ALFLORA Assessor, Buck’s Boum, Craigsteel, Hernando, Cadoudal, Indian River, Kadalko, Kahyasi, Malinas, Moscow Society, Overbury, Robin Des Pres, Saint Des Saints and Sulamani are examples of the notable stallions who are both male-line descendants of the Triple Crown hero Nijinsky (Northern Dancer) and have made an impact as National Hunt sires.
Some of them were top-class racehorses during their days on the track, some were merely talented, and some were even successful under National Hunt rules before embarking on their stud careers. The recent Cheltenham Festival, for example, saw Grade 1 wins for Nijinsky’s descendants Al Boum Photo (Buck’s Boum) and Honeysuckle (Sulamani).
The four-day meeting also provided some advertisements for Nijinsky-line stallions as broodmare sires, something that is arguably gaining more significance now that so many mares are excelling as racehorses under National Hunt rules. The exciting Grade 1 star Envoi Allen (dam by Saint Des Saints) shone the brightest, but there were also graded wins at the Festival for Dame De Compagnie (dam by Kahyasi) and Saint Roi (dam by Saint Des Saints).
The great German stallion Monsun (by Konigsstuhl) has also had a considerable impact on the flat and with jumpers, so when you have a classic-winning horse who represents a cross between these two lines it is no surprise that he proves popular with breeders. Lucky Speed won the Group 1 Deutsches Derby, he is a son of the Group 1 star and outstanding South African-based stallion Silvano (Lomitas) and he is out of a daughter of Monsun.
The young Sunnyhill Stud horse, whose eldest offspring are now three-year-olds, also won the Group 3 Bavarian Classic and the Grade 3 American St Leger, he was third in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and just missed out on another top-level placing when fourth in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine. He covered over 70 mares in 2018 and a similar number in 2019, his handful of sales horses so far include a foal that made €16,000 in Fairyhouse in November, and he is one to watch at the store sales, this year and next, and with his four-year-old point-to-pointers in 2021.
His profile is further enhanced by having the Listed Gerry Fielden Hurdle winner Lyvius (Paolini), beaten a neck in the Grade 2 Keltbray Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot, and the US Grade 2-winning hurdler Lyonell (Montjeu) among his siblings. Also, his Group 3-placed dam Lysuna is out of La Lyra, a mare by Derby hero Slip Anchor ( Shirley Heights), the sire of Stowaway.
His third dam, La Luna (Lyphard), won in France and was a full-sister to the multiple pattern-winning miler and blacktype sire Bellypha. So, this classic-winning horse represents a combination of the influential Nijinsky, Monsun and Mill Reef (by Never Bend) lines and comes from the direct family of a proven stallion.
LUCKY SPEED (IRE), Bay 2010. Top rated 3yr old in Germany in 2013 (11-13f.). Won four races, £452,731, from 1 mile 2 furlongs to 1 mile 5½ furlongs, 3 to 5 years including, Sparda Deutsches Derby, Hamburg, Gr.1, American St Leger Stakes, Arlington, Gr.3, onextwo.com Bavarian Classic, Munich, Gr.3, also placed second in Fruhjahrs-Preis des Bankhauses Metzler, Frankfurt, Gr.3, and third in Grosser Preis von Berlin, Berlin-Hoppegarten, Gr.1, G. P. der Badischen Unternehmer Rennen, Baden-Baden, Gr.2.
Retired to Stud in 2016, first crop now 3 year olds.
Stands at: Sunnyhill Stud, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, Ireland.
Contact: Michael Hickey
Telephone: +353 (0)45 481201 or +353 (0)87 2500686
Email: info@sunnnyhillstud.com
Web: www.sunnyhillstud.com
Fee: on application