MOTIVATOR SON WINS LANZAROTE HURDLE
The Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) sire line has had a powerful influence on National Hunt racing and Modus (by Motivator) added to its roll of honour when taking the Listed 32Red Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle over two miles, five furlongs at Kempton on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old, who won a listed bumper at Cheltenham three years ago, has now won three from nine over obstacles.
He was bred by John Deer, he has a string of winning siblings, and his dam, Alessandra (by Generous), is a half-sister to the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes winner Casey (by Caerleon) and also to the notable broodmare Alessia (by Caerleon).
That mare is responsible for the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp-winning half-brothers Patavellian (by Machiavellian) and Avonbridge (by Averti), both of them also bred by Deer and the latter a successful blacktype sire Oakgrove Stud.
Deer owns Oakgrove Stud, near Chepstow, and the farm is also home to multiple Group 1 star Al Kazeem (by Dubawi) whose small initial crop caught the eye at the sales last year and are two-year-olds of 2017.
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ONE-TWO FOR VOIX DU NORD
Only two of the four runners completed the course in Saturday's Listed 32Red Casino Chase, over two miles, four and a half furlongs at Kempton, but both are sons of the late Haras de Cercy stallion Voix Du Nord (by Valanour).
Only 12 years old when he died four year ago, the Group 1-winning grandson of Lomond (by Northern Dancer) has given us a long and growing list of notable National Hunt winners, featuring standouts such as Taquin Du Seuil and Vroum Vroum Mag.
His Grade 1 and triple Grade 2 star Vibrato Valtat was the runner-up at Kempton, beaten two and a quarter lengths by the Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old Vaniteux for whom this was a first victory since a Grade 2 success at Doncaster 12 months ago.
Vaniteux was bred by Jacques Cypres, he is a half-brother to several winners in France and he is out of Expoville (by Video Rock), a blacktype-placed half-sister to the listed chase scorers Bilbao V (by Bad Conduct) and Alcaloide (by Maiymad).
Vibrato Valtat was bred by Colette and Aude-Marie Duperret, he is the second foal out of the winning AQPS mare La Tosca Valtat (by Dom Alco), he is a half-brother to the Auteuil chase and listed hurdles scorer Bel Canto Valtat (by Network), and his dam is a full-sister to the multiple chase winner Recital Valtat.
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ANOTHER FOR MAKFI
Classic-winning miler Makfi (by Dubawi), the sire of dual Group 1 star and Ballylinch Stud stallion Make Believe (first foals in 2017), added to his pattern race tally recently when the New Zealand-bred Imposing Lass won the Group 3 Gosford RSL Belle Of The Turf Stakes over a mile at Gosford in Australia.
The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old was bred by City Bloodstock Ltd, she is out of Imposingly (by Zabeel), was a prior Group 2-placed listed race winner, and she is a half-sister to the Group 3 scorers Full Of Spirit (by Flying Spur) and Lady Cumquat (by Duke Of Marmalade).
Her dam is a winning half-sister to several successful runners and her grandam, Quiz Queen (by Defensive Play), is an unraced half-sister to the Group 1 stars Champagne (by Zabeel) and St Reims (by Zabeel).
In the northern hemisphere, Makfi spent four seasons at Tweenhills Farm & Stud and two at Haras de Bonneval. He shuttled to Westbury Stud in New Zealand, and he is now about to begin his first term in Japan.
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PROLIFIC SANDIVA STRIKES AGAIN
Al Shaqab Racing's high-class mare Sandiva (by Footstepsinthesand) kicked off the new year in style with a repeat victory in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes over eight and a half furlongs on turf at Gulfstream Park.
The Todd Pletcher-trained six-year-old, who began her career in the Richard Fahey stable, won the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket, Group 3 Prix du Calvados at Deauville and the Listed Sprint Stakes at Naas before crossing the Atlantic in 2014.
She was bred in Ireland by Denis McDonnell, originally cost just £18,000 in Doncaster as a yearling, and she now has five Group/Grade 3 wins to her name.
She is out of Miss Corrine (by Mark of Esteem), which makes her a half-sister to the listed scorer Wentworth (by Acclamation) and, as her dam is out of a full-sister to Group 3 scorer Percy's Lass (by Blakeney), Miss Corrine is very closely related to Group 1 Derby hero and successful sire Sir Percy (by Mark Of Esteem).
Classic-winning miler and Coolmore Stud stallion Footstepsinthesand (by Giant's Causeway) has 52 stakes winners so far, including the Group/Grade 1 stars Chachamaidee, Infiltrada, Sand Bijou, Shamalgan, and Steinbeck (aka Pure Champion).
