Bill Oppenheim, October 08, 2002 –Marienbard
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Bill Oppenheim, October 08, 2002 –Marienbard PEDIGREE INSIGHTS River, have excelled as broodmare sires, as did Darshaan’s grandsire Mill Reef and his sire Shirley Heights. BY ANDREW CAULFIELD The choice of Caerleon as the 1996 mate for Marienbard’s very similarly named dam, Marienbad, probably had a lot to do with the Sunday, Longchamp, France success Caerleon had enjoyed with Shirley Heights’ broodmare PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE-LUCIEN BARRIERE-G1, i1,600,000, daughters. This type of pairing was given a boost when Atoll, a Longchamp, 10-6, 3yo/up, c/f/m, member of Caerleon’s third crop, was narrowly beaten in the 1990 1 1/2mT, 2:26.70, gd. Irish Oaks after winning the 1000 Guineas and Oaks in Italy. Then, 1--MARIENBARD (IRE), 131, h, 5, by Caerleon on June 7, 1996, the Oaks was won by nine lengths by Lady Carla, 1st Dam: Marienbad (Fr), by Darshaan (GB) another filly by Caerleon out of a Shirley Heights mare, and on June 2nd Dam: Marie de Fontenoy (Fr), by Lightning (Fr) 21, the G2 King Edward VII S. was won by Amfortas, a colt by 3rd Dam: Primula (Fr), by Petingo (GB) Caerleon out of a Shirley Heights mare. Marienbad had failed to O-Godolphin; B-Saif Ali; T-S bin Suroor; J-F Dettori; conceive to Salse, her first mate of 1996, and her owner Saif Ali i914,240. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Ger, MGSW-GB, switched her from England to Ireland to visit Caerleon, who must G1SP-Ire, 17 starts, 8 wins, 7 places, i2,039,324. have impregnated her around June 26, judging by Marienbard’s When breeders use a high-priced stallion, it is a pretty safe bet that foaling date of May 26. most of them are hoping for a colt, rather than a filly. One notable This foaling date needs to be taken into account when assessing exception to this general rule, though, was Darshaan, who Marienbard’s overall record, which excuses him for not having raced commanded a fee of Ir£75,000 last year in his final season at the as a juvenile. He is also a big horse and the combination of his size Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud. and his late birthday helps explain why it has taken him some time to While Darshaan has established himself as a very good sire of colts display the full extent of his considerable ability, which he has done through the exploits of such as Kotashaan, Mark of Esteem, with three Group 1 wins this year. Mutamam, Olden Times, Dilshaan and Josr Algarhoud, it was his Marienbard is a member of the penultimate crop by Caerleon, who growing reputation as a sensational sire of broodmares which died early in 1998. Although Caerleon always tended to be compelled owner-breeders to use him in 2001, after his 2000 season overshadowed by Sadler’s Wells, who occupied the box two doors had been cut short by colic surgery in March. down at Coolmore, this son of Nijinsky II achieved a tremendous Darshaan’s broodmare daughters had been producing Group 1 amount. winner after Group 1 winner, with Sendawar, Enzeli, Alborada, Greek He was a very, very good stallion, without achieving greatness. From an output of less than 1000 named foals, he sired 72 group or Dance, Astarabad, Zainta, Ebadiyla and Edabiya all winning at the top graded winners (including eight in Japan) and Marienbard has boosted level in a relatively short space of time. Since then, this flow of major his total of Group 1 winners to 24 (including five in Japan). winners out of Darshaan mares has developed into a torrent. Last For a horse who won a classic over 1 1/2 miles, Caerleon proved year saw his daughters add four more Group 1 winners to their list, very adept at siring smart two-year-old winners, such as Generous, thanks to High Chaparral, Milan, Quarter Moon and Sulk, and this Tenby, Cape Verdi and the Cartier Million winners Corwyn Bay and year’s tally of Group 1 performers includes the winners Best of the The Caretaker. Bests, High Chaparral, Islington and Marienbard; and the Group 1 However, many of his progeny also relished middle distances at runners-up Alasha, Medecis, Quarter Moon and Sulk. three, and Caerleon had the rare distinction of having sired a five- It probably won’t have escaped your notice that three of these length winner of the 1000 Guineas (Cape Verdi), a five-length winner 2002 Group 1 winners out of Darshaan mares were among the 16 of the Derby (Generous) and a nine-length winner of the Oaks (Lady runners in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with Marienbard winning, Carla). His stock also won the St Leger, the Irish Derby, the Prix de High Chaparral finishing a close third and Islington coming home an Diane, the Prix Royal-Oak, the Japanese Derby and four of the five honorable fifth. Italian classics, including the Derby and the Oaks. Now we can add So what is it that has made Darshaan such a force as a broodmare the Arc to his long list of major victories. sire? The explanation could be no more complicated than the fact Marienbard acts well on fast ground, something he has in common that Darshaan was a very good racehorse--he defeated Sadler’s Wells with many of Caerleon’s progeny. This ability to handle firm going and Rainbow Quest in a vintage Prix du Jockey-Club--who was mated made Caerleon’s stock very suitable for racing in the U.S., where to a lot of mares from excellent families. Auriette and Kostroma headed a strong team, and in Japan. Darshaan was also an excellent physical specimen, with a truly The main flaw in Caerleon’s record so far is that he has yet to beautiful head and neck running into a very good shoulder. In fact, he come up with a really good stallion son (not that many of his sons oozed quality and among his physical attributes were his size (16.1 have had a real chance of making the grade). Generous has done hands), good bone, an excellent hind-leg, good pasterns and big feet. respectably, but has only one Group 1 winner to his credit. Whereas many of today’s Thoroughbreds are flat through the knees, It is going to be interesting to see whether breeders are prepared to Darshaan was a little over at the knees. help Marienbard change this situation when his racing days are over, Looking at photographs of him, you could be forgiven for thinking especially as he has never raced at much less than 1 1/2 miles during that he was one of the many good-looking horses produced by Marcel his 16-race career. However, he has the attraction of coming from a Boussac in the 1940s. Of course, Darshaan was bred by the Aga good family. His second dam Marie de Fontenoy, a daughter of the Khan from Delsy, a mare acquired from Boussac. The female line very big Lightning, was a half-sister to Sakura Reiko, winner of the traces to Djezima, who found fame as the dam of the top-class Prix Morny; and to Marie de Russy, dam of the Prix Royal-Oak winner Priam, the similarly talented Djeddah and the exceptional broodmare Top Sunrise. Tourzima. You’ll find Tourzima in the bottom line of Darshaan’s pedigree and her three-parts brother Djeddah in the top half, where he appears as the broodmare sire of Never Bend. Several of Never Bend’s descendants, such as Riverman and Irish.