Even in better times, those breeding racehorses needed to have an outlook different to the general norm. It's not just a case of the odds being stacked against them, there is also the fact that given the age of many in this profession, they may not be here to witness and enjoy fruits that might be harvested in future years.
They talk of the dream of contributing positively to the breed as though they've found the secret to immortality and can guarantee that they'll be here to watch their plans unfold - good God, some of these characters look and indeed are very, very old.
Even those who have reached the higher echelons in this profession plan ahead with carefully structured matings, the most likely scenario being that they'll not be here to see the final outcome
And for mere racing fans, particularly those on the mature side, interest in the breeding aspect of the game is tempered by the fact that we are not going to see most end stories - work out your age, look at a National Hunt stallion starting out, and you realise that you are unlikely to see the conclusion of their career at stud. Put it this way if Crystal Ocean lasts twenty years at stud, considering the age jumping horses reach their peak then the chapter on this stallion's stud career will still be open when we have departed,
It's a similar story in the flat game in the area of stallions establishing themselves as sires of sires - all those fascinating developments with twists and turns that we have followed the path of in the past. Branches that suddenly bloom.
Those of a certain age will remember the hugely exciting Try My Best's taking triumph in the 1977 Dewhurst Stakes. The Ballydoyle based Northern Dancer colt looked assured of realising his potential and was already at prohibitive odds for both the following season's 2,000 Guineas and Derby.
In fact the Timeform organisation stated that, " he seems to us practically a ready made winner of the 2,000 Guineas", and added that as there was every chance he would stay twelve furlongs, " he is a ready made winner of the Derby as well."
History documents that after winning on his reappearance at Phoenix Park, he started Even money at Newmarket only to trail in stone cold last. He was never seen on a racecourse again.
Put on the Coolmore roster there was hope that he would make amends in his second career. While he hardly set the world alight, among his progeny foaled in 1983 were Last Tycoon and Waajib. The former was a Champion sprinter in Europe and put the ceiling on his career with a success in the Breeders Cup mile. At stud he sired an Epsom Derby runner up in Marju but has established no lasting male line.
Waajib was a late maturer under the guidance of Alec Stewart. A winner of the big mile handicap at Goodwood he developed into a Group class horse and won the Diomed Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes ( then a Group 2) as a five year old. He proved overall moderate as a stallion but made a contribution to the breed via Royal Applause, by far the best of his progeny who was successful in the Haydock Sprint Cup for Barry Hills.
This is where this seemingly going nowhere line would soon blossom. Standing at the Sandringham Stud, Royal Applause, sired a handful of lower Group class performers including a certain Acclamation who won the Diadem and was third to Oasis Dream in the Nunthorpe.
How unlikely that Acclamation would become a sort of cult hero for those interested in the breeding side of the sport. He now boasts his own dynasty with branches of its own, developing all the time. His showcase stallion son Dark Angel ( in picture) was retired at the end of his juvenile career and while it's not surprising that his notable performers are speedsters, a hell of a lot train on well and with an increasing number of sons at stud, he'll be leaving a lasting influence with chapters still to be written that today's maturing racing fans won't be around to see.
Mehmas is another son of Acclamation retired at the end of his two year old season. He's made an exceptionally bright start to his new career and like Dark Angel, it looks as though a fair amount of his progeny will train on - his four year old son Minzaal a big player in this weekend's Group 1 sprint at Haydock.
Acclamation is also responsible for promising second season sire Aclaim who's fee will be due a hike after being responsible for 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet, along with the classy sprinter Royal Aclaim. And not to forget Pyledriver's sire Harbour Watch and an interesting first season sire in Expert Eye.
It would be using the imagination too much to call it the ' Try My Best line' though it is not factually incorrect. However, we can say there is an Acclamation male line. Who would have thought that would ever materialise!
Sadly, the maturing racing fans will not be able to marvel as future influential pedigree lines take shape, but can take comfort that they will that witnessed an era of the sport that it will never return to. Best now to enjoy the sport from a historical perspective and disengage oneself with thoughts of breed shapers as it'll just be as futile as getting excited about the prospect of man landing on Mars.
Image taken by author
This track was promunent in the charts when Try My Best blew out in the Guineas.
No comments:
Post a Comment