Cover image courtesy of Juddmonte
Helping him in that regard was the volume of high-performing mares that later came his way, with many of them the products of deep families belonging to successful owner-breeders. Access to such families has been an aid for a number of prominent broodmare sires down the years. But Danehill (USA) had plenty of other aspects working for him too, not least that physical depth and strength that he regularly threw to his progeny to go with his temperament and speed.
Danehill’s youngest daughters turned 20 in the Northern Hemisphere this year and as such are now rapidly receding out of production.
As it stands, 1094 Danehill mares have produced 9097 foals, of which 4497 are winners, 428 at stakes level (5 per cent to foals of racing age). Along the way, there have been 83 Group 1 winners and broodmare sire championships in Australia and Britain and Ireland.
Several daughters, such as Kind (GB), Hveger, Polished Gem (Ire) and Shastye (Ire) became breed-shapers in their own right. In the case of that quartet, they were each cogs in the relationship between Galileo (Ire) and Danehill, which supplied no fewer than 18 individual Group 1 winners.
Galileo (Ire) | Image courtesy of Coolmore
There was an early indication of the potential of the cross when champion 2-year-old Teofilo (Ire) emerged out of Galileo’s second crop. Jim Bolger, an early driving force behind Galileo, bred the colt out of his lightly-raced winner Speirbhean (Ire) and saddled him to win the G1 National and Dewhurst S. during an unbeaten juvenile campaign, his sole season on the track as it turned out.
Teofilo served as proof that Galileo, himself the winner of a back-end maiden at two, could throw a good and relatively early 2-year-old. In that the influence of Danehill surely played a role and in the years following, Galileo and Danehill would continue to complement each other to a great degree.
Of course, there was no better representation than Frankel (GB), widely regarded as the best horse of the recent era to grace the Northern Hemisphere. Frankel’s unbeaten run of 14 races, 10 at Group 1 level, became the measure by which talent is today judged, in Europe at least, and that supremacy has carried on over at stud. He has received the very best of opportunities at Juddmonte but in turn has made the most of them as the sire of 34 Group 1 winners to date, among them four of the five British Classics in Chaldean (GB) (2000 Guineas), Adayar (Ire) (Derby), Anapurna (GB) and Soul Sister (Ire) (Oaks), and Logician (GB) (St Leger) to go with G1 Arc heroine Alpinista (Ire) and Australasian stars of the ilk of Converge and Hungry Heart.
“Teofilo served as proof that Galileo, himself the winner of a back-end maiden at two, could throw a good and relatively early 2-year-old.”
Frankel was bred by Juddmonte out of Kind (Ire), a mare very much in the mould of Danehill who was appropriately trained by Roger Charlton at Beckhampton. Charlton had played a key role in Danehill’s racing career while under the eye of Jeremy Tree at Beckhampton during the late 1980s, remembering him as ‘a laid-back horse who wanted to be quick’.
Kind belonged to the Rockfest (USA) (Stage Door Johnny) family of John ‘Jock’ Hay Whitney’s that had been absorbed into the Juddmonte fold in 1983.
Agent James Delahooke recalled the acquisition in a piece in the TDN back in February 2016. “Much encouraged by Jeremy Tree, Prince Khalid asked me to assess the mares, and a package duly joined his Juddmonte Farms broodmare band,” he said. “Among them was a 1979 Stage Door Johnny filly named Rockfest who had managed two minor victories as a 2-year-old but had not trained on. To be truthful, she was not particularly prepossessing and only made the cut as part of the package.”
James Delahooke | image courtesy of Tattersalls
Rockfest did run second for Tree in the G3 Lingfield Oaks Trial and later foaled the G3 Lancashire Oaks winner Rainbow Lake (GB) to Rainbow Quest (USA). It was a family endowed with its share of stamina; indeed Rainbow Lake’s Group 1-winning son Powerscourt (Ire) was effective at up to 1m4f (2400 metres), something that understandably encouraged Kind’s connections to harbour hopes of a productive miling campaign.
“I’d had other Danehills,” recalls Charlton. “But Kind was the most like Danehill I’ve seen. You could certainly see his influence. She was a big mare, very deep.
“Kind was from a Whitney family, albeit one of the lesser ones, and they were mostly 12-furlong (2400-metre) horses. And because of that, I remember thinking that as a late 2-year-old and then early 3-year-old - as one hopes at that time of year - that she might be a Guineas filly.”
