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by Katherine Fidler

Music Showdown at Newmarket in Falmouth
After a place and two ‘also ran’s, Music Show repaid Mick Channon’s unwavering faith in her ability to get a mile on the opening day of the July Festival when winning the Falmouth Stakes. Although victorious in the seven furlong Nell Gwyn Stakes at the beginning of the year, the Jaber Abdullah-owned filly had been foiled on her last three outings by some undoubtedly talented rivals. Two of these defeats were avenged on Wednesday however, as both 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes winners Special Duty and Lillie Langtry, the 9/4 favourite, failed to make the frame in a hotly contested race.

The win is a first over a mile for the filly, whose sire Noverre earned the title of Champion 3yo miler in Europe for 2001. Music Show’s absence of a win at this distance until now seems less to do with a lack of ability inherited from Noverre, and possibly more to do with bad luck, especially in the 1,000 Guineas when drawn on the ‘wrong’ side. The fact her dam won at seven furlongs may have also led some to believe that a mile was just a shade too far, particularly considering her full sister Norfolk Broads won and placed twice at six furlongs. Fantasia Girl, a half sister by Caerleon, proved this generation not to be limited by their dam’s stamina however, having not only won at nine and ten furlongs, but also finishing second in the Listed Galtres Stakes over a mile and a half. The dam in question, Dreamboat, was herself by the sprinter Mr Prospector, but as his many notable progeny prove, versatility is one of his strengths as a sire, and in this case, it also seems to have passed on to his daughter. The dam of Dreamboat, Gorgeous, gained considerable success on the track at middle distances, with victories including the Hollywood Oaks, the Ashland Stakes, the Apple Blossom Stakes and La Canada Stakes. The Slew O’ Gold mare added to her list of accolades upon retiring to stud, with seven winners to her name, including Stunning, a Listed winner over seven furlongs, and Abundance, runner-up in the Listed Prix du Cercle. Her achievements at stud, however impressive though they may be, do not compare to that of many of her siblings, the likes of which include Seaside Attraction, winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, and now dam of Golden Attraction, Cape Town, Cape Canaveral and Red Carnival, all of whom are black-type winners, and Jood, who although only placed twice herself, is dam of the great Fantastic Light, also by Rahy, and Hi Dubai, winner of the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes. On the track, this generation also made quite an impact, demonstrated by Key To The Moon, winner of 13 races in his career and crowned Champion 3yo in Canada in 1984. The dam of these super-siblings, Kamar, was herself Champion 3yo filly in Canada after a multiple Stakes-winning season, again over middle distances.

With such a prestigious pedigree, the pressure may have been on for Channon to ensure Music Show put on a performance befitting such a filly. His confidence would suggest this was not the case however, and the result is a victory rightfully deserved, albeit later than hoped. The filly’s future after the end of the season is yet to be confirmed, but she is likely to stay in training after potentially taking on Goldikova later in the year. Be it track or stud however, Music Show seems a name that will be around for a while yet.

Sans Frontieres finally finds forte?
After a number of entries in high profile Group events, Sans Frontieres secured a first win since breaking his maiden in 2008. Although placed in last year’s Craven and Dante Stakes, the Jeremy Noseda-trained colt saw his season cut short through an injury picked up in the latter. Increasing distances this year have led to mixed performances, but the 14-1 shot stunned many spectators at Newmarket on Thursday with an impressive last to first run in the one and a half mile Princess of Wales’s Stakes, his first start after a promising fourth at Royal Ascot in the Hardwicke. It may not come as such a surprise that twelve furlongs could prove his speciality when considering his sire Galileo won three Group 1 races over the same trip, a distance which has proved lucrative for many of his offspring, most recently Cape Blanco, winner of the Irish Derby nine years after his sire. Galileo is of course a highly versatile sire, as proven by the dual-Group 1 winning juvenile Teofilo and Triumph Hurdle winner Celestial Halo, but it looks as though in this case, the apple may not have fallen far from the tree.

Looking to the dam line, the range of winning trips continue to vary. His dam Llia, by the Derby winner Shirley Heights, scored her only win over six furlongs as a two year old, but did place at three in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes. Subsequent attempts over 12 furlongs however saw her come last in the two final outings of her career. Her second career as a broodmare proved equally, if not more successful, with six winners to date including Kootenay, winner of the Listed Masaka Stakes and Princess Elizabeth Stakes over eight and nine furlongs respectively, alongside a third Listed victory in Italy. Middle distances may be preferred trip for many of this generation, including King Fingal and Gretna, both triumphant between eight and ten furlongs, but half brother Dilsaa, by Night Shift, won at 14 furlongs on the flat before turning to National Hunt, where he scored two wins and three places over hurdles.

