Caption: Pins (Snippets-No Finer by Kaoru Star)
An impressive achievement by a sire at stud in New Zealand occurred in successive races at the feature meeting at Hastings on August 27. It saw El Hermano (NZ) (Spanish for sibling), an unraced son of Pins, represented by second and third placegetters, El Pescado (dam by O’Reilly) and Farm Boy (dam by Diamond Express), in the Makfi Challenge Stakes-Gr.1 (1400m), and first and second, Meeska Mooska (dam by Vyner’s Orb) and Underthemoonlight (dam by O’Reilly), in the next race, The Westbury Club Mile (1600m).
El Hermano is a brother to gelded $3.9m earner El Segundo and is from the Group-winning Oak Ridge (FR) (Shirley Heights) mare Palos Verdes. He stands for just $4000 at the Cheval Stud at Pukeatua. They are sons of Pins (Snippets-No Finer by Kaoru Star), one of the best sires in NZ, who stands at Waikato Stud on $NZ25,000 plus GST.
Coincidentally, the winner of the Challenge, Kawi, and the Club Mile third, Savaria, are both by New Zealand’s current champion sire and Cox Plate winner Savabeel (Zabeel-Savannah Success by Success Express (USA). On a fee of $100,000 and also at the Waikato Stud, Savabeel is a Glenlogan Park-bred half-brother to Arlington (by Red Ransom (USA)), a young sire at Bruce McHugh’s new Tamalee Farm Stud at Tamworth NSW. The dual Gr.1 winner Savannah Success (ex Alma Mater by Semipalatinsk (USA)) is a half-sister to Sister Theresa (At Talaq (USA)), the dam of booming Blackfriars (Danehill) galloper and dual Gr.1 winner Black Heart Bart.
The three performers at the Hastings meeting, El Pescado (five wins, four seconds), Farm Boy (five wins include Avondale Cup-Gr.2, third New Zealand Stakes-Gr.1) and Meeska Mooska (six wins, past four in succession to August 27) are six year-old geldings from the first crop of El Hermano. Underthemoonlight is a five year-old mare who to the end of August had contested 13 races for two wins, four seconds, two thirds and a Gr.2 and Listed fourth placing.
Their sire El Hermano, who was in training in Australia but did not make it to the races, is a brother to El Segundo (from Spanish for the second), a magnificent New Zealand bred Australian performed gelding who, in earning $3,964,375, ran 35 times for 12 wins, including four Gr.1 wins in Melbourne, the Cox Plate, C.F. Orr, Underwood, Caulfield Stakes Memsie Stakes. Also second and fourth in attempts at the Cox Plate, he was named a Champion Australian Middle Distance Racehorse for his efforts in 2007-08.
A representative of the first crop by VRC Australian Guineas-Gr.1 winner Pins, the 2001-foaled El Segundo and the four years younger El Hermano were produced by Palos Verdes (green hills, also a mountain and town near Los Angeles), a mare by Oak Ridge (1980), a son of the Mill Reef English Derby winner Shirley Heights who did not earn at his only two starts. He is from stakes producing mare Oak Hill, by Ascot Gold Cup winner Sheshoon, a son of Precipitation.
Like El Hermano, lack of proven racing class did not stop Oak Ridge siring good performers. His 21 stakes winners included Second Coming (won VRC Victoria Derby-Gr.1, WRC Wellington Cup-Gr.1, second ARC Auckland Cup-Gr.1, third VRC Melbourne Cup-Gr.1), Del Coronado (won ARC Japan Racing Association Cup-Gr.1, ARC Queen Elizabeth Handicap-Gr.2), Diego (won SAJC South Australian Derby-Gr.1), Silky Oak (won Avondale Cup-Gr.1), Fire Oak (won VRC Victoria Derby-Gr.1, second AJC Spring Champion Stakes-Gr.1), In The Event (won QTC Grand Prix Stakes-Gr.2, second Queensland Derby-Gr.1), Tunza Oak (won Waikato Gold Cup-Gr.2) and El Segundo and El Hermano’s mother Palos Verdes (10 wins included the Hobart Cup-Gr.3 and STC NE Manion Cup-Gr.3).
