Day one of the 2013 Royal Ascot meeting was dominated by descendants of one of history’s greatest stallions – Danzig. Three of the six races on the card were won by Danzig descendants, and his son, War Front, had an impressive double (War Command and Declaration of War).
Danzig dominates Day One
Danzig
War Front is quickly building an impressive record at stud, and it is interesting to note, that, while he began his stud career at a fee of $12,500, War Front is now standing for a fee of $80 000 (or over six times his original fee!). The other Danzig line descendant to win last Tuesday at Ascot was Extortionist, who won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.
He is from the first crop of his sire, the speedy Dandy Man (Mozart). The latter, who is currently well clear on the UK first season sires list, is also the sire of G2 Coventry Stakes runner up Parbold, and has made a smashing start to his stud career. Dandy Man was one of just 101 foals sired by the ill-fated sprint champion Mozart (Danehill).
Judging by the results, Mozart’s premature death was a real loss to the breeding industry. From just 101 foals, Mozart sired 8% stakes winners, amongst them Gr1 winner Amadeus Wolf (Middle Park Stakes). He is also the broodmare sire of this year’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner, Magician.
What was also interesting about a number of Ascot winners or placed horses, is the increasing number of talented performers who are inbred to Danzig himself. These include G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes runner up Society Rock, the above mentioned Parbold, Extortionist, and Queen Mary third placed finisher, Joyeuse.
The Danzig factor was not limited to the first day. No fewer than 14 of this year’s Royal Ascot victors trace back in male line to the great Claiborne patriarch.
Mare Joins The Greats
Ebaziya joined the true broodmare greats when daughter, Estimate, won Thursday’s Gp1 Gold for Her Majesty The Queen. In doing so, Estimate became, not only the second Gold Cup winner produced by her dam, but the fourth individual Gp1 winner! Ebaziya (Darshaan) is the first since Feemoss (Levmoss, Le Moss) to have produced two individual Gold Cup winners.
Other mares to have bred more than one Gold Cup winner include Astronomie, Trimestral and Barbelle. What makes Ebaziya’s feat of breeding four individual G1 winners remarkable is that they are by four different sires from three different sire lines.
Here is a breakdown of this great mare’s achievements:
• Ebadiyla (Sadler’s Wells): Irish Oaks (2400m)
• Enzeli (Kahyasi): Ascot Gold Cup (4000m)
• Edabiya (Rainbow Quest): Moyglare Stud Stakes (1400m)
• Estimate (Monsun): Ascot Gold Cup (4000m).
Bluest Of The Blue Blooded Winners
Remote (right)
Remote, an eye catching winner of the Gp3 Tercentary Stakes, has to be considered as one of the best bred of all the blue blooded winners at Royal Ascot. He is one of 80 stakes winners sired by Dansili, who has made a name for himself as one ofEurope’s very best sires, and a stallion who consistently produces top-class racehorses.
Remote is out of the high-class racemare, Zenda, who won the French 1000 Guineas and who is a half-sister to leading sire Oasis Dream. Remote’s second dam, Hope, is a full sister to Irish Oaks winner Wemyss Bight – dam of multiple G1 winner (and Gr1 sire, Beat Hollow). Third dam Bahamian (by the great sire and broodmare sire Mill Reef) was a high-class racemare herself, as was Remote’s fourth dam Sorbus.
Remarkably, Remote’s pedigree contains the names of four of Northern Dancer’s greatest sons, Nijinsky II, Danzig, Lyphard and The Minstrel. Should he win a Gr1, Remote’s stud value could well be astronomical.
SA Connections
A number of the major winners at Royal Ascot this year have strong ties to current or former South African based stallions. Sole Power, who narrowly conquered South African superstar Shea Shea in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes, is a great grandson of Metair. The latter produced the high-class sprinter, and successful local sire, Fine Edge.
Outstanding sire Dansili, mentioned above, is a full brother to champion Banks Hill (dam of Mauritzfontein’s resident sire Ideal World). Hardwicke Stakes hero, Thomas Chippendale, is a close relation of the Cape sire Alado. Thomas Chippendale, a great grandson of Danzig (sire of Alado), traces back to Alruccaba- the third dam of Alado.
Darshaan’s Broodmare Legacy
Darshaan
Darshaan, who won a memorable French Derby back in 1984 when beating Sadler’s Wells and Rainbow Quest, has long been regarded as a broodmare sire extraordinaire. However, even by his remarkable standards, the son of Shirley Heights was particularly dominant at the 2013 Royal Ascot meeting.
Not only did Darshaan’s daughters produce both the G1 Gold Cup (Estimate) and G1 Prince of Wales Stakes (Al Kazeem) winners, but the former classic winner is also to be found in the pedigrees of Thomas Chippendale (Hardwicke Stakes), Dank (third Duke of Cambridge S), Toronado (2nd St James Palace S), and Feel Like Dancing (2nd Queen’s Vase).
Darshaan, also damsire of recent Gr1 Vanity Handicap victress, Byrama (Byron), is the damsire of no fewer than 191 stakes winners. Notably, to date, Darshaan mares have also produced 38 G1 winners, including this year’s Dubai Duty Free victress Sajjhaa.
Sire Doubles
Several high-profile sires enjoyed tremendous success at this year’s Royal meeting. Outstanding sire Dubawi, whose record and statistics make him one of the world’s best stallions, had a double which reflects both his talent and versatility as a sire. The son of Dubai Millennium (who himself blitzed the Ascot turf back in 2000) had a pair of winners in Al Kazeem (G1 Prince of Wales Stakes over 2000m) and Kiyoshi (G3 Albany Stakes over 1200m).
As mentioned above, the North American sire War Front enjoyed a tremendous double on the first day of the meeting, while other sires to have sired more than one winner at Royal Ascot this year are Oasis Dream, Danehill Dancer and Dansili. The latter pair had a treble at this year’s meeting.
Dansili, in particular, enjoyed a magnificent Royal Ascot. A sire with strong claims to being Danehill’s very best sire son, Dansili had a treble with Riposte (Ribblesdale Stakes), Remote (Tercentary Stakes) and Thomas Chippendale (Hardwicke Stakes). Four other of his progeny were placed. Dansili, whose stock excelled at this meeting, was also Royal Ascot’s leading sire, by prize money, a year ago.
