The Danehill-Danehill factor: how does it work?

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Danehill is a horse whose own pedigree is quite intense; possessing a 3 X 3 cross of his own third dam Natalma (USA) by Native Dancer (USA).

He maintained stunning statistics over a lengthy dual-hemisphere career:

We are not far off seeing 20,000 named foals carrying a cross of Danehill so it's a good time to reflect on his strengths - and weaknesses - as a line-breeding subject.

In summary, Danehill line-breeding statistics are solid, without being eye-catching, but let's look a bit closer at what has been happening.

The 3 X 3 male-line cross

With so many Danehill-line stallions at stud along with big numbers of Danehill-line mares, we have seen quite a few horses with a 3 X 3 cross through the two male-lines; i.e., a horse whose sire is a grandson of Danehill and whose dam is by a Danehill stallion.

There have been 2498 runners bred in such a way - 1346 of whom - 53.9 per cent - are winners. Of those 40 are stakes winners (including five Group 1 horses) which is a below par strike rate of 1.6 per cent.

It is interesting to compare this line-breeding to 3 X 3 male-line crosses of Danehill's male-line ancestors:

There is a massive shift in this sort of line-breeding - attempted far more often in the Northern Dancer (Can)/Danzig (USA)/Danehill generations than previously. Of course, stallion books are larger now, so there are more sons, grandsons and great-grandsons around.

Let's have a look at the five Group 1 winners bred 3 X 3 male line:

Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook): the winner of 10 of his 25 starts, he won four Group 1 races including the Hong Kong International Sprint. He is by a son of Fastnet Rock out of a mare by Lion Hunter.

Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) : a dual Group 1 winner over 1600 metres and 2000 metres in New Zealand, she is by a son of Danehill Dancer (Ire) out of a daughter of Danzero.

The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}): last October's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp winner is by a son of Exceed And Excel out of mare by Danehill's son Kodiac (GB).

The Mission (Choisir): relishing the heavy conditions when taking out the G1 Champagne S., he stands at Aquis Farm - of his first 41 runners, six are out of mares with another Danehill strain - one of those has won (three times at provincial level).

Prompt Response (Beneteau): winner of the G1 Tattersall's Tiara, this tough racemare is by a son of Redoute's Choice out of a mare by Exceed And Excel.

There have been another five Group 1 winners with a 3 X 3 Danehill cross (not male-line), including one of the best gallopers of recent times - Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}). Her sire is out of a Danehill mare whilst her dam is by his son Danroad.

Also bred this way is the triple Group 1 winner Alizee (Sepoy), the G1 Middle Park S. winner Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus {USA}) and the dual Group 1-winning stayer Subjectivist (GB).

Successful in Group 1 company in New Zealand, Southern Lord (Stratum) is by a son of Redoute's Choice and Danehill is his second damsire.

What about other crosses?

There have been six Group 1 winners line bred to Danehill who have one strain coming within two removes. Two of those horses - Guelph and Bivouac (both by Exceed And Excel) are three-quarter siblings with the former's Group 1-winning dam Camarilla (Elusive Quality {USA}) being the latter's grandam.

Guelph is the only Group 1-winning grandchild of Danehill whose dam is out of a Danehill mare though there have been another eight stakes winners.

And Bivouac is the only Group 1-winning grandchild of Danehill who has him as a third damsire. Another nine stakes winners are bred this way, with the strike rate increasing drastically a generation back in the dam.

Last year's G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Fireburn (Rebel Dane) is 3 X 4, her sire a grandson of Danehill who is also sire of her third dam. Fellow big-race winner Seabrook (NZ) (Hinchinbrook) is bred this way, as are another 14 stakes winners.

Another Slipper winner is 3 X 4 - Farnan being by a grandson of Danehill whilst his second damsire, Lion Hunter, is a son. Two other Group 1 winners are bred in such a way - Sword Of State and Stronger, as are another 25 stakes winners.

Star WA filly Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) is also 3 X 4, her sire being out of a Danehill mare whilst her grandam is by his son Oratorio (Ire). She is the first Group 1 winner bred this way - there are another nine stakes winners.

Then we have the 4 X 3 cross which has yielded 10 Group 1 winners. Two of those are through the two male lines, and both via Choisir - Rhea Moon (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) and Pier (NZ) (Proisir). Another 10 stakes winners are bred along these lines.

It is still early days for Danehill in the fifth generation but he has one Group 1 winner each for a 3 X 5 cross and a 5 X 3 - Bella Nipotina being by Pride Of Dubai (son of a Danehill mare) out of a mare by Star Witness whose damsire is Lion Hunter and Sheeza Belter being by Gold Standard whose sire Sebring is out of a Flying Spur mare and whose dam is by Danehill's son Saxon.

The most successful Danehill line-crosses come from the combination of Redoute's Choice and Flying Spur in pedigrees, producing 18 individual stakes winners including Group 1 winners Mizzy and Amphitrite. The next best, with eight stakes winners, is Redoute's Choice with Fastnet Rock (including Zougotcha), then Redoute's Choice with Danehill Dancer on seven stakes winners.

Notably, Exceed And Excel combined with Teofilo (Ire) as a double-Danehill cross has produced five stakes winners, including Group 1 winner Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}).

The stallions to have had the most stakes winners line-bred to Danehill are: