of other notable individuals as her fourth dam is the Group 3-placed Tobira Celeste (by Ribot), which makes Reves Celestes a half-sister to classic-placed Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Celestial Storm (by Roberto) and to Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes scorer Thawakib (by Sadler's Wells). The latter is the dam of runaway Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sakhee (by Bahri), the Derby, Breeders' Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup-placed horse whose wins also included the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes. He has not been as successful a stallion as one might have hoped of such an outstanding racehorse, but as his progeny include the Group 1-winning sprinter and successful sire Sakhee's Secret, ill-fated Dubai and Hong Kong Group 1 scorer and multimillionaire Presvis, and Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) winner Tin Horse, among various others of note, he has achieved better results than most, and the Nunnery Stud resident, now aged 19, has had his fee listed as private for the past few years. Sakhee's half-sister Alharir (by Zafonic) has done her part for the family by becoming the grandam of the Group 3 Prix Messidor winner and Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes runner-up Alnadana (by Danehill Dancer). Tobira Celeste's progeny also included Le Vague A L'Ame (by Vaguely Noble), a thrice-placed mare whose star daughter River Memories (by Riverman) won the Grade 1 Rothman's International Stakes and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Handicap, and whose descendants include Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Misterah (by Alhaarth) and Grade 1-placed Grade 3 Bay Meadows Derby scorer Blue Steller (by Barathea). Tobira Celeste's siblings included the classic-placed French pattern winner A Thousand Stars (by Hoist The Flag) and her dam was the 1959 Matron Stakes winner Heavenly Body (by Dark Star), a full-sister to the 1959 Kentucky Oaks heroine Hidden Talent. Although many notable horses appear in the branches leading from the fifth and sixth generations of Beautiful Romance's pedigree, their connection to her is too remote to represent anything more than academic interest. She was rated 112 before this latest success, she holds entries in next month's Group 1 Investec Coronation Cup and Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, and she has the potential to play a leading role in the best filly and mare events of the year. |
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