“I’d had other Danehills... But Kind was the most like Danehill I’ve seen. You could certainly see his influence. She was a big mare, very deep.” - Roger Charlton
Kind ran placed on both her starts in smart company at the back-end of her 2-year-old season and reappeared the following April over 7f (1400 metres) at Newmarket’s Craven meeting.
“We ran her in that Geoffrey Baring maiden at Newmarket,” says Charlton. “I was hoping she would win and secretly hoping then that she would go on to the Guineas. She ran well but was third. In the end all she wanted to do was sprint. In fact she ended up running over 5f (1200 metres).
“You can see that spark in Frankel. It comes from Kind and I think that came from Danehill. Not a bad spark at all but one that needed harnessing.”
Kind ultimately won a pair of Listed races over 5f and 6f. Frankel, her second foal, followed the Sadler’s Wells (USA) horse Bullet Train (GB), a G3 winner before becoming a lead horse for his celebrated younger sibling. Another visit to Galileo yielded Noble Mission (GB), an admirable triple Group 1 winner without the brilliance of Frankel, while to Oasis Dream (GB), she produced Listed scorer Joyeuse (GB), herself dam of G2 winner Array (GB) (No Nay Never) and Group 1-placed Maximal (GB) (Galileo).
Kind with her foal | Image courtesy of Juddmonte
Kind died in 2021 but she’s currently being paid a posthumous tribute by her final foal Kikkuli (GB) (Kingman), who was recently only just touched off in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot for Harry Charlton. Even if he were to never win again, Kikkuli will most likely find a job at stud somewhere, in which case he will join Frankel, Bullet Train (GB), Noble Mission (GB) and Morpheus (GB) as sons of Kind at stud around the world.
Given Kind’s increasing prevalence in pedigrees, it’s surely only a matter of time before breeders begin inbreeding to her as well.
The Galileo influence
Teofilo had naturally turned attention towards the potential power of the Galileo - Danehill cross but when fellow flag-bearers Frankel and Roderic O’Connor (Ire) ran first and second in the 2010 G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket, the floodgates understandably opened.
Roderic O’Connor went on to take the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas the following May, by which time another representing the cross, Golden Lilac (Ire), had won the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for Gestut Ammerland. Maybe (Ire), later dam of Saxon Warrior (Jpn), also won the G1 Moyglare Stud S.
Coolmore, as primary custodians of both horses, were in pole position to take advantage, which they did to great effect.
Teofilo (Ire) | Standing at Darley
As Roderic O’Connor and Maybe left the stage, their places were filled by Group 1 winners such as Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo), Deauville (Ire) and Highland Reel (Ire). The latter was out of Hveger, a sister to Elvstroem who ran third in the 2005 G1 Australasian Oaks for Tony Vasil. Later shipped to the Northern Hemisphere, she became a regular visitor to Galileo, to whom she produced four Group winners. Highland Reel, whose globe-trotting career with Aidan O’Brien took in wins in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, G1 King George and two editions of the G1 Hong Kong Vase, was the most accomplished but his younger brother Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) also won the G1 Caulfield S. while another sibling, Idaho (Ire), won the G2 Hardwicke S. and ran third in the G1 Derby.
Coolmore also had great success with the progeny of Newsells Park Stud’s blue hen Shastye. A half-sister to G1 Arc hero Sagamix (Fr), the Listed-placed Shastye was bought by the stud, then owned by Klaus Jacobs, for 675,000gns through John Warren and proceeded to foal the Group 1 performers Japan (GB), Mogul (GB), Secret Gesture (GB) and Sir Isaac Newton (GB) - all by Galileo. She was also an incredible money-spinner, producing no fewer than six seven-figure yearlings for the stud.
Like Highland Reel, Japan developed into a tough globe-trotter for Ballydoyle, his seven wins including the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International. Mogul also won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase while Secret Gesture finished first past the post in the G1 Beverly D S. and is now a multiple stakes producer for Godolphin.
“Japan developed into a tough globe-trotter for Ballydoyle, his seven wins including the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International. Mogul also won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase.”
