Sadler’s Wells
Legendary stallion, Sadler’s Wells, once again dominated the Investec Derby and Oaks last week. The now deceased son of Northern Dancer is the broodmare sire of unbeaten Investec Oaks winner, Taghrooda, (Sea The Stars) and the paternal grandsire of Investec Derby hero, Australia (Galileo).
Sadler’s Wells is also the great grandsire of Oaks runner up, Tarfaasha, (by Galileo’s son Teofilo). It was a good weekend for Teofilo, who recorded his sixth Group 1 winner, when his son Sonntag won the Gp1 Queensland Derby.
Few, if any, sires in history have had a greater influence on the Epsom classics than Sadler’s Wells. The dominant sire of Europe throughout his stud career, Sadler’s Wells left behind two Epsom Derby winners (High Chaparral, Galileo), and no fewer than five Oaks winners. His first Oaks winner was the mighty Salsabil (1990) and his last Alexandrova (who scored in 2006). Staggeringly, in 2001, Sadler’s Wells fillies, Imagine, Flight Of Fancy and Relish The Thought, ran 1-2-3 in the Epsom Oaks.
Sadler’s Wells, sire of no fewer than seven colts who finished second in the Derby, is also broodmare sire of Epsom Derby winner, Workforce, as well as 2000 Derby runner up, Sakhee. Sadler’s Wells sons’ Montjeu and Galileo have, between them, left behind seven Epsom Derby winners, with Galileo also the sire of Oaks winner Was, and the grandsire of 2013 Investec Oaks victress, Talent.
In North America, sons of the Sadler’s Wells’ son El Prado sired the winners of the Gr1 Just A Game Handicap (Coffee Clique) and Gr1 Manhattan Handicap (Real Solution).
Sadler’s Wells’ classic influence has also been felt in South Africa in recent times. His outstanding son, Fort Wood, is the sire of Dynasty and Horse Chestnut – sire of the first two home (Legislate, Rake’s Chestnut) in the recent Gr1 Daily News 2000. Dynasty is also the sire of champion mare, Beach Beauty, second in Saturday’s Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
On a somewhat lower level, Sadler’s Wells is also the broodmare sire of Sunday’s impressive debut winner, Love to Sail. The latter is a daughter of the Gone West horse Sail From Seattle – and this Gone West/Sadler’s Wells cross has been increasingly successful. Horses bred on this cross include champion filly Bad Girl Runs, multiple Gr1 winner Capetown Noir, the classic winning siblings Pacino and Dupont, Craven Stakes hero Elusive Pimpernel, Gp1 Falmouth Stakes winner, Timepiece, and Kentucky Oaks heroine Believe You Can.
The reverse Sadler’s Wells/Gone West combination has produced the likes of English classic winners Motivator and Leading Light, as well as top SA mare Magic Smoke, top miler Toronado, and US Grade One winners Admiral Kitten and Kitten’s Dumplings, to mention a few.
Another sire to have played an important role in the recent history of the Epsom Derby is former Arc de Triomphe winner, Rainbow Quest.
Himself the sire of 1990 Derby hero Quest For Fame, Rainbow Quest is the broodmare sire of this year’s Investec Derby runner up, Kingston Hill, as well as former Derby winners Kris Kin (2003) and North Light (2004).
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Local Connections To Epsom Victors
Cape Cross
This year’s Investec Oaks and Derby winner have connections to at least two South African based thoroughbreds. The influence of Darley sire Cape Cross was well felt in this year’s Investec classics.
The Group 1 winning son of Green Desert is the paternal sire of Oaks heroine Naghrooda – who is from the first crop of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross’ greatest son). Sea The Stars, who himself won the Epsom Derby in 2009, has made a superb start to his stud career, with other first crop stars including recent French Derby runner up, Shamkiyr, and leading German Derby fancy Sea The Moon.
Cape Cross, whose champion daughter Ouija Board is the dam of 2014 Investec Derby hero Australia, is a full-brother to Highlands Farm’s young stallion, Great Britain. The latter, who won the now Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint, will be represented by his first local crop next season – and few, if any, sires in South Africa can boast of having a more fashionable and potent pedigree. The 2014 Investec Oaks winner Taghrooda might be the first classic winner for the mighty Sea The Stars, but she is one of but a few top-class athletes from her immediate female line.
Taghrooda’s second dam, Ezilla, is inbred to tap root mare Albanilla, and out of a three parts-sister to Irish Oaks winner, Ebadiyla (by Sadler’s Wells out of Ebaziya).
Ebadiyla, one of four Group 1 winners produced by Darshaan mare Ebaziya, is a full-sister to Klawervlei’s blue blooded broodmare, Ebaraya. Currently in foal to Judpot, Ebaraya is the dam of a Distorted Humor filly who sold for R2.75 million at the 2014 Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
This is also the family of French Derby winning champion sire, Darshaan, while Taghrooda herself traces back directly to the great mare Frizette – ancestress of such breed shaping sires as Tourbillon, Seattle Slew and Mr Prospector.
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Star Colt’s Legendary Ancestor
Greys Inn
The impressive 2yo Forries Waltz, who maintained his unbeaten record in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes, was one of two impressive stakes winners for champion Greys Inn on Saturday.
Greys Inn, whose son King Of Pain scored the first Gr1 win of his career when victorious in Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge, is a young stallion who has shown the ability to sire high-class stock, capable of winning over a range of distances.
The soon to be exported Forries Waltz also descends from one of the finest staying mares ever seen in Europe – Gladness. A true iron mare, Gladness won the 1958 Ebor Handicap (at the time England’s ninth richest flat race), carrying nine stone 7lbs – she thrashed the runner up by six lengths, despite conceding the second placed Woodside Terrace no less than 29 lbs.
Gladness, who also won the 1958 Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup, also ran second in England’s premier WFA race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. At stud Gladness (the fifth dam of Forries Waltz), did well – with her foals including the Irish Oaks winner Merry Mate. Her numerous top-class descendants include champion sprinter, Overdose, Caulfield Cup winner, Fawkner and Taj Eclipse (VRC Oaks).
