MULTIDIMENSIONAL [IRE] (b 2003 Danehill - Sacred Song by Diesis)
Usha Stud
Best Official Rating - 118
14 starts from 3 to 5 from 1600 m. to 2400m. Earned GBP 195,388.
5 wins (1600 m. to 2200 m.). Won on Good to Firm, Soft and Heavy going.  

Like many other leading nurseries in the country, Usha Stud opted for a son of Danehill to take over from the ageing Razeen and Steinbeck in 2009. Multidimensional, a horse bred and raced by the Niarchos family, got the nod eventually. Lodged, like Razeen, at Warren Place in the care of Sir Henry Cecil, niggles of one kind or another, kept Multidimensional off the track as a two year-old. In fact, it was only in the mid-summer as a three year-old that he made his debut. Making up for the lost time, he won his first two starts over a mile on his home track at Newmarket. Something went wrong in his next outing at Goodwood and he ran a dismal race. However, taken to Deauville and upped in distance as well as grade, he won the Prix Gaullaume d'Ornano - Haras d'Etreham, Gr.2.  

Then the niggles returned and he was sidelined for well over a year. He returned to action with a victory in a conditions race at Newbury in September and ran a decent race in Literato's Emirates Airline Champion Stakes, Gr.1 the following month. Multidimensional was at his fittest as a five year-old when he had eight starts, all in Group races, and won the Toteswinger Rose of Lancaster Stakes, Gr.3 at Haydock. Intrinsically, though, his best efforts came when finishing a close second to McArthur in the Hardwicke Stakes, Gr.2 at Royal Ascot and fourth, within two lengths of the winner New Approach in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes, Gr.1 at Leopardstown. 

Bred on the successful Danzig - Sharpen Up cross, Multidimensional's dam won the Lancashire Oaks, Gr.3. His fourth dam is a half-sister to the celebrated Mr. Prospector. A neat, smallish horse exuding character and quality, he had 48 foals (more than any of his contemporaries) in 2010. 

OPPORTUNIST[IRE] (b 1999 Machiavellian - Fatefully by Private Account)
New Approach Stud
Best Official Rating - 110
35 starts from 2 to 9 from 1200 m. to 2000 m. Earned GBP 188,125.
8 wins from 1300 m. to 2000 m., all on dirt. 

New Approach Stud is a fledging operation, the only one located in Uttrakhand. Ajay Anne, a graduate of Darley's Flying Start course and now an independent bloodstock agent as well as Shuajat Hussain, formerly the Chief Stipendiary Steward at R.W.I.T.C., Ltd., are associated with it. Just as New Approach is an appropriate name for the nursery, Opportunist is a fitting monicker for an enterprising team for its first stallion. 

Bred in Ireland by Gainsborough Stud Management, the son of Machiavellian started his racing career at Arlington Park in U.S.A. and shed his maiden status on his second start when saddled by Eoin Harty. He then moved to Dubai and his remaining 33 starts,excepting one at Jebel Ali, were all at Nad al Sheba. A consistent handicapper, he was initially trained by Kieran McLaughlin but was later in Doug Watson's charge. Opportunist raced in black-type company just four times and was once third in Derrinstown Stud Burj Nahaar, Gr.3. On the board, on an average, in two of his every three starts, Opportunist was a model of consistency and versatility for he won over a wide range of distances. 

Several of Machiavellian's sons have made it to the stallion ranks with Street Cry being quite outstanding while Don Michelleto has been useful in India and Mathematician has started decently enough. Opportunist is himself a half-brother to Favourable Terms, a winner of Vodafone Nassau Stakes, Gr.1 while their dam is a listed race winner. Hagley and Mr. Prosecutor are two notable stallions in the immediate family but there are plenty of them further back along the line which traces to Flambette. Sires like Omaha, Flares, Johnstown, Mark of Esteem, Local Talent, Northern Baby, Danzig Connection, Raven's Pass are all from this family. 

Opportunist, who is bred on the same cross as Placerville, had 16 foals from the 30 mares that he covered in his first season. 

