Pedigree Picks with Mike Rennie

Two weeks ago saw the ill-fated High Chaparral sire his 23^rd Group One winner when Princess Jenni won the Australasian Oaks. This was her fourth win from only six starts- seriously impressive by anyone’s standards.

Watching the coverage, it was clearly an emotional and meaningful win for the Ottobre family, who are strong supporters of our great game.

Looking at her pedigree, Princess Jenni is a product of the potent High Chaparral/Zabeel nick. When I last ran the Arion report it read 47 runners for 34 winners including 7 stakes winners and 3 stakes performers (72% winners and 14% stakes winners to runners).

Behind this nick and arguably providing some of its potency, is the 4 x 5 presence of Special (through a son and daughter). Inbreeding to her within the first five generations has produced 57% winners to runners and can be seen in the pedigrees of 109 Group One winners to date. Looking through these Group One winners, it’s nice to see our resident Champ Savabeel with Lucia Valentina, Hasahalo and Gold Fever. This makes his daughters an obvious pick for our resident High Chaparral son Tivaci.

There is also the presence of Danehill in her fourth generation via the great grand-dam Precious Glitter. We know High Chaparral combines well with Danehill hitting an average of 71% winners and 14% stakes winners to runners. Tivaci himself is out of a Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare. As such, and using a somewhat simple mentality, if we combine Tivaci over our Savabeel and Zabeel line mares surely we give ourselves a decent crack at producing that next great horse!?

If you are reading this and do have an extra moment, here are a couple of trials from during the week I reckon you should watch:

Avondale Heat 6 800m 2yo

Unnamed Ocean Park filly ex Isla Canela (by Gone West) trained by Karen Fursdon

She is bred on the Thorn Park/Mr Prospector nick; think Te Akau Coup and Spieth. Her grand-dam is by Sadler’s Wells which gives another line to Special making a triple presence.

Rosehill Heat 6 2yo fillies 897m

All Saints Eve (Sacred Falls filly ex Halloween by Encosta De Lago), trained by John O’Shea.

Sacred Falls’ sire O’Reilly has nicked with Encosta De Lago to produce 8 winners and one stakes winner from 10 named foals to date.

It seems the affinity of these bloodlines may well continue through Sacred Falls. She is also line bred to Danehill 4 x 3 through a son and daughter. Linebreeding to him has been a contentious issue over the years. At a glance, momentum seems to be changing of late, especially via Redoute’s Choice. I am working to get these stats as we speak, more to come.