In 2011, the foal crop in India crossed the 1900 mark for the first time. That record crop owed much to the fact it was augmented by the biggest ever consignment of mares imported in-foal. The 'got-abroads' had their impact and the first four places in the 2015 McDowell Signature Indian Derby, Gr.1 went to them. A month later, in the Omkar Indian Turf Invitation Cup, the 'got-abroads' bagged the first three slots, though the third placed Amazing Grace was from the 2010 crop. The foal production in India in 2012 dropped down to 1810. Predictably, the number of mares in foal imported was almost half (132) of the previous year.

Eleven 'got-abroad' foals have won during the current season so far, that is with only the final week-end' racing at Mumbai remaining. The annual Stud Book Authority of India publication "HORSES IMPORTED IN ----" has been discontinued. It was useful to readily obtain pedigree details of the mares imported. Constraints of space mean that it is not possible provide the details of all the mares imported. It was felt, however, that they could be given in brief here as far the dams of the winning 'got-abroads' are concerned. Of the eleven winners, six have won at Mumbai and their details are given below. The other five will be discussed in the next installment.

MOUNT RUSHMORE (b f Amadeus Wolf - So Admirable by Suave Dancer)

The filly is owned by the Shirkes and Mr. K.N. Dhunjibhoy and trained by B. Prakash. She came out of the maidens ranks in mid-December, winning a race over 1400 m. and was thus the first of the 'got-abroads' to earn a winning bracket. She was fourth on her debut but unplaced in her two starts after her winning run.

Her sire Amadeus Wolf, a grandson of Danzig, was a precocious sort who, after winning on his debut, went on to score in the Scottish Homes Gimcrack Stakes, Gr.2 and Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes, Gr.1 in consecutive starts as a 2YO. He won the Duke of York Heathstead Homes Stakes, Gr.2 at 4 and placed in several top sprints. He was retired to Irish National Stud at a fee of €10,000 will stand at €2,500 for the current season at Haras de Faunes in France. Though he never won beyond 1200 m., he has produced a Gr.3 winner over 2200 m. in Germany and the average winning distance of his progeny is 7.3 fur. He has had six foals in India of which Leo D'Silva's filly Alameda (second in four black-type races including the Bangalore Oaks, Gr.2) is probably the best. Grenadine, also owned by the Shirkes, is a two time winner over 2400 m. while Movie Moghual, a winner of six  races,-is a smart sort in Hyderabad.

The unraced So Admirable was sold for 130,000 Gns as a 4YO but a disappointing stud career meant that the Irish agent Hugo Merry was able to pick her up for just 16,000 gns at Tattersalls Sale in 2010 and later sell her to Nanoli Stud in a private deal. So Admirable is a full-sister to Compton Admiral (Eclipse Stakes, Gr.1; sire) and a half-sister to Summoner (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Gr.1) and the Gr.2 placed Twyla Tharp (dam of the The Fugue, winner of Nassau Stakes, Gr.1, who placed in both the fillies' Classics in England). So Admirable visited top drawer stallions and produced seven foals of whom three were ordinary winners.

OSTWIND (b g Holy Roman Emperor - Ertiyaad by Sakhee)

Running in the colours of Mr. D.A. Nanda with Mr. Tanmay Agashe of Quasar fame as one of the partners and trained by Malesh Narredu, Ostwind (East Wind in German) is probably named after a 2013 German film of the same name but could also be so called after an anti-aircraft machine gun fitted on Panzer tanks in World War II.  He was bred by the New Approach Stud at Lumbini Stud. Unplaced on his educational run, Ostwind won on Christmas Day of last year and was then third in Kunigal Stud Breeders' Produce Stakes, Gr.3. He hasn't raced since.

No stallion standing abroad has sired three Classic winners in India - Smashing, Fastest Finger and Be Safe - as Holy Roman Emperor has. The versatile son of Danehill started his stud career at Coolmore at a fee 35,000 euros. That fee dipped to €10,000 but the stallion has now consolidated his standing and has been steady at€20,000 for the last three years.

