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While pedigree is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to a thoroughbred’s ability, it is not by accident that some pedigrees prove stronger than others and as a result become commercially successful.
In the greater scheme of things there is no such thing as a badly bred thoroughbred as all can trace their ancestors back to similar roots. But pedigrees backed by correct conformation and racing ability generally prove more popular than those without a proven racetrack record but as Mike de Kock pointed out last Saturday, putting the best to the best is not always a guarantee.
However, in the case of champion Australian sire Redoute’s Choice and champion South African-bred racemare National Colour, it is a nick that has worked. It is rare that full siblings win Grade 1 races on the same day on the same card but that’s what happened at Turffontein on Saturday with Mustaaqeem (AUS) winning the Grade 1 SA Nursery and a couple of hours later older brother Rafeef (AUS) obliging in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint.
One of thoroughbred breeding’s most famous stud masters, the “Wizard of Dormello” Federico Tesio who was responsible for champions sires Nearco and Ribot, said that a champion racemare may fail at stud but her daughters seldom do.”
After the Nursery, De Kock expressed a view that he hoped that Mustaaqeem would eventually stand at stud in this country.
“We need blood like this,” he said. “Redoute’s Choice is a champion and National Colour was too. Some forget that she finished second in the Nunthorpe (a top Gr1 sprint in the UK). It’s not always that putting the best to the best works out but it has in this instance.”
De Kock also said he would not be surprised if he was instructed by Mustaaqeem’s owner, Sheikh Hamdan of Dubai, to ship the Nursery winner abroad but Rafeef’s victory may see him as a fitting substitute as he too boasts an exceptional racing record.
Also in the headlines over the weekend was Silvano. The Main Chance Farms stallion was responsible for the winners of both the Grade 2 Wilgerboschdrift SA Oaks and the Grade 1 SA Derby, Wind Chill and Al Sahem respectively and on Sunday produced the winners of the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas and the Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, Janoobi and Marinaresco respectively.
New kid on the block, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) was responsible fo two winners in Gimme Six, winner of the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas and Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Green Plains.
