MIDWAY through the northern hemisphere season, the leading contenders for Europe’s premier middle-distance event the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-Gr.1 are already beginning to shape up. A quick pen-portrait, in order of current ante-post odds, of some of the leading lights also gives us a chance at something of a snapshot of the main European, and Japanese, classic distance pedigrees.
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POSTPONED, 5h, by Dubawi-Ever Rigg by Dubai Destination WINNER of his past five, going back to the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes last July. Nothing has got nearer than two lengths to him in three starts this year, and he romped by 4.5 lengths in the Coronation Cup-Gr.1 last time out. Postponed is by Dubawi, who would rank only below Galileo among Europe’s stallions, and is also the leading turf sire from the Mr. Prospector line.
Postponed is out of a mare by Dubai Destination, a son of Kingmambo, and therefore represents the cross of Dubawi back over mares from his own Mr. Prospector sire line. Generally, these types of patterns underperform, but in Dubawi’s case, he has 12 stakes winners out of Mr. Prospector line mares, including other Gr.1 winners Prince Bishop, Secret Admirer, New Bay and Shamal Wind. Postponed’s second dam, Bianca Nera (by Salse, a son of Topsider) was Champion Two Year-Old Filly in Ireland, where she won the Moyglare Stud Stakes-Gr.1.
She’s also second dam of US Graded winner Turning Top and Group winner Robin Hoods Bay. HARZAND, 3c, by Sea The Stars-Hazariya by Xaar FOLLOWED up his English Derby-Gr.1 win with a hard fought Irish Derby-Gr.1 score over Idaho. He’s from the third crop of one of the best recent ‘Arc’ winners in Sea The Stars, a half-brother to Galileo, who is turning into a very good stallion in his own right. Bred on a similar cross to Gr.1 winner Vazira (out of a mare by Zamindar, a brother to Zafonic, the grandsire of Harzand’s dam), Harazand is half-brother to two other stakes winners.
The dam, Hazariya, won the Athasi Stakes-Gr.3, and is half-sister to classic placed Gr.1 winner Hazarista, and to the dam of Group winner Seal of Approval. The third dam, Hazy Idea, is by St Leger winner, Hethersett, and is inbred 3×3 to Hethersett’s second dam, the important mare Netherton Maid. MINDING, 3f, by Galileo-Lillie Langtry by Danehill Dancer A HUGELY impressive English Oaks-Gr.1 winner, Minding returned to dominate older mares in the Pretty Polly Stakes-Gr.1 and looks well up to tackling the colts. She is from a fast-emerging version of the Galileo/Danehill cross, that with mares by Danehill Dancer, which has already provided 12 stakes winners, including other Gr.1-winning current three year-olds Alice Springs and The Gurkha.
The dam won the Matron Stakes-Gr.1 and Coronation Stakes-Gr.1 and Minding goes back to a sister to one of the greatest of all ‘Arc’ heroes, Vaguely Noble. US ARMY RANGER, 3c, by Galileo-Moonstone by Dalakhani LIGHTLY-raced stable-companion to Minding, US Ranger won his first two starts, and then on his only other outing was a 1.5 lengths second to Harzand at Epsom. A half-brother to a trio of stakes winners, US Army Ranger is out of the Irish Oaks-Gr.1 heroine Moonstone.
This means he’s bred on a version of the very successful Galileo/Darshaan cross, itself a re-iteration of the Sadler’s Wells/Shirley Height cross. Moonstone is a three-quarter sister to a notable Darshaan product in the Prix Saint-Alary-Gr.1 heroine Cerulean Sky. LA CRESSONNIERE, 3f, by Le Havre-Absolute Lady by Galileo CURRENTLY five-for-five, La Cressonniere won the French 1000 Guineas-Gr.1 and French Oaks-Gr.1 at her past two starts.
She is from the third crop of Le Havre, a French Derby-Gr.1 winner, who despite being a son of the disappointing stallion Noverre (by Rahy) has made an excellent start from a modest initial fee, and has previous French Guineas/Oaks heroine in Avenir Certain. La Cressonniere’s dam is by Galileo, who seems to be ever present in European classic pedigrees this year, out of Group winner Lil’s Jessy.
The third dam, Lobmille, is by Mill Reef out of Light O’Battle, a sister to The Queen’s English 1000 Guineas-Gr.1 and French Oaks-Gr.1 heroine Highclere, also the dam of the great foundation mare Height of Fashion. ORDER OF ST GEORGE, 4c, by Galileo-Another Storm by Gone West RATED the world’s leading long-distance specialist last year after romping in the Irish St Leger-Gr.1, Order of St George is two-for-two this year, most recently taking the Ascot Gold Cup-Gr.1 at 2½ miles, by three lengths.
His dam, the Gone West mare Another Storm, has been a remarkably cosmopolitan producer. She’s also dam of Angel Terrace, a Graded winner in the US; Sehoy, a stakes winner in Sweden; and Asperity, a Group-winning miler in France. Order of St George’s second dam, Storm Song (by Summer Squall), earned a championship at two in the US, taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-Gr.1.