It could possibly be unique in breeding that a sire who did not race produced by daughter of a sire who did not earn any prize money has supplied Gr.1 performers.
The success of El Segundo on the racetrack and of El Hermano at stud are a showcase for what just a good sire Pins has been from his use at the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud near Matamata in New Zealand. Now 20, Pins had statistics to early September of 649 winners (69.7%, 69SW, eight Gr.1 winners) of 2150 races and $85.6m. In 2015-16, Pins had 109 winners, eight SW, of 177 races and $6,521,402. He had earners in New Zealand (48 winners, 75 wins, $1,249,966), Australia (50 winners, 81 wins, $2,575,470), Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
He was fourth leading New Zealand sire on earnings for the year and fifth in the broodmare statistics. Previously he has been ranked Leading NZ Sire (world wide earnings) 2010-11, 2011-12, Leading NZ Sire (AEI) 2006-07, Second Leading NZ Sire four times, third twice, Second NZ Sire List (Aust and NZ earnings combined) 2006-07, Leading NZ Sire Winners 2010-11 and Champion Sire Hong Kong 2010-11, 2012-13.
He has only small pool of sires at stud, but two, El Hermano and Econsul, have provided runners who have reached Gr.1 level. Now at stud in Western Australia after use at Woodside Park, Tylden, Victoria, Econsul (ex Gypsy Soul by Centaine) is a MRC Caulfield Guineas-Gr.1 winner and VRC Australian Guineas third whose progeny include Precious Gem, a winner of eight races, including the SAJC Robert Sangster Classic-Gr.1.
Pins is showing up as a good younger broodmare sire, supplying dams of more than 200 winners, including 19 stakes winners. Two Gr.1 winners are Brambles (by Savabeel, won the Queensland Derby) and Stratum Star (by Stratum, won MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes), while among others Gr.1 placed is Golden Archer (Rock of Gibraltar-Vienetta by Pins), a prominent Melbourne sprinter who won five stakes to Gr.3 and third placed in the Lightning at Flemington. Golden Archer (fee $6,600) stands at the Basil Nolan family’s Raheen Stud at Gladfield near Warwick in Queensland and appears likely to have some very smart performers amongst his first crop two year-olds in 2016-17.
A talented racehorse who won seven of 14 starts, including the VRC Australian Guineas-Gr.1 and three Gr.2 events, Pins was bred in the Hunter Valley by Amadi Park Pty Ltd, NSW using the Oakleigh Plate-Gr.1 winner Snippets (by Lunchtime (GB)) and No Finer, a Kaoru Star winner of one race at Randwick. He was sold at Sydney Easter Yearling Sale through Arrowfield Stud.
Arrowfield Stud’scontribution
SNIPPETS (ex easy Date by Grand Chaudiere (CAN)) started his career as a sire at Michael Willesee’s Trans Media Park Stud near Cootamundra NSW and then spent the balance of his life at John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley. The Messara Arrowfield was initially at Jerrys Plains, on what is now Coolmore, but in the mid-1990s transferred to the northern end of the Segenhoe Valley near Scone.
That property is a short drive away from the historic Vinery (formerly Segenhow Stud), where Pins’ dam No Finer was bred by now-deceased Lionel Israel. He had Segenhoe for nearly 50 years from 1939 and was one of the most respected stud owners of last century. Much of his wisdom is wrapped up in the maternal breeding of No Finer, dam of seven winners, including Pins, his brother Nips (seven wins, STC Shannon Stakes-Gr.2, NSW Tattersall’s Tramway-Gr.3, fourth VRC Newmarket-Gr.1) and half-brothers Rothko (by Zoffany (USA), won SAJC Ansett Australia Plate-LR) and Gamesman (Eagle Eyed (USA)), five Sydney wins, STC Premier’s Quality Cup-LR).
