Prospective Stallion for our mare Impeccable Guest

[davethehorse]

Hi,

Several years ago I put a post up on here asking for thoughts on the pedigree of our 2 year old filly Impeccable Guest.

Well she is now a 6 year old and has proved a gutsy and genuine horse but has had some bad luck too which has restricted her number of appearances.

She was placed in flat races at 2 and 3 over distances from 7f to 1m6f so very versatile and plenty of stamina if slightly lacking pace.

She then won two hurdle races over 2m and was third in the other after which she suffered with a back problem - trapped nerve which affected her movement when working.

The good news is she is back in training and in good shape but we are looking to have her covered when she comes into season. We would like to put her to a stallion that may get us an early type with a bit of speed and are looking for affordable stallions in the UK that fit the bill.

I have put a few hypothetical matings into the database to help assessment - could anyone help with us choosing from the following shortlist:

LUCKY STORY
ZAFEEN
FIREBREAK
PROCLAMATION

These horse are all in our price range and all fit the criteria we have set in a suitable stallion although some are unproven sires as yet.

All view and comments very welcome and much appreciated

Regards

[kimberley mine]

I'm not entirely sold on any of the options available, mostly because I think something your mare could use is some Sharpen Up, and none of them carry Sharpen Up. While I realize that Orpen is not Danzig, Sharpen Up has been a good cross with Danzig in general and Orpen's genetic sibling Danehill in particular, with horses like Danehill Dancer, Dylan Thomas, Mount Nelson, Boscobel, Vital Equine, Dream Scheme, etc.

I really, really like her with Three Valleys. He is from the one of the best families in the studbook, and more to the point one that has a good affinity for Danzig blood. He is advertised at GBP 5000 on the Juddmonte website. It's more than you'd planned, but Juddmonte may be willing to make a deal with you. He's a lot of horse for the money, and had he not been disqualified from the Middle Park Stakes he'd have started for more than he did.

Also carrying Sharpen Up is the Halling son Norse Dancer, standing for GBP2500 at Wood Farm.

Of the four you listed, I like Firebreak best, followed by Zafeen.

[spex4me]

I like Lucky Story, but I am impartial. I have a 2 year old by his full brother here in the US, Northward Bound, and recently lost a hell of a three year old filly by the same sire . So anytime anyone wants to go with Dr. Fong or Lucky Story I say bravo, especially if they compliment each other. Of course since Northward Bound didn't race his fee was a whopping $500!!

Good luck with your mare!!!

[davethehorse]

Many thanks for the replies. We are currently favouring Lucky Story as we think his overall pedigree and profile will suit our mare well but also because he was the leading first season sire here in the UK and we have managed to get a good deal to use him. Havind top class sire Dr Fong as a full brother also helped sway it! Lucky Story's best progeny to date is Royal Ascot 2 year old winnner Art Conoisseur who has the Northern Dancer line in his dams top line (Danehill) as our mare does (Orpen) so hopefully there is something positive in that.

He should give our mare, theoretically anyway, enough speed early in her career to see a racecourse reasonable early and also give her enough potential stamina to contest races at 1m+ as a 3 and 4 year old so we should have the scope to step her up in trip if required.

Hopefully it will be an exciting journey for our syndicate of owners but we realise a lot of luck is required. Fortunately none of us are looking at the financial aspect - just a very interesting add on to our racing syndicate memebership.

Thanks again

[Bill from WA]

Hi

I think kimberly mine offers some valid points. I agree with the choice of Firebreak, of the stallions listed, as offering the best chance of producing brilliance in a prospective foal.

Bill

[kimberley mine]

The reason I like Firebreak over the others is that he brings in a ton of Lady Juror. That is a classy, classy speed-producing mare line and one that really likes more of itself.

Impeccable Guest has four lines to Lady Juror: Fair Trial via Petitioner, Ballyogan twice, and Sansonnet (dam of Tudor Minstrel). Firebreak would bring in the uncommon daughter Riot via Aristophanes, Fair Trial via Advocate, Court Martial, and Ballyogan, and two strains of Tudor Minstrel via Mixed Marriage and Song. That's the dominant source of speed in Impeccable Guest's pedigree, and it makes sense to emphasize it.

A bonus is that Lady Juror is a half-sister to Mumtaz Mahal, and stacking up the half-sisters adds brilliance without sacrificing class.

Lucky Story brings in Mumtaz Mahal, but wouldn't add to the Lady Juror blood.

Three Valleys carries Sharpen Up, who carries Tudor Minstrel via Mixed Marriage. He wouldn't load up on Lady Juror like Firebreak was, but he brings in a well-tested cross with a very, very speedy female family.

[davethehorse]

Thanks again for the messages. I do like Three Valleys myself having had a look at his profile - will ask our trainer what deals he may be able to do with Juddmonte.

Many thanks for highlighting him to me.