Even some of those Danehill mares who showed little on the track or never ran have become worthy producers. That much is true of another mare with a Newsells Park connection in Senta’s Dream (GB). Out of G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf heroine Starine (Fr) (Mendocino), Senta’s Dream never made it to the track and was sold for just 14,000gns to Aidan and Annemarie O’Brien’s Whisperview Trading in 2014. The O’Brien’s sent her to Ruler Of The World (Ire), thereby making use of a variation of the Galileo - Danehill cross, and were rewarded as the breeders of four-time Group 1 winner Iridessa (Ire). A similar approach, this time via Australia, yielded another Group 1 winner in Order Of Australia (Ire) prior to the short-lived but top-class Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who won the G1 Beverly D S. not long before her death in September 2021.
Danehill (USA) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Danehill mares might be on the aged side now but Coolmore are still gaining the odd reward out of them. One example is the 1999-foaled Danedrop (Ire), who was acquired privately following the success of her daughter of Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas) in the G1 Arc. The dam of five stakes runners, she is currently represented by G2 Queen’s Vase winner Illinois (Ire), yet another bred on the Galileo - Danehill cross who is 3/1 second-favourite for the G1 St Leger in September.
Moyglare gem
One of the most accomplished daughters of Danehill, however, has been cultivated by the Haefner family’s Moyglare Stud Farm.
The operation used Danehill for the first time in 1998 and immediately bred a star in the G1 Matriarch S. winner Dress To Thrill (Ire) out of its G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Trusted Partner (USA) (Affirmed).
Trusted Partner (USA) | Image courtesy of Moyglare Stud Farm
Her sister Polished Gem (Ire) arrived several years later and although smart enough to win a Leopardstown maiden at two for Dermot Weld, failed to cut much ice in three starts at three.
It couldn’t be a more different story at stud, however. Dress To Thrill died young and left little of note to various leading stallions of the time including Sadler’s Wells and Galileo. By contrast, Polished Gem pulled off the remarkable feat early on of foaling a champion in Custom Cut (Ire) to the nondescript Notnowcato (GB). Subsequently upgraded, the mare is currently in the news as the dam of brilliant stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the recent winner of a second G1 Ascot Gold Cup.
“Polished Gem was a perfect little model,” recalls the stud’s Fiona Craig. “She won at the back end as a 2-year-old at Leopardstown in the mud but just didn’t really have any constitution. She didn’t have the mental or physical strength for it, which is remarkable when you look at her produce record.”
Polished Gem (Ire) as a weanling | Image courtesy of Moyglare Stud Farm
Custom Cut, the winner of nine stakes races, had been preceded by the G2 British Champions Fillies and Mares S. winner Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) and was followed by the G1 Prince Of Wales’ S. hero Free Eagle (Ire) and G3 scorer Valac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). And when upgraded to Galileo, Kyprios, dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) and Listed scorer Amma Grace (Ire) followed.
“Polished Gem was a perfect little model... She won at the back end as a 2-year-old at Leopardstown in the mud but just didn’t really have any constitution.” - Fiona Craig
“You had Dress To Thrill with Sadler’s Wells and all the other big matings, and Polished Gem got Notnowcato and Bahamian Bounty!” says Craig. “The Notnowcato turned out to be Custom Cut and then Sapphire was by Medicean. At that stage, we’d figured out that maybe we should upgrade her! And she didn’t look back. She’s been the most amazing mare.”
Dress To Thrill (Ire) | Image courtesy of Moyglare Stud Farm
The Galileo-Danehill cross also sits behind the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Intello (Ger), now a proven Group 1 sire, as well as Listed winner Galiway (GB), one of the real success stories of the French stallion scene.
Indeed, Danehill is never far away from the action in France given he is also the damsire of the nation’s champion sire Siyouni (Fr), by Pivotal (GB) and out of Sichilla (Ire).
High earners
The 1998 G1 Blue Diamond S. heroine Danelagh also ranks as one of Danehill’s highest-earning producers, thanks primarily to her place as the dam of Hong Kong Horse of the Year and record-breaker Vengeance Of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel). The gelding racked up 10 wins for earnings of over $11.7 million for David Ferraris, six of them at the top level including the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
Fiona Craig | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Danelagh also later clicked with Zabeel to produce the G1 AJC Australian Oaks winner Dizelle, herself dam of G1 VRC Oaks heroine Pinot (Pierro).
Able One (NZ) (Cape Cross), another Hong Kong icon who won two editions of the G1 Hong Kong Mile, was bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan out of the unraced Gardenia (NZ).