Order of St George’s pedigree features a pattern which is very frequently seen these days as his sire is a Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector cross, and his dam is a Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross. For good measure, the second dam is also Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector. FOUND, 4f, by Galileo-Red Evie by Intikhab ANOTHER Galileo four year-old, Found achieved her most significant triumph when defeating Golden Horn to capture last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf-Gr.1. Her only victory in five starts this year has been in a Gr.3, but she has been second in Gr.1 events at her past three starts, and could still be a factor if there is cut in the ground at Longchamp.
Out of Red Evie, who defeated colts in the Lockinge Stakes-Gr.1 and also took the Matron Stakes-Gr.1, Found is a sister to Group winner Magical Dream and stakes winner Best In the World. Found is an example of the Galileo/Roberto cross that has produced 21 other Galileo stakes winners, including South African Champion Igugu.
Like Found, she is out of a mare by Intikhab. NEW BAY, 4c, by Dubawi-Cinnamon Bay by Zamindar LAST year’s French Derby winner-Gr.1 and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-Gr.1 third, New Bay has only run once this year, trailing home a distant sixth behind A Shin Hikari in the Prix d’Ispahan-Gr.1. He is another Dubawi/Mr. Prospector cross, like Postponed.
The stakes winning dam is out of Trellis Bay, a stakes placed Sadler’s Wells daughter who is a three-quarter sister to multiple Gr.1 winner Beat Hollow, and half-sister to Irish Oaks-Gr.1 captress Wemyss Bight (Dancing Brave). Next dam, Bahamian, is by Mill Reef from Irish Oaks second (relegated from first) Sorbus by Busted. A SHIN HIKARI, 5h, by Deep Impact-Catalina by Storm Cat THE progressive A Shin Hikari rocketed to the top of the World Racehorse Rankings after a 10-length demolition of the field in the Prix d’Ispahan-Gr.1, only to completely fail to fire in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot next time out.
There is some question as to whether A Shin Hikari will go to the ‘Arc’ as the trip is likely to be beyond his best. A Shin HIkari is another credit for the extraordinary Japanese stallion Deep Impact, a son of the epochal Sunday Silence. His dam is a Storm Cat half-sister to US Gr.1 winner Sir Beaufort, from the immediate family of Southern Halo, the sire of More Than Ready.
The cross of Deep Impact with Storm Cat line mares that is responsible for A Shin Hikari has produced nine stakes winners, six of them Gr.1. ALMANZOR, 3c by Wootton Bassett-Darkova by Maria’s Mon ROSE from the provinces to take the French Derby-Gr.1 on his most recent outing. He’s from the first crop of Wootton Bassett (by the Zafonic horse Iffraaj), the Champion French Two Year-Old of his crop. The dam is by Champion US Two Year-Old Maria’s Mon, best know as sire of Kentucky Derby-Gr.1 winners Monarchos and Super Saver, out of Darkava, a staying stakes winner by Halling (by Diesis).
Darkara is half-sister to the dam of the brilliant filly Darnina, a daughter of Zamindar (brother to Almanzor’s grandsire, Zafonic). Outside the top 10, there are a few others worth a quick glance. MAKAHIKI (3c, by Deep Impact-Wikiwiki by French Deputy) won the Japan Derby-Gr.1 from SATONO DIAMOND (3c, by Deep Impact-Malpensa by Orpen) on his most recent start.
His dam is out of an Argentine Gr.1 winner by Rainbow Quest’s son, Rainbow Corner, and the third dam is a Gr.1 winning daughter of Southern Halo. Satono Diamond is also out of a mare with a South American background, his dam having won three Gr.1 there. HAWKBILL (3c, by Kitten’s Joy-Trensa by Giant’s Causeway) is a progressive type who won a Gr.3 at Royal Ascot before upsetting older horses in the Eclipse Stakes-Gr.1. By a son of El Prado (by Sadler’s Wells), he is out of a Graded placed three-quarter sister to Graded winner Batique.
The second dam was a Gr.1 winner sprinting on the dirt. ZELZAL (3c, by Sea The Stars-Olga Prekrasa by Kingmambo) hasn’t run beyond a mile, but has won four of five starts, including the Prix Jean Prat-Gr.1. He’s got the pedigree to get further though, as his dam is out of a daughter of Sadler’s Wells and the Lancashire Oaks-Gr.3 scorer, State Crystal.
Another three-year-old IDAHO (3c, Galileo-Hveger by Danehill) has won just once in six starts, but did give Harzand a good fight in the Irish Derby-Gr.1. He’s a brother to the accomplished international campaigner Highland Reel, and his dam is a sister to Elvstroem and half-sister to Haradasun.
FASCINATING ROCK (5h, by Fastnet Rock-Miss Polaris by Polar Falcon) has won three of his past four, and beat Found by 3.75 lengths to take the Tattersalls Gold Cup-Gr.1 last time out. One of a group of high-class middle-distance runners from Fastnet Rock’s shuttle crops, he is out of a sister to Euro Falcon, a stakes winner at up to 2500m in Europe. DARTMOUTH (4c, by Dubawi-Galatee by Galileo), successful in the Hardwicke Stakes-Gr.2 last time out, would be a rare runner for The Queen. He is half-brother to Group winner Manatee, and the dam is by Galileo out of a half-sister to upset Breeders’ Cup Classic-Gr.1 victor Arcangues. n