PHOENIX TOWER [USA] (b 2004 Chester House - Bionic by Zafonic)
Manjri Stud
Best Official Rating - 123
8 starts from 2 to 4 from 1400 m. to 2000 m. Earned GBP 334,812.
4 wins from 1400 m. to 1800 m. on All Weather, Good and Good to Firm going. 

Like Arabian Gulf, the other stallion introduced by Manjri Stud 2009, Phoenix Tower was a Juddmonte own-bred who ran in Prince Khalid Abdulla's livery. However, while the former was trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Phoenix Tower was tutored by Sir Henry Cecil. Phoenix Tower holds the distinction of being the highest earner and best rated of the 2009 batch of stallions. 

Phoenix Tower ran just once at 2, late in October, when he won his race easily at Wolverhampton. The following year he started twice and won both his races without much ado, first at Newbury and then at Windsor. As a four year-old, Phoenix Tower was at his best. First, he won the Weatherbys Earl of Sefton Stakes, Gr.3 at Newmarket with Multidimensional, who was slightly hampered in the run-in, three lengths away in third. In his next four starts, all in Gr.1 contests, he was unlucky to find one better on each occasion and finished second. He was three-parts of a length shy of Creachadoir but a neck ahead of the Equus Stud stallion Tariq - in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes; Duke of Marmalade beat him by four lengths in Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot; he lost the Coral-Eclipse Stakes by a mere short-head to Mount Nelson and then he failed to reach Duke of Marmalade once again in the Juddmonte International Stakes, though, this time he reduced the margin to just under a length. 

His next target was the Emirate Airline Champion Stakes, Gr.1 at Newmarket and he seemed spot on for the race when working brilliantly under Frankie Dettori on the Rowley Mile. However, he was found to have sustained a tendon injury and not only was he scratched from the race but retired from racing. A string of four straight wins followed by four seconds in Gr.1 contests. That's a mighty impressive record. 

Chester House, the sire of Phoenix Tower had only a short innings at stud, having to be put down after he was diagonised with a rare cancer. Himself a Gr.1 winner, he had an incredible 15 % strike rate of stakes winners to starters. Phoenix Tower's dam won the only race she ever ran at 2 while his grandam was a Gr.2 winner in France. This is a good running family with likes of Snow Ridge, Day Flight, Sense of Joy, Burning Sun, Media Nox, Celestial Way (in India) in recent years; the stallions belonging to it, Gallant Romeo, Run For Nurse and Full Out are a bit further away. 

The 23 foals that Phoenix Tower had in 2010 will be augmented as in the case of other stallions by the DNA resolution of double coverings. However, his finally tally will still fall short of his contemporaries Multidimensional, Sedgefield and Carnival Dancer.

ADMIN - Phoenix Tower has got off the mark with DECATHLON since the article was received.

PRINCELY HEIR [IRE] (b 1995 Fairy King - Meis El-Reem[IRE] by Auction Ring)
Dashmesh Stud
Best Official Rating 112
15 starts from 2 to 4 from 1000 m. to 2000 m. Earned GBP 116,713.
3 wins at 2 at 1000 m. and 1200 m. on Good, Good to Firm and Heavy going. 

Dashmesh Stud has not been averse to standing stallions who have had a stint in the covering yard abroad. Green Forest, Local Talent, Forest Gazelle and Hurricane State all had tenures of varying length in U.S.A. before resuming their careers at Sarai Nanga. Princely Heir, like Carnival Dancer, Dashmesh Stud's other import of 2009 had also stood abroad. With Burden of Proof and Royal Kingdom reaching Classic realms and Hymn siring plenty of winners, a son of Fairy King was obviously an attraction. (Velvet Rope, a 'got-abroad' McDowell Indian Derby winner, was by Turtle Island, also a son of Fairy King).  

Bred by Gainsborough Stud Management, Princely Heir was owned by Mr. J David Abell. He was under the tutelage of Mark Johnston at Kingsley House, Middleham in North Yorkshire and was at his best as a two year-old, winning three of his four starts. After winning his first two races in England, he was taken to Ireland in July for the Omney Racing Anglesey Stakes, Gr.3 - a race in which the great Everyday II was second and finished third. He was back in Ireland once again the following month for the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes, Gr.1 and running in the battling style of most Johnston horses, he landed the prize at 12/1 holding the Godolphin filly Asfurah by a head with Ballydoyle's Harbour Master third. 

