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While the classic trial round has nearly been completed in the U.S., in Europe it is only just under way. Sunday saw the first of the English and Irish classic trials, the Leopardstown Two Thousand Guineas and One Thousand Guineas trials (both Ire-III).

Both events fell to horses sired by sons of Danehill, whose influence in Europe threatens to become almost as dominant as in Australia. The colt's race went to Famous Name (GB) (Dansili (GB) - Fame at Last, by Quest For Fame (GB)), a Juddmonte Farm homebred who scored by four lengths. Famous Name is rated an A+ by TrueNicks on the basis of the Dansili/Rainbow Quest cross. An "in-house" Juddmonte cross, this nick has previously supplied group winner Sense of Joy (GB) and black type scorer Quenched (GB), both out of Rainbow Quest mares.

Dansili with Rainbow Quest gives a double of Blushing Groom (FR), who is responsible for the dam of Dansili's broodmare sire, Kahyasi. When this is achieved through Quest For Fame things get really interesting, as he is by a son of Blushing Groom out of a mare by a son of Nijinsky, where Kahyasi is by a son of Nijinsky II out of a Blushing Groom mare. Famous Name is the first black type winner to be produced by his first two dams, but his granddam is half sister to Rambushka, an English listed winner who is also granddam of the great Australian mare Makybe Diva (GB) -who is herself by a son of Danehill.

The One Thousand Guineas Trial, a much closer run affair, went by a head to Carribean Sunset (IRE), a stable companion of Famous Name (both trained by Dermot Weld, but in different ownership). Carribean Sunset (Danehill Dancer (IRE) - Bonheur (IRE), by Royal Academy), who was scoring her first victory in six outings, is rated A by TrueNicks on the basis of the Danehill Dancer/Nijinsky II cross. This cross has been a high-quality one, as it has previously produced the classic winning Speciosa (IRE) and four other group winners. This female line also has previous classic connections, as Carribean Sunset's dam is half sister to German One Thousand Guineas (Ger-II) winner Quebrada (IRE), and to the dam of German Oaks (Ger-I) winner Silvester Lady (GB). The granddam, Queen to Conquer, was third in the Irish Guinness Oaks (Ire-I) before going on to capture such races as the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (gr. I) and Ramona Handicap (gr. II) in the U.S.

Filed under: Recent Winners