Pedigree Insights: The Black Princess

The Black Princess | Scoop Dyga

By

I don't know how much Sheikh Mohammed paid for Park Appeal after this filly completed her unbeaten juvenile campaign but one thing's for sure–he has rarely made a better investment.

Not that the purchase of this daughter of Ahonoora yielded any immediate dividends. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, two weeks after her change of ownership, had been mentioned as a target by trainer Jim Bolger, but a virus put an end to that ambitious plan. Park Appeal's first appearance in Sheikh Mohammed's colours came in the 1985 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Despite being up against Alydar's Best, who had defeated the colts in the G1 Grand Criterium, the Irish challenger started favourite on the strength of decisive victories in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and the G1 Cheveley Park S. (which she took by an impressive four lengths). Park Appeal could finish only seventh at Longchamp and she never raced again in Europe. Three starts in the U.S. as a 4-year-old yielded just one win, in a restricted stakes race at Hollywood Park.

At the time of her conception, Park Appeal's pedigree could have been described as more plebeian than patrician. Her sire Ahonoora and broodmare sire Balidar had been sprinters. Ahonoora, of course, was to transform himself from an inexpensive speed sire into a sire of Classic winners and Park Appeal's dam Balidaress was to prove herself a very worthy member of a highly distinguished female line. Balidaress's fourth dam Sister Sarah was–among other things–the second dam of Nearctic and her female line traced all the way back to the legendary Pretty Polly.

The first to launch Balidaress to stardom was Desirable, her third foal. This daughter of Lord Gayle also won the G1 Cheveley Park S. and she sold for 1,000,000gns as a 3-year-old in 1984, having finished third in the G1 1000 Guineas. Park Appeal also had a group-winning brother in Nashamaa and a Classic-winning half-sister in Alydaress (G1 Irish Oaks). No fewer than five of Balidaress's daughters were to produce a total of nine group winners. Pride of place went to Balistroika's outstanding 1000 Guineas winner Russian Rhythm, to Desirable's 1000 Guineas winner Shadayid and Park Appeal's G1 Lockinge S. winner Cape Cross, whose descendants have made such an enormous impact on the G1 Derby.

The Balidaress female line has now produced more than 20 group winners, with Park Appeal's contribution standing at six. Her Sadler's Wells filly Arvola visited Warning to produce Diktat, Europe's champion older sprinter of 1999. Park Appeal's first foal, the Nureyev filly Pastorale, also did well. Pastorale made a winning debut at Newmarket as a 3-year-old, creating such a favourable impression that she started at 6-1 for the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Although she disappointed at The Curragh, Pastorale has made full amends by becoming the dam of three group winners, headed by Iffraaj, a triple Group 2 winner over seven furlongs, and the gelding Farraaj, who was rated as high as 125 by Timeform.

The reason for this lengthy summary of the exploits of Park Appeal and her family is that Sunday's G3 Prix Allez France was won in good style by The Black Princess. This filly is inbred 3 x 3 to Park Appeal, as she is by Iffraaj out of a daughter of Cape Cross.

Although neither Iffraaj nor Cape Cross exhibited much stamina, The Black Princess is very much at home over middle distances, as she showed when third in the G2 Ribblesdale S. over a mile and a half. Coincidentally, the Iffraaj–Cape Cross partnership's other group winner, the German colt Magic Artist, also gained his group victory over a mile and a quarter. These two come from a sample of 10 starters.

There are several parallels between the careers of Iffraaj and Cape Cross. Cape Cross started his career at only IR£8,000 at Kildangan Stud and did so well that his fee peaked at €50,000. Iffraaj also began his stallion career at Kildangan, starting at €12,000. Although his fee fell as low as €6,000 by his fourth season, he too has done very well–well enough for his fee to rise to £27,500 this year.

Iffraaj first drew attention to himself by siring 38 juvenile winners in his first crop, including the unbeaten Group 1 winner Wootton Bassett, while Cape Cross became champion sire of 2-year-olds with his first crop.

Iffraaj is now 16 years old and is making his mark in several areas. Wootton Bassett, of course, is the sire of Almanzor, the top-ranked European horse of 2016, and Iffraaj's broodmare daughters are also off the mark at Group 1 level, thanks to this year's New Zealand 2-year-old Melody Belle.

Iffraaj's New Zealand-sired progeny have played a significant role in his success story. This year has seen his son Gingernuts win the G1 New Zealand Derby and the G1 Rosehill Guineas in Australia, while Jon Snow has won the G1 Australian Derby, so here again we have Iffraaj's progeny staying much better than he did.

His New Zealand progeny have also helped highlight Iffraaj's affinity for Danehill mares, with Turn Me Loose, a triple Group 1 winner, and Fix, a triple Group 2 winner, both being out of Danehill mares. Danehill's daughters also produced his smart Northern Hemisphere performers Chriselliam, Nathra and Latharnach. These five black-type winners come from the first 16 starters out of Danehill mares, so this is a partnership worth keeping an eye on–especially when he also has group winners out of mares by Danehill's sons Dansili and Danzero.

Having pointed out the Park Appeal inbreeding in The Black Princess's pedigree, I should add that there are other possible explanations for the filly's talent. She comes from a first-rate family and her 2-year-old half-sister, the Dark Angel filly Gabrielle, is in training with Andre Fabre. Their dam Larceny managed only one start but this daughter of Cape Cross has the distinction of being closely related to Lawman, winner of the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club and G1 Prix Jean Prat. Lawman was sired by Invincible Spirit, who shares the same sire, Green Desert, as Cape Cross.

The Black Princess's second dam, the Gulch mare Laramie, is a member of that very select number of mares with more than one Classic winner to their credit. Mated to Ahonoora's son Inchinor, Laramie produced the 2004 G1 Prix de Diane winner Latice and she also produced the speedy Group 3 winner Satri to Mujadil.

Laramie showed only a little ability but comes from an excellent female line. The Black Princess's third dam, the Shirley Heights mare Light The Lights, ranked among France's best staying fillies in 1988, when she won the G2 Prix de Pomone before running well in the G1 Prix Vermeille and the Arc. The fourth dam, that accomplished broodmare Lighted Glory, was also a Group 1 performer in France, as well as being a half-sister to the very smart stayers King Luthier and Torus. This female line traces to the 1000 Guineas winner Picture Play, whose descendants have won all five British Classics.

 

Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.

Copy Article Link

X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.