Al Mufti
Of late there have been a number of top class thoroughbreds inbred to certain individuals. From local sires such as Al Mufti to classic winning mares, like Helen Street, a number of forms of inbreeding seem to be reaping particular success lately.
Al Mufti
A former champion sire, Al Mufti has exerted a considerable influence on the South African racing world, both through such sire sons as Captain Al and Victory Moon, and as a highly successful broodmare sire. Al Mufti is the damsire of, among others, former champion, Jay Peg, who has built up a notable record with daughters of Al Mufti’s best sire son Captain Al. This combination has already resulted in such graded stakes winners as Flash Drive and Hot Affair, and seems likely to work again to similar affect in the future. Inbreeding to Al Mufti has also resulted in the high-class and unbeaten 2yo Redcarpet Captain (by Captain Al out of Divine, whose dam is by Al Mufti).
Helen Street
The former Irish Oaks winner, Helen Street (Troy), has exerted a tremendous influence on international breeding and racing, both through the deeds of her outstanding sire son Street Cry (Machiavellian) and also as the granddam of exceptional Darley sire, Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway). The first group/graded winner inbred to this important matriarch was seen in Britain last year when the intensely inbred Lucida (by Shamardal out of a Street Cry mare) won the Gr2 Rockfel Stakes to stamp herself a potential classic contender for 2015. With plenty of Street Cry mares around and with the ongoing success of both Shamardal and his classic winning sire son Lope De Vega it is hard to believe that more success will not come from this pattern of inbreeding.
Danzig
Inbreeding to the late great Danzig is by no means a new phenomenon. However, the success of this inbreeding has grown notably over the past few seasons, with an ever growing list of top flight winners bred on this pattern. Understandably, given the dominance of Danzig’s greatest son, Danehill ‘Downunder’, a high percentage of top horses inbred to Danzig can be found in Australasia. They number multiple Gr1 winner, All Too Hard, top sprinter, Brazen Beau, and fellow Gr1 winners Appearance, Albany Reunion, Atlante, and Saturday’s Gr1 All Aged Stakes winner, Dissident, while top class South African performers inbred this way includes former Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner, Buy And Sell.
Inbreeding to the mighty sire has also resulted in success in the Northern Hemisphere, with this list including Gr1 winning 2yo, Alfred Nobel, Kentucky Derby hero, I’ll Have Another and Gr1 Prix Morny winner, Bushranger.
Interestingly, impressive recent local debut winner and Gr1 SA Nursery hopeful, Shaama, is highly inbred to Danzig. Not only is the filly’s Gr1 winning dam, Absolut Glam, inbred to Danzig, but she is by one of Danehill’s finest sire sons in Redoute’s Choice, while unbeaten Kentucky Derby hopeful of 2015, Dortmund, is another to carry multiple lines of this iconic stallion.
Best In Show
The legacy of this great mare continues to be felt all over the world, with her descendants including El Gran Senor, Try My Best, Northern Guest and legendary Australian champion, Redoute’s Choice. Inevitably (given her large number of high class descendants), inbreeding to Best In Show (herself Broodmare Of The Year in 1982) has been successful. The likes of Australasian Gr1 winners Bonaria, Master Of Design, Dariana, Heavenly Glow and Redoutes Dancer are all inbred in this fashion, although it is perhaps telling that all but Heavenly Glow are sired by Redoute’s Choice. North American Champion Older Female of 2014, Close Hatches, is another inbred to this blue hen.
Seattle Slew
An outstanding racehorse and legendary sire, Seattle Slew’s male line today seems to depend on his greatest son, A P Indy. Seattle Slew has also made a mark at stud through the deeds of his successful maternal grandsons, Lemon Drop Kid and Stormy Atlantic in North America, while the likes of Mambo In Seattle and Sail From Seattle are both shaping up with promise locally. Inbreeding to Seattle Slew has produced a flurry of graded stakes winners recently, with the tally including such Gr1 winners as Competitive Edge (Hopeful Stakes), Condo Commando (Spinaway Stakes), Constitution (Florida Derby), Currency Swap (Hopeful Stakes), Morning Line (Carter Hcp) and So Many Ways (Spinaway Stakes). Leading Kentucky Derby hopeful, Frosted, winner of the recent Gr1 Wood Memorial, is another inbred to the 1977 Triple Crown winner – he is by A P Indy’s grandson Tapit and out of a granddaughter of Slew’s son, Avenue Of Flags. Another bred this way is useful South African 3yo, Deputy Jud (by Judpot), a runner in Saturday’s Gr1 SA Derby, as is former Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner Reim (by Ashaawes).
Sadler’s Wells
Inbreeding to the great Coolmore legend, Sadler’s Wells, is on the up, thanks to his sons, El Prado, Galileo, High Chaparral and Montjeu, and their plethora of sire sons and grandsons. Already notable Gr1 performers inbred to Northern Dancer’s greatest son include Kamsin (Deutsches Derby), Kittens Dumplings (QE Challenge II Cup) and Parish Hall (Dewhurst Stakes). Another useful sort bred like this is Irish 1000 Guineas second, Rehn’s Nest (by Sadler’s Wells’ grandson Authorized, she is out of a daughter of Sadler’s Wells’ finest son Galileo), while the ill-fated high class miler, Vagabond Shoes, is by a son of Sadler’s Wells (Beat Hollow) out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells’ grandson, Singspiel. Listed Sun Classique Handicap heroine, Saint Sophia, is also inbred to the legend, being by his grandson, Dynasty, out of a granddaughter of Sadler’s Wells.
With Sadler’s Wells an increasing force in the South Africa stud book, surely it is only a matter of time before such inbreeding produces a major Grade One performer.