Second dam Llyn Gwynant, by Persian Bold, enjoyed an illustrious career on the track before retiring to stud, as winner of three black-type races over a mile and crowned top rated older mare in Ireland (7-9.5f) in 1989. It seems Llia’s aptitude for throwing produce with a range of optimum trips was inherited from her dam, as siblings include Guest Connections, a Group-winning sprinter, and Lady Of The Lake, victorious in the two mile Listed George Stubbs Handicap amongst others. Guest Connections’ sire may have been the multi-talented Zafonic, but sire of Lady Of The Lake, Daylami, found 12 furlongs to be his furthest winning trip, suggesting that whilst the broodmares of the family may produce runners outside their own comfort zone, the horses in question may not necessarily follow in the footsteps of their sire either. In what proved to be a shrewd move for Robert Ogden however, it looks as though Galileo’s influence has once again proved a potent factor in his progeny’s success.

Libranno stakes out first Group win for Librettist
Richard Hannon continued his incredible season with five wins over the course of the July Festival last week, including the Group 2 July Stakes and the fillies’ equivalent, the Cherry Hinton Stakes. Victory for Libranno may have been only a drop in the pond for Hannon, whose 2010 campaign is awash with winners, but it provided a first Group win for Librettist, who stands for the Festival’s sponsor Darley. The triumph bumps Libranno to head of the rankings for the Librettist’s top produce, although with a 50% winners to runners strike rate, and currently lying fifth in the first season sire table, the best may be yet to come from this promising young stallion. As top rated older miler in France for 2006, the son of Danzig won seven races from only ten starts, four of which were black-type. A dual-winner over seven furlongs during his own juvenile campaign, mid-season may be too soon to judge the potential for a new generation of milers, with only one of his produce, Da Ponte, to have won at seven furlongs this early on. It would seem that Libranno, for now at least, is sticking at the six furlong mark, with a 100% strike rate. Interestingly his own dam, Annabelle Ja, also won over seven furlongs as a two year old and went on to place three times over a mile, all from only seven starts. Libranno is the first produce for the Singspiel mare, who also has a yearling filly by Shirocco. A Group 2 winner is a promising start for the young mare, whose dam Alamea produced twelve winners during her time at stud, all of whom contested their careers on the continent. Whilst largely a ‘flat family’, her first foal Acolin proved adept in both disciplines, winning on the flat in Germany and over jumps in the Czech Republic. Her youngest produce Alyshakeys, by Sendawar, was crowned Champion 2yo filly in Scandinavia last season, having secured five wins and two places. Her full brother Sendalam earned black-type recognition for their dam when placed in both the Grand Handicap de Deauville and Prix Luthier, eight furlong contests of which he had already won two. Alamea has also proved herself as a dam of broodmares, with four of her winning produce (of whom only seven are fillies, and one is still in training) already having foaled winners themselves, including Alula, whose filly Aurea won twice in Germany and placed twice in Listed events at seven and eight furlongs. Third dam Adjala, after a successful juvenile career with a win and three places, retired to stud where she too proved a useful broodmare as dam of nine winners. Her second foal Law Commission, by Ela-Mana-Mou, enjoyed a long career on the track, during which time he racked up an impressive nine wins and nineteen places, although never at Pattern level. The only horse to do so out of Adjala is Aube d’Irlande, whose dual third places in the Listed Prix de Liancourt and Prix La Sorellina represent the sole black-type success of the generation. Nevertheless, the pedigree as a whole is one of consistent, if not outstanding, performers, and though both first and third dam failed to win after their two year old season, there is no shortage of older performers throughout the rest of family. With seven and eight furlong tests supplying many a victory on both sides it seems unlikely that Libranno will get beyond a mile, but having already beaten some classy performers, including Coventry Stakes runner-up Elzaam, the distance could prove a very rich hunting ground for this talented youngster.

Bloodstock Bites
Welcome to our new feature, Bloodstock Bites. Get up to date news from the breeding world in ‘express form’ for more headlines, fewer bloodlines!

• Starspangledbanner secured a second Group 1 win in three weeks with a scorching run in the Darley July Cup. The commanding victory, in a race which his famous sire Choisir was runner-up seven years ago, prompted the colt’s Coolmore connections to delay his retirement to stud in Australia. He will instead remain in training with Aiden O’Brien, who has suggested the Nunthorpe Stakes could be his next target. Beyond that, could the Breeders’ Cup be calling?

• Date With Destiny, the only offspring from George Washington’s failed time at stud, began her much anticipated career in perfect style on Friday with a victory in the EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newbury. The win will no doubt ease the pressure for Richard Hannon, who trains the 320,000gns purchase for owner Julie Wood and has shortened the filly’s odds for the 1,000 Guineas, although stablemate and impressive Cherry Hinton winner Memory remains the general favourite.

• The Tattersalls July Sale concluded on Friday showing some promising figures. With a clearance rate of 84% and an increased aggregate of £5,835,000, the sale was hailed a success, despite slightly lower mean and median figures. Top lot of the week was Paul Makin’s Business As Usual, whose 460,000gns price tag shattered the previous July record of 380,000.