Royal Ascot
The historic Royal Ascot meeting, set to take place from Tuesday to Saturday this week, has been the scene for numerous champions putting up breathtaking performances over the years and a number of the aforementioned stars, such as Hyperion, Kingmambo, Giant’s Causeway, Kris, Pivotal, and Mill Reef, have gone on to become equally outstanding at stud.
Former Queen Anne Stakes winner Cape Cross was in the news earlier this month when his son Golden Horn became the second Cape Cross sired colt to win the Gr1 Investec Derby (Cape Cross son Sea The Stars having won the race in 2009). Interestingly, Golden Horn is sired by a Queen Anne Stakes winner out of a mare by another winner of the race in the form of Dubai Destination (himself by St James’s Palace winner Kingmambo). But what of the fairer sex? What of the past female Royal Ascot winners have left their mark on the modern day breed?
Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes Trophy
The sole Group One race for fillies held at Ascot is the Coronation Stakes, traditionally held on the Friday. First promoted to Gr1 status in 1988, the Coronation has been won by a large number of fillies who have gone on to become outstanding broodmares. One of the greatest fillies to win the Coronation was Meld, who also won the British Triple Crown (1000 Guineas, Oaks, St Leger) for fillies back in 1955. The daughter of Gold Cup hero Alycidon went on to a highly successful stud career, and became just one of a handful of Oaks winners who produced an Epsom Derby winning son (Meld’s Charlottown won the Blue Riband in 1966).
Magic Flute, victorious in 1971, went on to produce La Papagena (by Habitat) – dam of Gr1 St James’s Palace Stakes hero and world leading sire Grand Lodge, while other highly influential mares to win the race include Aiming High, Katies, Lisadell, Roussalka, and Haymaking. The latter is not only the second dam of Gr1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Wassl (Mill Reef), but is also the fourth dam of multiple South African champion and popular young sire What A Winter (Western Winter).
In 1979, the Coronation was won by 1000 Guineas heroine One In A Million – she would go on to produce another Coronation winner in the form of 1987 winner Milligram, while other Gr1 producers to win the Coronation Stakes include Al Bahathri (her son Haafhd won the 2004 2000 Guineas), Flame Of Tara (dam of champion Salsabil and successful sire Marju), Chimes Of Freedom (dam of champion sprinter Aldebaran and Gr1 winning miler Good Journey), Chalon (dam of Gr1 winner Creator) and Banks Hill (dam of Romantica as well as the highly promising South African stallion Ideal World).
Exclusive, who won the Gr1 Coronation Stakes back in 1998, has been another outstanding producer to win the race. The daughter of Polar Falcon, and half sister to 2000 Guineas winner Entrepreneur, is the dam of a pair of high class daughters in Chic and Echelon respectively, with the G1 Matron Stakes winning Echelon herself dam of the multiple Group One winner Integral (Dalakhani).
Another Coronation heroine to enjoy success at stud was 1988 winner Magic Of Life (Seattle Slew). Herself the dam of top class 2yo and G2 Lowther Stakes winner Enthused (Seeking The Gold), Magic Of Life is also the second dam of this season’s outstanding local filly Inara (Trippi) – victorious in both the G1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes and G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes. Magic Of Life is also third dam of triple G1 Canadian International winner Joshua Tree (Montjeu).
Ribblesdale Stakes
Ascot’s Gr2 Ribblesdale Stakes has been another top race for producing outstanding producers. The past winners of the 2400m contest (first restricted to 3yo fillies in 1950), include such outstanding broodmares as Windmill Girl (dam of Derby winners Blakeney and Morston), Shoot A Line (second dam of Kentucky Derby winner/Champion US sire Thunder Gulch), High Hawk (dam of multiple Gr1 winner and leading sire In The Wings), Gull Nook (dam of King George winner Pentire), Dish Dash (dam of Gr1 winner Maroof, second dam of Irish Derby winner Desert King), Thawakib (dam of Arc winner Sakhee) and Hellenic.
The latter, a daughter of broodmare sire extraordinaire Darshaan, produced three individual Gr1 winners in Greek Dance, Islington and Mountain High and is also the dam of influential South American sire Election Day (Sadler’s Wells).
Queen Mary Stakes
Mumtaz Mahal
The now Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes is yet another Royal Ascot highlight which has produced more than its share of breed shaping broodmares. From 1922, when the race was won by Cos (dam of Rustom Pasha) to 1996, when the race fell to Dance Parade (whose son Leading Light went on to both St Leger and Gold Cup glory), the Queen Mary is a standing fixture as a producer of broodmare talent.
Other major broodmares to win this race include Qurrat-Al-Ain, Snowberry, Samovar (ancestress of Frankel), Bride Elect (dam of former champion South African sire Royal Prerogative), and Highest Trump.
However, the most important winner of the Queen Mary Stakes came in 1923, when Mumtaz Mahal (one of the fastest fillies ever seen on the British Turf) won by ten lengths. The influence of this legendary mare has been spread all over the world, with her outstanding descendants including such top sires as Mahmoud, Nasrullah and Royal Charger, as well as champions Abernant, Oh So Sharp, Petite Etoile and Shergar. Mumtaz Mahal is found twice in the pedigree of French classic winner and outstanding sire Kalamoun, whose sons include such successful sires as and Kenmare.
Other notables tracing back in female line to this truly amazing mare include recent female champions Igugu and Zarkava, as well as the hugely influential Australian mare Eight Carat, whose outstanding offspring include Horse Of The Year Octagonal, himself sire of champion Australian sire Lonhro.
