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Having supplied Apapane (by King Kamehameha), winner of this year’s Japanese 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) and Oaks (gr. I) – the latter in a dead heat – the Kingmambo line was represented by this weekend by Eishin Flash, who took the Tokyo Yushun, the Japanese Derby (gr. I).

In fact the Kingmambo (TrueNicks,SRO) line took the first two places, Eishin Flash getting home by a neck from King Kamehameha’s son Rose Kingdom, with Victoire Pisa (by Neo Universe), who’d won the 2,000 Guineas (gr. I), taking third place. Although he was foaled in Japan, Eishin Flash (TrueNicks A++) was conceived in Europe and has a very international background. He is by King’s Best, a three-parts-brother to the great mare Urban Sea (the dam of Galileo and Sea The Stars). King’s Best won the English 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) over Giant's Causeway (TrueNicks,SRO), but suffered a career-ending injury in the Irish Derby next out. He has been a very solid sire in Europe with 31 previous stakes winners, including group I winners King’s Apostle, Creachadoir, Proclamation and Dubai Surprise.

Eishin Flash is out of Moonlady, a German-bred daughter of Platini (by the great German sire Surumu, from a German sire line going back to Dark Ronald). She was highweighted staying filly in Germany at three when she defeated the colts in German St. Leger (gr. II) and also won the Long Island Handicap (gr. II) in the U.S. The second dam, Midnight Fever, is by Sure Blade (by Kris, by Sharpen Up), and is a half sister to the German Derby (gr. I) runner-up Malinas. The third dam, Majoritat (by Champion Konigsstuhl, best-know as the sire of Monsun) won the German Oaks (gr. II) and was Champion of her sex in Germany at three. Majoritat owned an interesting pedigree as she was inbred 3 x 2 to Konigssthul’s third dam Kaiserkrone and her full brother Kaiseradler. Of course, King’s Best himself is also from a German family, and Einshin Flash is linebred to very important German sire Birkhahn. By way of contrast, he also has a double of Forli through the genetic relatives Special and Home Guard.

The other weekend Northern Hemisphere classic was the Italian Oaks (gr. I), won by Contredanse. A daughter of Danehill Dancer – like his sire, a sprinter/miler who can get good winners at a classic distance – Contredanse is a sister to Callwood Dancer, winner of Nassau Stakes (gr. II) and Champion Turf Filly in Canada, and to group I-placed Set Sail. The dam, Ahdaab, is by Rahy out of the Ribblesdale Stakes (gr. II) victress Dish Dash, and is half-sister to Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (gr. I) winner Maroof (by Danehill Dancer’s grandsire, Danzig). Danehill Dancer seems to have a very strong affinity for mares by sons of Blushing Groom. He has seven stakes winners from 43 starters on the cross (16%). With two crosses of Natalma in Danehill, and Halo in Rahy, Contredanse has a triple of Almahmoud.

Another Danehill line grade I winner this weekend was the six-year-old (to Southern Hemisphere time) mare Hot Danish, who took the Doomben 10,000 (gr. I). She is by Danehill’s Melbourne Cup (gr. I) winning son Nothin’ Leica Dane and is unusual for a grade I winner in that she has no other black type in the first four dams, a fact that hasn’t prevented her earning nearly A$2,000,000. Her sire is out of a mare by Sir Tristram, and Danehill and Sir Tristram have both done well with Star Kingdom, and the dam is a Star Kingdom/Star Kingdom cross.

In Argentina, the Gran Premio de Potrancas (gr. I) over a metric mile went to Quick Val, a daughter of the late Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. I) winner Val Royal (by Royal Academy), who already has an English and Irish 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) winner, Cockney Rebel, to his name. Line bred to Grey Sovereign, she is out of Que Llamarada (by the Saint Crespin III line horse Fumador). The dam was a grade III winner herself, and produced graded winner and graded producer Queen’s Bench (by Southern Halo).

The colt’s equivalent was captured by Malhechor Int, who had a neck to spare over Gilded Time’s son Phone Time. Malhechor Int is from the second crop of A.P. Indy (TrueNicks,SRO) son Gradepoint (a graded winning half brother to millionaire Student Council (TrueNicks,SRO)). The dam, Vendimia Pin, is by the Secretariat horse Lt. Pinkerton (Malhechor Int is inbred 4 x 3 to Secretariat). This is a U.S. family, with the second dam by Iron Constitution and the third dam by Valid Appeal. The family goes back to Foolish One, a Tom Fool half sister to Bold Ruler, and the pedigree also has three Bold Ruler crosses.

South Africa had a major weekend for speedsters. Superstar sprinter, J J The Jet Plane took the Golden Horse Sprint (gr. I). He is by Jet Master, a son of Rakeen (Northern Dancer son of Champion Glorious Song, sister to Devil’s Bag and Saint Ballado, and dam of Rahy and Singspiel). The dam is also Northern Dancer line, by Northern Guest, a brother to El Gran Senor and Try My Best. Rushing Wind took second in the Sprint, with Moroccan, a son of Kingmambo’s full brother Kitalpha (TrueNicks,SRO), a close third.

The South African Fillies Sprint (gr. I) went to Captain’s Gal. She is by the successful young sire, Captain Al, a South African-bred son of Al Mufti (by Roberto out of Lassie Dear, the granddam of A.P. Indy). The dam is by Centenary, a son of Alydar. Roberto and Alydar have worked quite well together (their dams are rather similarly-bred), and one example is Shuailaan, a stakes winner and group I-placed horse by Roberto, out of an Alydar mare from Al Mufti’s family.

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