Pierre Lapin a first-crop star for Cappella Sansevero
DANZIG (by Northern Dancer) was one of the greatest stallions of all time. Although operating before the days of massive foal crops or the shuttle-sire phenomenon, he was responsible for 198 stakes-winning offspring of whom 46 won at least once at the highest level.
He became an outstanding sire of sires – getting a long list of sons who got at least one Group/Grade 1 star of their own – and forged a dynasty whose might has been felt around the world.
It is possible that War Front may eventually develop his own branch of the line but he has a long way to go yet to match the exploits of Danehill and Green Desert.
Indeed, the latter's lineage of pattern-race-siring stallions acquired a new name on Saturday when Pierre Lapin maintained his unbeaten record with an eye-catching victory in the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.
The Roger Varian-trained colt, a 140,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 graduate bred by Cbs Bloodstock, comes from the first crop of Cappella Sansevero and, like his famous half-brother, could be a Group 1 horse in the making.
The sire, a Group 1-placed, pattern-winning juvenile sprinter, is a Compas Stallions horse standing at Bridge House Stud and is an early son of leading young UK sire Showcasing (by Oasis Dream), which makes him a great-grandson of Green Desert.
Each of the stallions in his male line is famous as a source of speed and precocity, each also got horses who were effective over a mile – and sometimes up to a half-mile farther – and with the distaff family that Cappella Sansevero represents, there is every chance that his best results will not be confined to the realm of sprinting either.
Indeed, his pedigree suggests that he has the potential to build a profile like that of his sire, a horse as capable of producing milers as he is sprinters.
It remains to be seen if Pierre Lapin will go on to become a runner of the calibre of Advertise or Quiet Reflection – the two Showcasing-sired multiple Group 1 stars – but it would be no surprise to see him strike at the highest level, especially as he's a half-brother to Harry Angel (by Dark Angel). That dual Group 1 sprint ace has completed a busy first season at Dalham Hall Stud.
Pierre Lapin won Saturday's six-furlong test in the second-fastest time ever for the race – only James Garfield (2017) has been quicker – and he could be a Commonwealth Cup horse next year.
However, there is also a good chance, on pedigree, that he will stay a mile, which would being him into Guineas contention.
Cappella Sansevero, as noted, looks likely to get both sprinters and milers, his son is out of a daughter of sprint star Cadeaux Genereux (by Young Generation) – who stayed a mile and got top winners over a wide range of distances – and she, Beatrix Potter, is a half-sister to the dual Group 1-winning miler Xtension (by Xaar).
In addition, the colt's grandam is Great Joy (by Grand Lodge), a stakes-placed half-sister to the mile listed scorer A La Carte (by Caerleon) and out of a Spectacular Bid (by Bold Bidder) mare whose relations feature the US Grade 1 stars Stephen Got Even (by A.P. Indy) and Artemis Agrotera (by Roman Ruler).
All of this makes Pierre Lapin an exciting prospect and a fine advertisement for a young stallion whose first juveniles also include Eloy D'Amerval, the Gerard Keane-trained half-brother to classic heroine Jet Setting (by Fast Company) that made a winning debut at Naas just over a week ago.
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Runaway Group 3 win for Never son at Newmarket
COOLMORE Stud's exciting young stallion No Nay Never (by Scat Daddy) made it seven pattern winners among 17 stakes winners when Wichita pulled seven lengths clear of his closest pursuer in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.
A second-crop son of his sire, the Aidan O'Brien-trained juvenile was runner-up in a listed contest at Doncaster 13 days before and a narrow Curragh maiden winner last month.
The colt is by the sire of sprint star Ten Sovereigns and who – as he's bred to do – is also getting those that stay a mile and farther. The way he galloped home on Thursday suggests that Wichita could be a Guineas horse in 2020.
Indeed, his big-race entries include next month's Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes over the mile at Doncaster. But, the Derby distance?
No Nay Never has got the 12-furlong listed scorer and 11-furlong Group 2 winner Chestnut Honey in Italy and that colt is out of a 12-furlong winner by Chester House (by Mr Prospector), so we know that he has the potential to get top horses over the distance, with the right mare.
Wichita's dam Lumiere Noire is by the Group 1-winning middle-distance horse Dashing Blade (by Elegant Air) and out of a daughter of Indian Ridge (by Ahonoora), and she showed speed rather than stamina.
However, the six-and-a-half-furlong listed scorer is a half-sister to Lumiere Astrale (by Trempolino), a listed-placed 12-furlong winner in France whose offspring include the pattern-placed stayer Theme Astral (by Cape Cross), and her siblings also include Desert Blanc (by Desert Story), who won a 10-furlong Grade 1 handicap on turf at Belmont Park.
There are branches of the family that lead to the Group 1 winners Satwa Queen (by Muhtathir), Spadoun (by Kaldoun), and Mille Et Mille (by Muhtathir), but their connection to Wichita ranges from distant to remote.
The 140,000gns Tattersalls Book 2 graduate was bred by Max Ervine and is an intriguing prospect for 2020, one who has the potential to make an impact at up to the 10-and-a-half-furlong trip of, say, the Prix du Jockey Club or Juddmonte International Stakes.