Princely Heir never won again. He was fourth in his first two starts at 3 to Xaar in the City Index Craven Stakes,Gr.3 at Newmarket and to Tiger Hill in Mehl-Melhen Rennen, Gr.2 (the German 2000 Guineas) at Cologne but his form dipped after that. He was retired to Abbey Leix Stud in Ireland and stood at fee of 6,000 euros. He had 92 foals abroad and produced two Listed winners in Stay Young (in Italy and Hong Kong) and Max One Two Three (in England). "Can sire useful 2yos when given the chance" is a comment that has been made of Princely Heir. He will certainly get his chances at Dashmesh. 

Fairy King never reached the olympian heights of his full-brother Sadler's Wells but was a highly successful sire in his own right, getting a winner of the Epsom Derby as well as the Arc. His sons, somehow, failed to make their mark in Europe though they have had success in India and Encosta de Lago has been outstanding in Australia.  Princely Heir's dam Meis El-Reem won the Prix d'Astarte, Gr.2 in France and placed second in General Accident One Thousand Guineas, Gr.1. Tesio, the maestro, bought a daughter of the great mare Sceptre called Coronation and developed the Italian stirps from which Meis El-Reem descends. Tamanar, Tissot, Torbido and Tisserand are some of the notable stallions from this stirp of the family while Relko, Reliance II and Match III belong to another branch; all them, albeit, occurring some years ago. 

After Princely Heir was weaned, his dam Meis el Reem came to India in foal to Marju. That foal was born dead and the mare was subsequently struck off. Off the cuff, one can quote two instances of mares and their stallion sons being imported to India. First was the Manjri Stud mare Lady Emma. Khan Saheb, her Atout Maitre son came with her as a foal-at-foot. The mare herself was in foal (later named Chhote Khan) to Flag of Truce and subsequently she produced Star of Gwalior. Khan Saheb, Chhote Khan and Star of Gwalior sired Indian Classic winners. The other case is of Nannie River and her sons Dark William and Grand Success who, between them, won all the five Indian Classics in 1965-66. Tegbir Brar, who holds the reins of Dashmesh Stud after the sad demise of his father Sonny Brar earlier this year, will surely find this historical fact most heartening. 

Princely Heir was a ripe fourteen when he took up his duties at Sarai Nanga. He had 26 foals in his first crop.  

SEDGEFIELD[USA] (ch 2004 Smart Strike - Belva by Theatrical)
Jai-Govind Stud
Best Racing Post rating 110
14 starts from 2 to 4.
2 wins at 2 and 3 (1600 m. and 1700 m.) and placed four times. Earned US $ 249,803.

Sedgefield became the first son of Smart Strike to come to India when Jai-Govind Stud brought him over from U.S.A. He is also the first Native Dancer line stallion to stand at that nursery. 

The immediate predecessors of Sedgefield at Jai-Govind (Hymn, Case Law and White Crown) were all black-type winners. Sedgefield is only black-type placed. His chief attribute is that he is a full-brother to English Channel who was the Champion Turf Horse in U.S.A. having won five Gr.1 races including the Breeders' Cup Turf, Gr.1. English Channel stands at Lane's End farm in Kentucky for a stud fee of US $ 25,000. He has had two crops to race from which he has sired seven stakes winners with the Swaps Stakes, Gr.2 winner Blueskiesnrainbows as his best 'get'. Their sire Smart Strike, a winner of the Philip H. Iselin Handicap, Gr.2, was just coming into his own when a condylar fracture while preparing for the Breeders' Cup cut short his career. He has been outstanding as a sire having got the likes of Curlin, Lookin At Lucky, Soaring Free and others. His progeny does well on grass which is often not the case with sons of Mr. Prospector. Sedgefield's dam was unraced but his grandam was mercurial, a winner of dozen races including Europe's top scurry, the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp, Gr.1.  

