Broodmare daughters of the late, champion South African sire Fort Wood made their mark last Saturday.
Not only is Fort Wood broodmare sire of Saturday’s Gr2 Topbet Joburg Spring F&M Challenge winner Humdinger (What A Winter), another daughter, Cutty Sark, is the dam of Saturday’s Gr3 Hollywoodbets Diana Stakes queen Santa Maria (Trippi).
Fort Wood (Sadler’s Wells – Fall Aspen)
Humdinger’s dam Himalayan Hill has proved a high-class mare, both on the track and at stud, with Himalayan Hill (winner of five races including the Listed Off To Stud Handicap) also dam of last season’s Listed Milkwood Stakes winner Glacier Gold (What A Winter).
Cutty Sark has also proved a success in the breeding shed -not only is she dam of Santa Maria (also victorious in the Listed Lady’s Pendant), she is also responsible for Listed Breeders Guineas winner Sailing Ship (Duke Of Marmalade) and the smart Sail (Philanthropist). While the latter never won a black type race, she did finish second or third in six graded races.
Trippi and What A Winter, sire of Santa Maria and Humdinger respectively, have previously enjoyed success with Fort Wood mares, with Trippi producing Gr1 winner Real Princess out of the Fort Wood mare Pagan Princess, and What A Winter also responsible for the likes of Fort Winter and Glacier Gold when sent daughters of Fort Wood. (Fort Wood is also broodmare sire of Green Pepper, the dam of Trippi’s Gr1 winning daughter Sweet Pepper).
Fort Wood mares have also left behind a number of sire sons, including the likes of Pluck and William Longsword.
Former Breeders’ Cup winner Pluck (who is out of Fort Wood’s Gr1 placed daughter Secret Heart) is the sire of group winners Aspect, Life On The Wire, and Mongolian Wolf, while Real Princess’ Gr1 Cape Guineas winning half-brother William Longsword made a smart start with his first crop headed by the stakes winners Dyce, Bon Vivant and Hasta Manana.
Ridgemont’s magnificent Malmoos
Latest celebrity out of a Fort Wood mare to retire to stud is Ridgemont Highlands’ well performed stallion Malmoos.
Malmoos, whose close relative Gimme’s Lassie (herself out of the Fort Wood mare Scandola) won at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, certainly appears to have a lot going for him as a stallion prospect.
Out of a stakes winning half-sister to successful sire Master Of My Fate, Malmoos won five graded races during a career crowned by his triumph in the South African Triple Crown of 2021.
Fort Wood is also sire of Gay Fortuna -South Africa’s reigning Broodmare Of The Year and dam of three stakes winners notably Equus Champion and Gr1 Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco.
