The legacy of the outstanding broodmare, Fall Aspen, continues to be felt throughout the world.
Fort Wood (Sadler’s Wells – Fall Aspen)
In South Africa, Fall Aspen’s deceased champion sire son, Fort Wood, continues to make his presence felt through successful sire sons, Dynasty and Elusive Fort, promising grandson, Jackson, and a host of outstanding broodmare daughters.
Perennially among South Africa’s top stallions, Dynasty, one of three sons of his sire named Horse Of The Year, made headlines again this weekend when his son, American Landing, won Saturday’s Listed East Cape Derby at Fairview.
Americal Landing wins East Cape Derby last Saturday
The regally bred American Landing, one of nearly 60 stakes winners for Dynasty, is one of 6 black type winners to have emerged from his sire’s current crop of 3yos this season, with others including multiple Gr1 winner, Eyes Wide Open, Equus Champion, Lady In Black, the unbeaten Hashtagyolo and KZN Guineas Trial winner, Sir David Baird. Dynasty is also sire of triple Gr1 winner, Jackson, who is currently one of South Africa’s Leading First Crop Sires.
Another Fort Wood sire son in the news is Equus Champion and triple Gr1 winner, Elusive Fort, whose runners this season include Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner, Secret Potion, and Gr3 Vasco Taverna Prix Du Cap winner, Elusive Heart.
Fort Wood’s greatest son, on the racetrack, was undoubtedly Horse Chestnut, who has gone on to establish himself as a top class broodmare sire.
Horse Chestnut – the first Triple Crown hero
This year, Horse Chestnut is damsire of outstanding US racemare, Fault (Blame), whose trio of graded wins this year include the Gr1 Santa Margarita Stakes. Fault was produced by the Horse Chestnut mare, Chaming N Lovable, whose 3 career wins included the Flawlessly Stakes.
Fort Wood, who has dominated South Africa’s Broodmare Sires List in recent years, continues to fare well as a damsire, with his representatives this season including high class filly, Folk Dance (Tiger Ridge). His daughters, who fared so well when mated to Captain Al, are also responsible for Gr1 winners Cherry On The Top (Tiger Ridge), Capetown Noir (Western Winter), Forest Indigo (Judpot), Marinaresco (Silvano), Contador (Var), Real Princess (Trippi), Captain America (Captain Al), William Longsword (Captain Al) and Nightingale (Silvano).
Fort Wood was by far the most successful of the considerable number of Fall Aspen descendants to retire to stud in South Africa.
Bold Respect – won In Full Flight Handicap
Another descendant of Fall Aspen, French Gr2 winner, Kabool (Groom Dancer), is broodmare sire of 2017 In Full Flight Handicap winner, Bold Respect (Bold Silvano). Kabool, whose career was not helped by fertility problems, enjoyed more success as a broodmare sire, and is also broodmare sire of graded winners Double Whammy (Judpot), Go Indigo (Indigo Magic), and Redcarpet Captain (Captain Al).
Internationally, Fall Aspen is the ancestress of hugely promising French Derby winning sire, Intello (Galileo), who appears on the verge of a successful career at stud.
The Cheveley Park based stallion was represented by two impressive first crop group winners, and potential classic contenders, last week. Intello is the sire of talented French based 3yo, Intellogent, who became his sire’s first group winner when victorious in the Gr3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly on Monday.
Intellogent now looks likely to contest the Gr1 Prix Du Jockey Club, a race won by Intello himself in 2013.
Intello enjoyed a quick-fire group race double last week, when another member of his first crop, Young Rascal, won the prestigious Gr3 Chester Vase on Wednesday. Now a winner of two of his three starts, Young Rascal, who is inbred to legendary stallion, Danehill, looks a potential first Investec Derby starter for his very promising young sire, whose own sire, Galileo, won that Epsom classic back in 2001. T
he regally bred Intello, whose fifth dam is Fall Aspen, is a three-parts brother to Gr1 Arlington Million/G1 Atto Mile winner, Mondialiste. The latter, also now at stud, is a son of Galileo with Mondialiste (whose fourth dam is Fall Aspen) out of French Gr1 winner, Occupandiste (Kaldoun), with the latter a granddam of Intello.
Dubai Millenium
The Gr1 Matron Stakes winning Fall Aspen (Pretense) is also second dam of outstanding, but short-lived racehorse, Dubai Millennium (Seeking The Gold), whose sire son, Dubawi, is one of the world’s elite stallions. Dubawi, whose progeny include more than 30 individual Gr1 winners, is enjoying another stellar season. Not only is the Irish 2000 Guineas winner already represented by 10 stakes winners in 2018, but his unbeaten Pretty Polly Stakes winning daughter, Lah Ti Dar, is currently favourite for June’s Gr1 Investec Oaks. Dubawi is sire of at least seven Gr1 winners whose dams are sired by a Sadler’s Wells line stallion.
Dubawi’s stakes winners this year include Dubai Gr1 winners, Benbatl (Dubai Turf) and North America (Maktoum Challenge), and he has built up a remarkable record with mares from the Sadler’s Wells, being particularly successful when mated to daughters of Sadler’s Wells’ grandson, Singspiel (In The Wings). Other high class performers bred on the Dubawi/Singspiel cross include the likes of Left Hand (G1 Prix Vermeille), Wuheida (G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf), and G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner, Laugh Aloud.
The above mentioned Lah Ti Dar (a full-sister to Gr3 Musidora Stakes winner So Mi Dar), is likely to provide her sire with a first Epsom classic winner if she lines up in next month’s Oaks.
Fall Aspen is also third dam of talented Cape filly, Fresnaye, third in both the Gr1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Cartier Paddock Stakes this season. This well-bred three-year-old, a daughter of increasingly successful broodmare sire, Western Winter, must be worth her weight in gold as a broodmare prospect.
Outstanding miler and young Darley sire, Ribchester (Iffraaj), is yet another top drawer racehorse descended in female line from this remarkable matron.
