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It might seem hard to believe, but only a handful of years ago, Sadler's Wells' legacy as far as the extension of his male-line appeared to be in severe doubt. That is no longer the case, and we were treated to a number of reminders of over the weekend.

Sadler's Wells' son, High Chaparral has been rather in the shadow of his stud companions Galileo and Montjeu but the last few months have seen him emerge as a force to be reckoned with.  He was represented by one of the most notable winners last weekend when his three-year-old son, So You Think, took Australia's top-weight for age event, the Cox Plate (gr. I). Even more impressive is the fact that So You Think doesn't actually reach his third birthday until November 10.

So You Think (TrueNicks rated A++) is the second graded winner by a son of Sadler's Wells out of a mare by Tights (U.S. raced turf graded winner by Nijinsky II out of a Round Table mare) and the second group or graded stakes winner by High Chaparral out of a Nijinsky II line mare.

Montjeu has been represented by seven Derby winners in Europe and Australia from his first five years at stud. Judging from the brilliant turn of foot that his son, St. Nicholas Abbey, showed in winning the Racing Post Trophy (gr. I), there might be at least another one next year.

St. Nicholas Abbey is out of Leaping Water, a daughter of Sure Blade (TrueNicks rated A++). This is the first stakes winner for Montjeu out of a Sharpen Up line mare, but Sharpen Up also appears in the pedigree of the Montjeu classic winners Motivator and Hurricane Run. There are also two other stakes winners by Sadler's Wells sons out of mares by Sure Blade.

Finally, we can't leave a piece on the Sadler's Wells line without noting that the grand old man himself had a weekend group I winner, his son Ask (TrueNicks B+) taking the Prix Royal-Oak (gr. I). He's out of a mare by Rainbow Quest, so his bred on the same cross as Powerscourt (GB) (TrueNicks,SRO) , himself a group I sire with his first crop in 2009.

 

Filed under: Sire Lines, Recent Winners, Emerging Nicks, Sires, Australian Racing, Pedigree Elements