Ostwind's dam had just five starts at 2 and 3 and placed once over 24000 m. on all weather. Owned by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Ertiyaad, a daughter of the Arc winner Sakhee did not quite live up to her bloodlines and was picked up by BBA (Ireland) for a mere 3,000 Gns. at Tattersalls Sale in 2010. Covered by Holy Roman Emperor, she was then acquired by New Approach Stud and brought to India. Her dam Asawer won two races at 3, both over 2000 m., including the John Musker Fillies' Stakes, L and was placed third in Ribblesdale Stakes, Gr.2 at Royal Ascot. Asawer's dam is a full-sister to Champion French 3YO and sire Mukaddamah as well as the American sire Contempt. This is the excellent Valkyr family.

Smashing and Be Safe had a strain of Sadler's Wells in their dams. So does Ostwind for Sakhee is out of a Sadler's Wells mare.

GABRIELLA (b f Footstepsinthesand - Theoretically by Kingmambo)

Like Mount Rushmore, Gabriella is owned by the Shirkes in partnership with the breeders, in this case the Ruias of Equus Stud. She won impressively on her debut despite shifting out dramatically and runninga long the stand-side railing. She repeated the antic on her next start and was beaten. This idiosyncrasy stands in the way of her optimizing her potential.

Footstepsinthesand, a son of the "Iron Horse" Giant's Causeway, had a brief career of just three starts spread over two years. He won them all, ending with a victory in the ultimatepoker.com Two Thousand Guineas, Gr.1 and a few months later was standing as a stallion in Australia. He returned to Coolmore in Ireland for the 2006 covering season and started off at a fee of €25,000. He has been modestly successful in both the hemispheres - he has shuttled to Argentina also - and his current fee of €10,000 has been constant for some time now. The average winning distance of his progeny is a shade over a mile. The stallion has had five runners in India with three winners of whom the Bangalore Fillies 'Championship Stakes, Gr.1 winner Maisha is the best. Gabriella, like Maisha, is trained by Pesi Shroff.

Gabriella's dam, Thiella, raced in Ireland, England, Canada and U.S.A. and won two races in the first and last named countries. Her first foal by Cape Cross was called Moohaajim and he was a promising juvenile, winning the Mill Reef Stakes, Gr.2 at Newbury and beaten a neck in the vision.ae Middle Park Stakes, Gr.1. The promise remained unrealised for he broke down after running in Dawn Approach's Quipco Two Thousand Guineas, Gr.1. Moohaajim has been retired to Rathbarry Stud in Ireland. Thiella's High Chaparral daughter Trikala is unplaced. This is the Carpet Slipper branch of the excellent Simon Shoes family though Gabriella's stirps has a bit more speed and has excelled up to 2000 m. Thiella was bought by Equus Stud for 31,000 Gns. at Tattersalls December 2011 sale for 31,000 gns.  She is closely related to Niagara Causeway (Giant's Causeway - Theoretically), a winner of Tokyo City Handicap, Gr.3 at Santa Anita and now a sire in Kentucky.

SHIVALIK HEROINE (b f Orpen - Ifni by Rainbow Quest)

Retained by her breeder Mr. Nirmal Singh of Hazara Stud, Shivalik Heroine won on her debut and then was unplaced in Poonawalla Breeders' Multi-Million, Gr.1. She is trained by Malesh Narredu.

Beautifully bred Orpen, a son of the Danzig horse Lure, was a Champion 2YO in Ireland who won Prix Morny, Gr.1 and placed third in Entenmann's Irish 2000 Guineas, Gr.1 at 3. Now a veteran sire who stands at Haras du Thenney for a fee of €6,000, his  best runners have been in Southern Hemisphere, particularly Argentina where he has been a Champion Sire once. In India, his daughter Celestial Way won in the Golconda 1000 Guineas, Gr.2 in Dr. Mallya's colours.

