Sound Of Summer, the Silvano gelding who made such an eyecatching debut when winning over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday, traces back in female line to a truly exceptional mare.
Trained by Paul Peter, the Drakenstein Stud-bred winner is raced by the Wernars family and was purchased for R370 000 at the 2019 BSA National 2yo Sale.
A half-brother to Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes winner One Fine Day (Trippi), Sound Of Summer’s dam Peace Bell (Kingmambo) is a full-sister to four time Gr1 winner Campanologist, with Peace Bell’s own dam, Ring Of Music a Sadler’s Wells daughter of legendary racemare and producer Glorious Song (Halo).
Warren Kennedy steers Sound Of Summer to an impressive debut win (Pic – JC Photos)
Ring Of Music is bred on similar lines to champion Singspiel (by Sadler’s Wells son In The Wings) as well as Gr1 Hollywood Turf Cup winner Sligo Bay (by Sadler’s Wells).
A full-sister to champion Devil’s Bag and champion US sire Saint Ballado, Glorious Song won 17 of 34 races, including the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap, Top Flight Handicap and La Canada Stakes -all Gr1 races, and was Canada’s Horse Of The Year in 1980.
A member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame, Glorious Song is honoured by the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.
The mare, who died in 2003, went on to enjoy considerable success at stud, producing globetrotting champion, and subsequent successful sire Singspiel, outstanding sire, and broodmare sire Rahy (Blushing Groom), and Gr2 winner Rakeen – whose progeny included former Horse Of The Year and multiple South African champion sire Jet Master.
Jet Master son Skitt Skizzle
The latter continues to make his presence felt in South Africa through his sire sons Master Of My Fate, Pomodoro and Skitt Skizzle, as well as a host of Gr1 producing daughters – notably the outstanding Halfway To Heaven.
Rakeen’s half-brother, the multiple Gr1 winning Singspiel, also made his mark, with Singspiel sire of Gr1 winners like Solow, Confidential Lady, Lahudood, Moon Ballad, and Papineau, as well as successful Cape sire Potala Palace.
Singspiel’s multiple Gr1 winning daughter Dar Re Mi is the dam of champion, and multiple Gr1 winner, Too Darn Hot – who ranks as one of the more attractive stallion prospects in Britain at the moment.
Glorious Song, also granddam of Gr1 Prix Vermeille heroine Mezzo Soprano, also features as the ancestress of a host of top-class Japanese gallopers including Gr1 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand (Heart’s Cry) and Vivlos (Deep Impact) – a Gr1 winner in both Japan and Dubai.
The legacy of Glorious Song continues to be felt around the world today.
Rahy is the broodmare sire of Horse Of The Year and multiple champion sire Giant’s Causeway, whose son Shamardal became one of the world’s leading stallions prior to his untimely death.
Lope De Vega
Shamardal’s 150 plus stakes winners, to date, include the very successful stallion Lope De Vega, the sire of a very promising sire son in the form of Belardo, and such standouts as star sprinter Blue Point, French classic winner Castle Lady, champion Pinatubo, and Breeders’ Cup heroine Tarnawa, to name but a few.
Shamardal also made his presence felt in Dubai on Saturday-his son Canvassed won Meydan’s Gr3 Mahab Al Shimaal, while Shamardal’s daughter It’s Midnight ranks as the dam of Saturday’s Gr3 Burj Nahaar winner Midnight Sands (Speightstown). Glorious Song’s son Rahy ranks as broodmare sire of Final Song -the winner of Saturday’s Gr3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint winner Final Song (Dark Angel).
Both Giant’s Causeway and Shamardal have also enjoyed notable success as broodmare sires, with Giant’s Causeway mares responsible for the likes of champions Gun Runner, Soft Falling Rain, and Met winning sire One World, and Shamardal broodmare sire of the likes of Irish Derby winner Latrobe, top sprinter Hello Youmzain, Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Mighty High, and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad.