A Coolmore sire used in America, Ireland and Australia (1996-99, 250 southern foals) Eagle Eyed (1991, Danzig-Razyana by His Majesty) is a five-years-younger brother of Danehill and won the Arlington Classic-Gr.2 in America. He supplied 493 winners world wide, but only one, Peeping Tom in America, won a Gr.1 race.
Returning to Pins, his first three dams were all bred by Lionel Israel. No Finer is a sister by Kaoru Star (by Star Kingdom (IRE)) to Marceau (11 wins, BATC Doomben Cup-Gr.1, STC Rawson Stakes-Gr.1, second AJC Champagne Stakes-Gr.1, third AJC Derby), Zasu (eight wins, AJC Champagne Stakes-Gr.1, QTC Queensland Oaks-Gr.1, second AJC Oaks-Gr.1, third QTC Queensland Derby-Gr.1) and Joy Love (six wins, AJC Expressway Stakes-Gr.2) and half-sister to Runyon (by Convamore (IRE), 11 wins, WATC Perth Cup-Gr.1).
Kaoru Star (ex Kaoru by Emperor (FR)) was a tough, good class Australian two year-old and older sprinter who challenged as the best sire used by Israel at Segenhoe, while Convamore (by Court Harwell) was a prominent GB-Ireland three year-old who won the Ascot King Edward VII Stakes (12f), finished second in the Irish Derby and fifth in the English Derby. He won the Olympic Stakes (5f) at two.
The second dam of Pins, Humour, did not race, but earned the Australian Broodmare of the Year title. Producer of 12 winners, she was by Pirate King (GB) (Prince Chevalier-Netherton Maid by Nearco), a winner of the Royal Ascot St James’s Palace Stakes and twice second in the Sandown Park Eclipse Stakes, and from Real Delight, a winner of a maiden for two year-olds in Sydney by Nilo (IRE), an Aga Khan bred handy UK provincial sprinter who was a three-quarter brother by Nearco to subsequent world breed shaper Nasrullah.
Subsequently re-exported, Nilo, whose dam Dodoma was by Dastur from Mumtaz Begum by Blenheim, stood at Segenhoe, but Pirate King was at Tom Flynn’s Oakleigh Stud in the Widden Valley in partnership with Israel. Nilo’s year-old half-brother Jambo (GB) (Felicitation), also stood in Australia and his Flight Stakes-winning daughter Straightlaced is fourth dam of champion sprinter and leading Coolmore-based sire Choisir, while another daughter, Felidoma, produced the stakes winner and noted broodmare Winged Beauty (dam of Gr.1 winner Princess Talaria).
Lady Antog, the fourth dam of Pins, was a winner up to welter class in Melbourne and also of the Cranbourne Cup. She is a three-quarter sister by Solar Bear (GB), a handy English stayer by Solario used in Victoria, to the dam of AJC Derby winner Valiant Crown and a three-quarter sister to Bannerette, winner of the VRC Australian Cup when it was run over 17 furlongs 110 yards.
Bandiera (GB), born in 1926 and the mother of Lady Antog, is a daughter of Blue Ensign (a non-winner, very modest sire by The Tetrarch) and from Italian-bred Tranquilla Cremona, inbred to St Simon 3mx4m and a relation of Northern Light (won Grand Prix de Paris), Torbido (Italian Derby) and Tamanar (French Derby). Tranquilla Cremona, by Sir Archibald (by Desmond, by St Simon) is from Coronation IV, a half-sister by Isinglass to the dam of Craig an Eran, an English Derby second and influential sire.
Coronation IV was produced by one of the greatest female racehorses of all time in Sceptre (Persimmon-Ornament by Bend Or). She won 13 of her 24 starts in a career that included her appearance at three in all five English Classics, resulting in wins in the 2000 Guineas, 1000 Thousand Guineas, the Oaks and St Leger and fourth placing in the Derby. Her dam, Ornament, is a sister to English Triple Crown winner and sire Ormonde, while her sister, Crown Gem, is the fifth dam of Infatuation (sire of Showdown (GB)).