More recently, the Danehill mare Starspangled (Ire) has hit notoriety as dam of the Group 1-winning fillies Youngstar (High Chaparral) and Funstar (Adelaide). The latter, the best produced so far by her inexpensive sire, maintains the Galileo-Danehill theme.
“Danelagh also later clicked with Zabeel to produce the G1 AJC Australian Oaks winner Dizelle, herself dam of G1 VRC Oaks heroine Pinot.”
Of course, it’s not all about Galileo. Danehill mares have also served an excellent complement over the years to More Than Ready (USA), as illustrated by the G1 winners Benicio, Dreamaway, More Than Sacred, Perfectly Ready and Prized Icon. Danehill also appears in the background of champion More Joyous, a granddaughter of the stallion’s multiple Group 1 producer Joie Denise, on whose success John Singleton was able to drive forward his Strawberry Hill Stud.
Meanwhile, it was a daughter of Flying Spur who foaled More Than Ready’s important son Sebring. Mares by Dansili (GB) and Catbird have also produced the Group 1 winners Uni (GB) and Entisaar to More Than Ready.
Danehill mares have also produced two winners of the G1 Golden Slipper S. (Sepoy and Vancouver), three winners of the G1 Blue Diamond S. (Reaan, Sepoy and Pride Of Dubai) and a winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup (Shocking).
Sons following suit
Danehill’s prowess as a broodmare sire has unsurprisingly extended down to his sons.
Redoute’s Choice is one of the most prolific, as befits a champion sire. Of the 144 stakes winners provided so far by his daughters, 26 are Group 1 winners including champion Anamoe and leading sire Zoustar alongside the likes of Ace High, Artorius, Hitotsu, In Italian (Dubawi), Kementari and Trekking. The former Arrowfield star has been champion broodmare sire on four occasions, becoming the first to crack the $30 million barrier in 2022-23.
Daughters of Danehill Dancer have produced 19 Group 1 winners but the former Coolmore shuttler has the edge in overall stakes winners on 170. Like his sire, Galileo blood has served his daughters extremely well, particularly in the case of his blue hen daughter Lillie Langtry (Ire), a Group 1-winning miler herself who foaled three Classic winners to the supersire in Minding (Ire), Tuesday (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire). Danehill Dancer mares are also responsible for G1 Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo), top miler The Gurkha (Ire) and current multiple Group 1 winner Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot). Son Choisir is also the damsire of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Winter (Ire) (Galileo).
Redoute’s Choice | Image courtesy of Arrowfield
Exceed And Excel isn’t far behind as the damsire of 109 stakes winners, 15 of them at Group 1 level. In keeping with his dual-hemisphere success, they range from the likes of Encryption, Astern, Alizee (Sepoy) and Overpass (Vancouver) in the south to Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in the north.
Fastnet Rock’s daughters have similarly helped to spread the Danehill influence worldwide. A total of 120 stakes winners include 13 Group 1 scorers including a trio by Zoustar in Climbing Star, Joliestar and Zougotcha as well as a pair of top-flight Galileos in Warm Heart (Ire) and Russian Emperor (Ire). Of course, Fastnet Rock’s daughter Miss Debutante also supplied this season’s G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon). Now pensioned from stud duty, he is one course to be crowned this season’s champion Australian broodmare sire with close to an impressive $38 million in earnings.
In Europe, Dansili (GB) is deservedly regarded as a premier broodmare sire, his record of 139 stakes winners underpinned by 22 at Group 1 level led by G1 Oaks heroine Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), globe-trotter Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a pair of G1 Prix de Diane winners in Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and recent G1 Irish Derby winner Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). As that list shows, the Galileo line has again been a key as it was on occasions for Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) in his place as the damsire of Poetic Flare (Ire) and Line Of Duty (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) among others. The sole crop left behind by Mozart (Ire) also came to include Absolutelyfabulous (Ire), subsequently dam of G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician (Ire) to Galileo.
Dansili (GB) | Image courtesy of Juddmonte
Not to be forgotten, meanwhile, are Danehill’s veteran sons Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). Both are currently in the news via their daughters, Holy Roman Emperor as the damsire of multiple Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}) and Kodiac as the damsire of recent G1 Queen Anne S. winner Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and high-class sprinter Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).