Sandiva was not the only ex-European mare successful in Grade 3 company recently as Prize Exhibit, a first-crop daughter of Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion Showcasing (by Oasis Dream) won the Megahertz Stakes over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Monday.
The five-year-old was bred by Gaie Johnson Houghton, she was a dual winner in England for the Jamie Osborne stable, and her four big wins in California include the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap over a mile at Del Mar and last year's Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes over six and a half furlongs at Santa Anita.
She is the best of several winners out of stakes-placed Roodeye (by Inchinor), and her dual UK-winning half-brother Harbour Master (by Harbour Watch) joined her on the James Cassidy team in October after finishing fourth (no blacktype) in a listed contest over a mile at Santa Anita.
Roodeye is a half-sister to Group 1 Prix Morny runner-up Gallagher (by Bahamian Bounty) and to the blacktype-placed prolific handicapper Quick Wit (by Oasis Dream).
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SOME WINNERS WITH NOTABLE SIBLINGS
Several recent all-weather flat race winners have caught the eye, not because of anything particularly special that they achieved themselves but because of the famous siblings of which they can boast.
Time Constraints (by Gio Ponti) got off the mark with victory in a mile maiden at Dundalk last Friday evening, the Michael Halford-trained three-year-old has several prolific half-brothers, and the standout among them is Benbaun (by Stravinsky).
A listed and six-time Group 3 winner at the Curragh, the best of his 13 victories was in 2007's Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp in which he beat Kingsgate Native by two lengths.
His dam, Escape To Victory (by Salse), is a winning half-sister to the high-class US miler Hawksley Hill (by Rahy).
An hour later, and also at Dundalk, the Matthew Smith-trained Winter Lion (by Galileo) won the feature race on the card, a valuable two-mile handicap.
Now a five-time scorer, the Abergwaun Farms-bred seven-year-old is out of Hill Of Snow (by Refence Point), which makes him a half-brother to the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Preseli (by Caerleon) and to Group 1 1000 Guineas runner-up Snowfire (by Machiavellian).
Earlier that day, €100,000 Goffs Orby Sale graduate Tisbutadream (by Dream Ahead) won a mile handicap at Lingfield.
The David Elsworth-trained three-year-old was bred by John Tuthill of Owenstown Stud, she is out of Choose Me (by Choisir) and that makes her a half-sister to Persuasive (by Dark Angel), the Group 3-winning miler whose only defeat in six starts is her second place finish to Alice Springs in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in September.
The winners at Wolverhampton that day included Hamish McGonagain (by Kyllachy), who is a half-brother to Group 3-winning sprinter Jimmy Styles (by Inchinor), and Pivot Bridge (by Pivotal), who is a half-brother to Group 1 1000 Guineas heroine Speciosa (by Danehill Dancer) and out of a half-sister to Group 1 star Pride (by Peintre Celebre).
The Michael Wigham-trained six-year-old My Target (by Cape Cross) took his career tally to six with victory over a mile at Lingfield on Saturday, although his 97 rating is a long way below the level that his dual US Grade 1-winning half-sister Questing (by Hard Spun) achieved. The Darley-bred pair are out of the dual listed scorer Chercheuse (by Seeking The Gold).
Jordan Sport (by Dubawi) won over six furlongs on that same card and that now triple-winning four-year-old out of Wonder Why (by Tiger Hill) is a full-brother to Group 1 Hong Kong Cup hero Akeed Mofeed.
Monday's Wolverhampton handicap winner Mythical Madness (by Dubawi) is a gelded half-brother to last season's Group 3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes heroine Ashadihan (by Kyllachy) and they are out of Miss Delila (by Malibu Moon), a half-sister to Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes and Group 3 Albany Stakes star Sander Camilllo (by Dixie Union).
The Ed Walker-trained four-year-old Lobster Cocktail (by Footstepsinthesand) got off the mark over 12 furlongs at Kempton on Tuesday so stays quite a bit further than his Group 1-placed Group 3 Criterion Stakes-winning half-sister Silver Touch (by Dansili).
On Wednesday, now dual scorer Rail Dancer (by Rail Link) won over 11 furlongs at Kempton. His four blacktype-siblings include 2013's Group 3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) winner and Group 2 Oaks d'Italia runner-up Dancer Destination (by Dubai Destination).
Lingfield 13-furlong scorer Pinwood (by Bushranger) is a half-brother to the five-furlong pattern winner Waady (by Approve) and their dam is out of a half-sister to the Group 1 stars Starborough (by Soviet Star), Ballingarry (by Sadler's Wells) and Aristotle (by Sadler's Wells).