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There are some crosses that, intuitively, one would expect to work.

That of European turf star Diesis (GB) (by Sharpen Up (GB)) with Alydar is not among them. The cross, however, has turned out to be quite effective – it is TrueNick rated A++ - and one of the best examples is Magical Fantasy, who added a weekend win in the Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT) to a score in last year’s Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT). She is the fourth stakes winner bred on the cross of Diesis over an Alydar-line mare (the other three are out of Alydar daughters and include grade III winner Warm Heart). In the case of Magical Fantasy, some of the mystery is diminished by a nick between Diesis and the family. Magical Fantasy’s dam Kissing Gate is half-sister to two Diesis stakes winners in the shape of CIGA Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (FrI) victor Keen Hunter and Altibr, who took the Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile (gr. IIT) and Dubai Duty Free (UAE-III).

As a tangent to this, Diesis’ brother Kris (GB) popped up in the pedigree of another high-class winner who would not have been the most obvious cross. This is Neo Universe (JPN), whose son Unrivaled (JPN) took the Satsuki Sho (Jpn-I), Japanese Two Thousand Guineas equivalent, at the weekend. Unrivaled is one of two stakes winners from the first crop of Neo Universe, who himself won the Japanese Derby and Satsuki Sho. Neo Universe is one of at least 12 sons of Sunday Silence who have sired a grade I winner, but what is more surprising is that the cross of Sunday Silence and Kris rates a TrueNicks A++. Unrivaled is out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Ballet Queen (IRE) (a sister to Three Chimneys Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-I) winner Prince of Dance. She’s been a stellar producer, and is dam of two other black-type winners, including Tokyo Yushun (Jpn-I) (Japanese Derby) winner Fusaichi Concorde (JPN), and granddam of three other stakes winners, including another Satsuki Sho winner, the Brian’s Time colt Victory (JPN). Oddly enough, Neo Universe and Unrivaled both come from a Weinstock/Sobell (Ballymacoll Stud) family going back to the mare Sunny Gulf (GB). Purchased from the estate of Dorothy Paget, Sunny Gulf is ancestress of countless top-class performers, including last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. I) victor Conduit (IRE).

Filed under: Recent Winners