COOLMORE’S Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy) had Havana Grey in tenth place when he won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot as a two-year-old, and later that season the Ballydoyle runner added the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes to his tally of victories.

At three, the colts met on four occasions, and each time Havana Grey proved the better, notably when he and Sioux Nation finished first and third in the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh. Havana Grey’s stud fee trajectory is detailed elsewhere on these pages, while Sioux Nation stood for his first two seasons at €12,500, spent two more at a fee of €10,000, but after a spectacular first crop success story, this year breeders were paying €17,500 to use him.

With Vandeek getting him off the mark as a Group 1 sire at the weekend, Havana Grey has often stolen the headlines, but on the opening day of York, Sioux Nation sent out a timely reminder that you overlook his results at your peril. His son Indian Run notched up his second win in three starts when claiming victory in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes.

This was a second big race success for the Bronte Collection 1, a syndicate that includes Ballyhane Stud’s Joe Foley, and it was he who purchased Indian Run as a yearling for 75,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale. While the colt was a son of one of last season’s great success stories, Sioux Nation, Joe was arguably taking a leap of faith with the Castledillon Stud-consigned yearling, as Indian Run’s dam had seven previous produce of racing age, only one of which had raced, though he was a winner.

Pinhooking success

Indian Run, bred by Ciaran McGrath, was sold to Rea O’Connor as a foal at Goffs for just €6,000, and so his yearling price was a major pinhooking success. Joe Foley’s eye for an individual has proven once again to be spot on, and Indian Run has more than repaid the investment made in him, and earned more than £120,000 for connections.

While Sioux Nation plays a major role in the success story of Indian Run, the dam’s family is an outstanding one. Her breeding record might be patchy, but it is still a fact that Indian Run’s dam, Just Wondering (Danehill Dancer), is responsible for two runners and two winners. She raced three times, placed once at two, but had seven winning siblings, one of which was stakes-placed in Canada and another in South Africa.

Very interesting

Back under Indian Run’s third dam, Anne Campbell (Never Bend), things get very interesting. That mare also bred seven winners, but that’s where the comparison with her daughter stops. Anne Campbell’s septet included a pair of Grade 1 winners, Desert Wine (Damascus), a three-time winner at the highest level, and Menifee (Harlan), a dual Grade 1 winner.

Descendants of Anne Campbell include a number of champions and a host of Group 1 winners, notably Fasliyev (Nureyev), Misty For Me (Galileo), Ballydoyle (Galileo), Roly Poly (War Front) and U S Navy Flag (War Front).

Back for a moment to Sioux Nation. He may not yet have sired a Group 1 winner, but he has made a hugely impressive start, and his first crop has eight stakes winners among their number, while Indian Run is his second blacktype winner in crop number two. Sioux Nation has 21 stakes performers, five pattern winners, and his daughter Matilda Picotte was third in this year’s Group 1 1000 Guineas.