DANSILI, STORMING UP THE SIRES' TABLES
Dansili, a son of Danehill out of the multiple Group-One
producing mares Hasili, is storming up the sire’s table – with a
rare ability to throw high-class runners over a range of
distances.
Khalid Abdullah’s Farm is often cited as a model nursery. It
throws out a regular supply of quality runners for its Saudi
Arabian Patron, whose entry to the British turf narrowly predates
that of the Maktoums.
However, Abdullah’s stud has long contained a stallion annexe.
It was established principally to house Rainbow Quest, a stallion
who would make a wonderful servant to British breeders.
Others to follow Rainbow Quest, included Zafonic, whose deeds
before his untimely demise are readily measured today. Worse still
as the fate to befall Shibboleth, a Group Three winner who died
when poised to join the Juddmonte roster four years ago.
Although we can but speculate on Shibboleth’s impact, his
popularity with breeders was assured. He was a Group Three
winning-brother to the mighty Danehill, who ran with gusto when
fifth behind Mozart in the July Cup.
If Shibboleth’s loss was grave for Juddmonte, it is fitting the
stud now houses a son of Danehill about whom rave notices are
circulating. And with good reason: Dansili can hardly put a foot
wrong.
None who saw the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000
Guineas) would dispute that Dansili’s daughter Price Tag was the
winner on merit. Her demotion owed everything to French rules on
interference, which are far more punititve than our own.
Price Tag was thrown out because the brush she gave
Impressionate prevented her from keeping second place. Still
balming influences were not long in surfacing.
Rail Link, who hails from Dahlia’s family, waltzed home in the
Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris over 12 f four days after Strategic Prince
blitzed his opponents in the Gr.2 July St over half that
distance.
In this respect, and unlike other successful stallion sons of
Danehill in Danetime and Danehill Dancer, Dansili displays a
propensity to get high-class winners over a range of distance.
Yet while stamina in Rail Link’s distaff lineage is apparent, it
is no less so in Strategic Prince. He is out of the Lingfield Oaks
Trial winner Ausherra, herself a full-sister to the dual Oaks
winner Ramruna. The speed within Strategic Prince thus bodes well
for when he tackles longer trips.
Many will incline to cite Dansili’s versatility as an extension
of Danehill’s. But this might be altogether too simplistic, since
Dansili’s distaff roots are fascinating in their own right. Given
what we now know about Danehill, how far might his produce from a
Kahyasi mare out of one by High Line out of another by Roberto by
expected to stay? It sounds like the recipe for another Westerner,
yet the mare in question is Hasili.
Hasili needs little introduction. Suffice to recap that in Banks
Hill, Heat Haze, Intercontinental and Cacique has bred four
individual Group One winners of 8 such races. Dansili, bless him,
is Hasili’s sole racing produce to end his career without reaching
that exalted status.
Not that there was any doubt about Dansili’s prowess. A troubled
trip from the rear greatly compromised him in the Breeders’ Cup
Mile, which he would have won in another two strides.
Like most of his siblings, Dansili was a true miler capable of
stretching out a little further. This quality is almost certainly
attributable to his third dam, the Cheveley Park St heroine
Sookera.
A daughter of Roberto, Sookera’s legacy of speed is especially
potent. She produced talented sprinters in Bold Fact and So Factual
from matings to Abdullah’s 1980, 2000 Guineas winner Known Fact,
yet Kerali, her daughter by High Line, threw Hasili to a mating
with Kahyasi.
Like his sire, Dansili seems sure to perplex pedigree pundits
speculating on how far his progeny might stay. Against that, the
early signs suggest there will be plenty of high-class candidates
by this superbly bred individual over which to
muse.
Date:
04 August 2006