Tranquilla Cremona, was bred by Italian breeding and training giant Federico Tesio, who owned her dam Coronation IV, purchasing the maiden two year-old at auction in England in 1911 after she had run second in the Ham Produce Stakes and third in the Cheveley Park Stakes in England and training her to win a minor race in Italy before she joined his broodmare band at Dormello Stud. Tesio sold many from this family but retained a stakes winning grandaughter, Turletta (Sir Archibald), whose descendants include Italian Derby winners Torbido and Tisserand.
Tranquilla Cremona’s daughter Bandiera (GB) was imported to Victoria by Dr A.E. Syme in 1927 and had three daughters continue her line. Her daughter Bandrol (Parenthesis (GB)) produced the 1948 Australian Cup winner Bannerette (Solar Bear), the 1949 December Stakes winner Titian (Valiant Chief) and the 1947 AJC Derby winner Valiant Crown (Valiant Chief) for Laurie Morgan, who also bred the 1968 Golden Slipper winner Royal Parma (Parma (GB)) from Bandrol’s grandaughter Memory Time (Charleval (FR)). An Olympic equestrian gold medallist in Rome as well as a noted breeder of thoroughbreds and amateur steeplechase rider in the UK, the late Laurie Morgan was inducted into Sport Australia’s Hall of Fame in 1986. Bandiera’s daughter Sanjak (Drake (GB)) was also a stakes producer, while Lady Antog, a three-quarter sister to Bandrol, is fourth dam of Pins.
Born in 1899 and deceased at 27 in 1926, Sceptre was by the St Simon-sired English Derby and St Leger winner Persimmon who died at 15, but still led the Great Britain sires’ list four times and supplied a son, Comedy King, who, after arriving here as a foal with his mother Tragedy Queen, won the 1910 Melbourne Cup, finished fifth in 2011 and went on to sire two winners of it, Artilleryman and King Ingoda.
Only sonstood in NSW
SCEPTRE’S achievement as a producer of performers was far more modest than her racing ability, but not helped by the fact that her eight foals included only one colt, Grosvenor, foaled in 1913. A winner of one race, the Great Northern Foal Stakes at Newmarket, he is a son of Cicero, the 1905 English Derby winner whose son Valais was five times Champion Australian Sire in the 1920s from use at Arrowfield, Jerrys Plains, when the Moses brothers owned the property.
Grosvenor sired some handy performers from use in England and then, at 13, was sold and sent to Australia where he stood at Larras Lake, Molong NSW. Grosvenor appears to have done little to carry on his mother’s glory, although his imported son Rosenor (GB) left 1937 Wellington Cup winner Ponty (NZ). Luckily Sceptre’s daughters have left a strong family legacy of many good performers, right down to Pins and his Segenhoe Stud produced relations. Other notables tracing to Sceptre besides Craig an Eran, include Relko (won 1963 English Derby, French 2000 Guineas St Leger, influential sire), Match III (won French St Leger, Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, Ascot King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Washington DC International; died young but sired some good horses) and Reliance (won French Derby, St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris, successful sire of stayers).
Also descending from Sceptre are Buchan (won England’s Eclipse Stakes, a leading sire), Petition (won Eclipse Stakes, prominent sire), St Germans (a leading sire USA), Noor (third English Derby, sire), Sunny Jane (won English Oaks), Tiberius (won Ascot Gold Cup, sire), Flyon (won Ascot Gold Cup), Taboun (won English 2000 Guineas), Zucchero (won Coronation Cup) and successful Australian sire Noalcoholic (Nonoalco), a Sussex Stakes-Gr.1 winner and grandsire of Falvelon.
Petition figures prominently in the pedigree of Danzig (sire of Danehill), as he is the sire of his second dam Petitioner, Sceptre, named after the symbolic staff held by a ruling monarch, is a part of many Australian pedigrees. It’s good to see her female line figuring so prominently through Pins. She is his eighth dam and he deservedly stands tall among her descendants.
Published: October 2016
