Saturday’s Gr3 New Turf Carriers Merchants winner Dyce (William Longsword) hails from a truly exceptional female line.
His dam Beshaayir, who was sired by Galileo and granddam Sarkha by Danehill, while Dyce sports Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes/Gr2 Lowther Stakes winner Dead Certain (Absalom) as his fourth dam.
Craig Zackey has the flying Dyce in full control for an impressive victory (Pic – JC Photos)
The latter accounted for two highly successful broodmares in Line Of Thunder, dam of Kentucky Derby winner and champion sire Thunder Gulch, and Chimes Of Freedom, dam of US champion Aldebaran and Gr1 winner Good Journey, when she won the 1989 Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes.
Described as “difficult to train and temperamental”, Dead Certain retired to stud having won five of 12 starts, including the 1990 Gr2 Prix Maurice De Gheest. At stud, Dead Certain produced nine winners, including Cornwallis Stakes runner- up Deadly Nightshade.
The latter’s Danehill daughter Sarkha is the dam of Listed Thukela Handicap winner Lehaaf, as well as Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes second Salsabeel, and also ranks as the granddam of Saturday’s smart winner, Dyce.
Further back, this is also the family of Gr1 winning milers Accidental Agent and Mohaather, Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect, and Oaks winner Pia, with Dyce directly descended in female line from Plucky Liege (Spearmint), one of the greatest broodmares in history.
Hailing from the same family as legendary racemare Sceptre (Persimmon) and unbeaten British Triple Crown winner Ormonde (Bend Or), Plucky Liege produced four hugely influential sire sons in the form of Bull Dog, Sir Gallahad III, Bois Roussel, and Admiral Drake.
All four of those stallions were named chef-de-race, with Sir Gallahad III Champion Sire in the USA four times and 12 times Leading Broodmare Sire in the same country.
Sir Gallahad III’s full-brother Bull Dog was responsible for five times US champion sire Bull Lea, with Bull Dog Champion Sire in the USA in 1943. He also sired champion Occupy – broodmare sire of outstanding sire Habitat – as well as Miss Dogwood, the latter being the third dam of legendary breed shaping stallion Mr Prospector.
This female line has met with plenty of success in South Africa and has also produced the likes of Gr1 Vodacom Durban July winner Hunting Tower (Fort Wood), graded stakes winning half-sisters Mocha Java (National Assembly) and Mochachino (Silvano), triple graded stakes winner Barahin (Gimmethegreenlight),and Crimson King (Dynasty), a close up third in Saturday’s Betway Summer Cup Consolation.
The Gr1 Sword Dancer winning Go Deputy, yet another descendant of Plucky Liege, made his mark in South Africa as the sire of Triple Crown winner Abashiri, as well as the likes of Changingoftheguard, Royal Badge, Icy Trail and Flying Ice. The latter has a Bivouac filly on offer at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Yet another eye-catching recent South African winner descended in female line from the remarkable Plucky Liege is last week’s devastating debut winner Taegan’s Champ (Gimmethegreenlight).
The latter, out of the Var mare Varachino, descends directly in female line from Plucky Liege’s great-great granddaughter Cequillo, dam of former South African sire Kama, who produced Rothman’s July winner Occult, among others, and third dam of outstanding US sire and Gr1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Fappiano (Mr Prospector).
The latter’s progeny included another outstanding sire in the form of Unbridled, as well as the highly successful Quiet American -who shared his third dam Cequillo with his sire.
Fappiano also sired Cryptoclearance, whose grandson Candy Ride is the sire of current boom US stallion Gun Runner, among many others.
