Descendants of the legendary Sadler’s Wells dominated proceedings in major races around the world this past weekend.
The late sire’s influence was particularly felt in Saturday’s Gr1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate, where the first three finishers, Sir Dragonet, Armory and Russian Camelot are all inbred to Sadler’s Wells.
Sir Dragonet and Russian Camelot were both sired by Sadler’s Wells’ four time Gr1 winning grandson Camelot (also sire of impressive recent Listed Michaelmas Handicap winner Crown Towers), while Armory is a son of Sadler’s Wells’ greatest sire son Galileo.
The latter is also broodmare sire of hot young stallion Night Of Thunder, whose son Cherry Tortoni captured Saturday’s Gr2 Drummond Gold Vase at Moonee Valley.
Remarkably, Subjectivist (by Teofilo), winner of Sunday’s Gr1 Prix Royal-Oak, is another top-level Gr1 winner inbred to Sadler’s Wells. By a son of Galileo, Subjectivist (also closely inbred to Danehill) is out of the stakes placed Reckoning, whose granddam Aspiration was sired by Sadler’s Wells.
While Sir Dragonet is out of a mare by Green Desert’s son Oasis Dream, Russian Camelot was produced by a daughter of Cape Cross, another top class sire son of Green Desert.
In landing the Cox Plate, Sir Dragonet became his sire’s sixth Gr1 winner, following the likes of Athena, Even So, Latrobe, Russian Camelot and Wonderment. Sired by a grandson of Sadler’s Wells, Sir Dragonet’s granddam, Oaks runner up All Too Beautiful, is a full-sister to Galileo!
Camelot
Camelot was sired by Sadler’s Wells’ outstanding son Montjeu, and the latter features as broodmare sire of Belichick (Lemon Drop Kid) – winner of the Breeders’ Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, on Saturday. Montjeu’s Derby winning son Authorized, whose progeny also include this season’s Irish Derby winner Santiago, made headlines at Newbury on Saturday where his son Euchen Glen landed the Gr3 Pravha Stakes – registered as St Simon Stakes.
Sadler’s Wells is also broodmare sire of exciting two-year-old Van Gogh (who is out of the Sadler’s Wells sired Oaks winner Imagine), who became the first American Pharoah colt to win a Gr1 race when he claimed Saturday’s G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. Remarkably, the same card saw Gear Up become Galileo son Teofilo’s 19th Gr1 winner when he landed the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Teofilo gained his 20th Gr1 winner when Subjectivist captured Sunday’s Gr1 Prix Royal-Oak).
The unbeaten Teofilo also enjoyed broodmare sire success at Leopardstown on Saturday, with his daughter Fionnuar producing Gr3 Eyrefield Stakes winner Flying Visit (Pride Of Dubai).
Saturday’s Gr1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Mac Swiney (by Galileo son New Approach) is the first Gr1 winner inbred to Galileo. The colt, victorious earlier in the season in the Gr2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, is out of a mare by the aforementioned Teofilo.
Sadler’s Wells
The legendary Sadler’s Wells is also found in the pedigree of Flower Alley (Distorted Humor) – whose daughter Princess Calla impressed when landing the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Flower Alley’s granddam Dance Image was sired by Sadler’s Wells, with the latter also featuring as broodmare sire of fellow Gr1 winners by Distorted Humor – Aesop’s Fables and Cursory Glance.
Remarkably, this week also saw Enable – the greatest horse thus far inbred to Sadler’s Wells – retire to stud, and one can only but speculate as to what that magnificent eleven time Gr1 winner will achieve in her second career!