Sedgefield himself won 2 races from 14 starts. Probably, His best performance was in placing second, a shade over three lengths, behind Hard Spun in Lane's End Stakes, Gr.2 on polytrack. Hard Spun, a member of Danzig's last crop, is a successful sire in U.S.A. Sedgefield also just missed coming on the board in the 20-runner Kentucky Derby, Gr.1. The four whose number went up in the 2008 Run For the Roses were Street Sense, Hard Spun, Curlin and Imawildandcrazyguy. 

Sedgefield had 43 foals from the 58 mares that visited him in his first year at stud. 

STARDAN[IRE] (b 1998 Danehill - Star A Million by Star Appeal)
Rolli Stud
Best Racing Post Rating 111
18 starts from 2 to 6 in France and U.S.A.
2 wins at 3 (2000 m. and 2100 m.) on very soft and good going and placed four times.
Earned 63,266 euros and US $ 18,915. 

While all his contemporaries will looking forward eagerly to their first winner in India, Rolli Stud's Stardan's has already had one! That is because Beyond The Stars, conceived while he was standing in Ireland has already earned a winning bracket. 

Bred by an Italian concern in Ireland, Stardan raced in France and U.S.A. He was at his best at 3 when trainer Pascal Bary won two races with him for his owner, Madame A. Dapello, including Prix Pellas, L. His best effort, however, was in finishing second to King of Tara in Prix Eugene Adam, Gr.2. He then spent three years across the Atlantic without winning and was retired to Coolagown Stud at Fermoy, Co. Cork in south of Ireland. Coolagown Stud breeds mostly for NH racing and Stardan's opportunities were limited. He has had one winner abroad called Danequest. He was then picked up by Rolli Stud which is based at Gurgaon. 

By Danehill out of a mare by the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Star Appeal, Stardan's dam line is rather modest. He had a dozen foals from 20 mares covered in 2009. 

SYLVANITE[USA] (Touch Gold - Scrape by Mr. Prospector)
Mir Stud
Best Official Rating 68
29 starts from 2 to 7 in U.S.A. and Dubai from 1200 m. to 2200 m.
4 wins at 4 and 6 (1600 m. and 1800 m.); all on dirt.
Earned US $ 3,080 + Dhs 147,195. 

SYLVANITE[USA] is the third stallion out of a Mr. Prospector mare to come to India in 2009. Like the other two (Carnival Dancer and Lucifer Sam) he is by a Northern Dancer line stallion. Also, like his contemporary Opportunist, he started his racing career at Arlington Park in U.S.A. as two year-old but moved to U.A.E. the following year. 

Sylvanite was saddled in his only start at Arlington Park by Saeed Bin Suroor. who continued to train him after he moved to U.A.E. It was after he had moved to the stables of M. Al Muhairi that Sylvanite posted his first win as a four-year old. He raced, except for just one start on grass, only on dirt at Jebel Ali, Nad al Sheba and Abu Dhabi and won four races in all, one at a mile and the other three at 1800 m. A durable sort, he raced till he was seven. His best ever official rating of 68 showed that he was quite moderate. 

Sylvanite is from the first crop of his sire Touch Gold, a winner of 6 races and $ 1,679,907. His three Group wins - Belmont Stakes, Gr.1, Buick Haskell Invitation Handicap, Gr.1 and Lexington Stakes, Gr.2 were all on dirt. Standing at Adena Farms in New York, he has been fairly consistent, getting a 'millionaire' in each of his crops so far. His best four 'gets', Seek Gold, Composure, Midas Eyes and Mass Media are all Group winners. Sylvanite is the second stallion, after Chatham Strait, from the Vice Regent branch of the Northern Dancer male line to come to India. 

Scrape, the dam of Sylvanite, never won but as a full-sister to Forty Niner, a Champion Two Year-Old Colt and Leading Sire, she had her paddock value. Swale, Shadeed, Visionary and Equus Stud's new stallion Varenar are all from the immediate family of Sylvanite which goes back to Earl of Roseberry's Chelandry who achieved "blue hen" status at Mentmore. 

The breeding operation at Vikarabad near Hyderabad has been a stop-start affair over the last two decades. Sylvanite's new home is now called the Mir Stud and Agricultural Farm. By producing foals from all the four mares he covered in 2009, Sylvanite has done his bit towards ensuring greater longevity of that nursery.