Ifni, the dam of Shivalik Heroine, won 3 races in French provinces at 2 and 3 from 2000 m. to 2600 m. as befits a daughter of Rainbow Quest.  Her first two foals, Konyali (by Hernando) and Gentoo (by Loup Solitaire), won 17 races between them, mostly in French provinces but the latter improved with age and reeled off a hat-trick on Paris tracks which comprised of Qatar Prix Gladiateur, Gr.3 (3100 m.), Qatar  Prix du Cadran, Gr.1 (4000 m.) and Prix Royal-Oak, Gr.1 (3100 m.).  Ifni's subsequent foals have failed to win and Irish agent Hugo Merry was able to acquire the mare for €18,000 euros at Arqana's Sale at Deauville in 2011.

There is extreme stamina in the bottom half of Shivalik Heroine's pedigree while Orpen's progeny is best around a mile. It will be interesting to see which way the filly goes as far as her distance aptitude is concerned. The great matron Almahmoud figures four times in her six  generation pedigree with Cosmah, Natalma and Bubbling Beauty, the three main daughters of Almahmoud, all to be found. This is an old, Classic French family that has Time Paradox, a winner of Japan Cup (Dirt), Gr.1, close up.

MALEFICENT (b f Iffraaj - Mufraadat by Desert Prince)

Maleficent is the winner of her debut outing over the minimum trip in mid-March but was a well beaten third as a favourite in April. Housed with Pesi Shroff, she is owned by her breeders the Poonawallas in partnership with the Deboos who have previously been associated with the likes of Xisca, Mariinsky and Maisha.

Zafonic's son Iffraaj was a smart sprinter who won 7 races at 2 to 5 including the Betfair Lennox Stakes, Gr.2 and placed second in Darley July Cup, Gr.1. Retired to stud in 2007, his first crop was sensational for it had more winners in Europe than any other stallion ever. He started at €12,000 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland. This year he stands at Dalham Hall Stud for GBP 22,500. Iffraaj, whose progeny has an average winning distance of 7.9 fur., has had ten foals in India with the Hyderabad star Plenipotent the best of them.

The Desert Prince filly Mufraadat raced for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in Ireland where trainer Kevin Prendergast sent her out to win twice (1200 m. and 1400 m.). Of her four foals abroad, two are winners including Zayaan who was third in Dylan Thomas Tetrarch Stakes, Gr.3. Her dam Classic Park won the Airlie-Coolmore Irish 1000 Guineas, Gr.1. Mufraadat cost €28,000 to purchase in Ireland and traces to Mackwiller. The family has had Sentouki (Calcutta 2000 Guineas, Gr.1) and Fantastic Belle (Bangalore Oaks, Gr.2) in India. Maleficent has the potential to post more victories but is unlikely to excel beyond a mile in competitive company.

CONTINENTAL (dk b g Rip Van Winkle - Samsa by Zafonic)

Continental won his race on a successful objection against the actual winner Velvet Amari on his only start so is technically unbeaten. He is owned by his breeders, the Mistrys of Manjri Stud and trained by Pesi Shroff.

Rip Van Winkle was a Champion 3YO Miler in Europe (BCG Sussex Stakes, Gr.1 and Sony Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Gr.1)) as well as Champion Older Horse in Europe at 4 (Juddmonte International Stakes, Gr.1).  He was retired to Coolmore Stud in 2011 at a fee of €20,000 which has now gone up to €25,000 following a fairly impressive first crop in which he had two black-type winners including the Gr.1 winner Dick Whittington. Continental is from his sire's first crop. There are three other Rip Van Winkles in India, all born at Nanoli Stud, of whom two have raced without winning so far.

Continental's dam won four races in France at 2 and 3 and was twice second in Listed races. Two of her wins came over 1400 m. and the other two at a mile. Samsa's third dam is a three-parts sister to the great mare Dahlia, a winner of 11 Gr.1 races in five countries, who won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Gr.1 at Ascot twice. Samsa, who traces to a great tap-root in Frizette, was purchased for €28,000 by Anthony Stroud at Deaville.

PAST THE POST

It is no surprise that most of the 'got-abroad' winners have come at Mumbai. They don't come cheaply and the commercial capital of India has the necessary money clout to go for them.