SUPER MARES - CATHERINE AUSTEN INVESTIGATES HASILI'S
DYNASTY
Super Mares –The mothers of them all
Some mares produce one good foal, while others start a
dynasty.
Catherine Austen asks why -
Behind every great horse is a great mare. Obviously. But what
about those far rarer mothers who have produced not one, but
several top performers? It is relatively easy to find magnificent
matriarchs in the racing sphere, where pedigree is so important,
records well kept – and mares retire at the age of three or four to
begin their maternal duties. Mares such as Height Of Fashion, bred
by The Queen but sold to Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, spring to
mind.
Height Of Fashion has 12 foals, and eight of those earned
themselves Black Type. Unfuwain, a solid Group Two winner, became
the sire of Heigh Of Fashion’s offspring such as Alhaarth,
Petrushka and Lailani. Her 1998 foal, Nayef, a four times Group One
winner trained by Marcus Tregoning, is just embarking on his own
stud career.
But the crown prince was Nashwan, the chestnut son of Blushing
Groom who became the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, Derby,
Eclipse and King George.
Even the least successful of Arc winner Urban Sea’s six foals to
hit the track won a Listed race. The best of them is Coolmore’s
brilliant young sire, the dual Derby winner Galileo, who is
founding his own dynasty through horses such as Breeders’ Cup
winner Red Rocks and champion two-year-old Teofilo.
But these achievements are thrust into the shade by HASILI. The
Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s broodmare of the Year in 2006
– an accolade surely long overdue – HASILI’s record is phenomenal.
A daughter of Derby winner Kahyasi out of a High Line mare, Kerali,
she retired to the paddocks of her breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah
after a modest Listed-placed career in the French provinces.
Six of her foals gave raced. Four have won Group or Grade Ones.
Only the youngest, Champs Elysees, who finished second twice at
Group level last year and remains in training with Andre Fabre, has
not won a group race.
Hasili’s daughters Banks Hill and Intercontinental both counted
Breeders’ Cup races amongst their Group and Graded haul, while the
Green Desert mare Heat Haze – the only one not by Danehill – and
Cacique both picked up American Grade Ones after transferring from
France.
But the most famous of Hasili’s illustrious offspring is
DANSILI. Second several times at Group
One level and winner of a Group Two, the 11 year old bay is
forging a career as a super-sire after producing last year’s Arc
winner, Rail Link, and Price Tag, whose Grade One Matriarch Stakes
victory went some way towards compensating for her demotion to
third from first in the French 1000 Guineas.
The Banstead Manor sire has a 2007 to look forward to – Derby
hopeful Strategic Prince will be among his, while Thousand Words
heads for the Guineas.
Hasili will re-visit Storm Cat in 2007 - Click here
to find out more
Date: 8 March 2007