Andrew Caulfield, November 11, 2003 –Voix Du Nord (Fr) P EDIGREE INSIGHTS Paris and then added another Group 1 victory at four, when he took the Prix Ganay against opponents of the BY ANDREW CAULFIELD calibre of the multiple Group 1 winners Luso, Swain and Spectrum. Unfortunately, the Aga Khan’s CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, i150,000, Saint- homebred failed to reproduce his best French form Cloud, 11-8, 2yo, c/f, 1 1/4mT, 2:16.00, gd/sf. when he tried his luck in Ireland, England and the USA, 1--sVOIX DU NORD (FR), 126, c, 2, by Valanour (Ire) effectively limiting his options to France. 1st Dam: Dame Edith (Fr), by Top Ville (Ire) Even then, breeders must have had some doubts 2nd Dam: Girl of France (GB), by Legend of France about Valanour’s ability to translate his racecourse 3rd Dam: Water Girl (Fr), by Faraway Son successes into a rewarding stallion career. His O/B-Baron Thierry de Zuylen de Nyevelt; T-David retirement in 1997 came a few years after his sire Smaga; J-Dominique Boeuf; i85,710. Lifetime Lomond had been packed off to Italy in relative Record: 6 starts, 2 wins, 4 places, i146,310. disgrace. Click for the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree To describe Lomond’s stallion career as anti-climatic or the France-galop.com chart. is something of an understatement. This son of the Many aspects of the bloodstock industry must be all-conquering Northern Dancer appeared to have a bewildering to the uninitiated, such as why one winner great deal to offer when he retired to Coolmore at a fee of a major race can be much more valuable than of 65,000 Irish guineas. In addition to being by the another winner of the same race. world’s most fashionable stallion, he was a half-brother The answer, of course, comes down partly to to the magnificent Seattle Slew, who was already fashion. A Kentucky Derby winner by Mr. Prospector is establishing himself as a very good stallion. Like Seattle bound to be much more sought after than a Kentucky Slew, Lomond had also become a classic winner, in the Derby winner by, say, At The Threshold. Plenty of 1983 2,000 Guineas. other factors are also involved in determining a horse’s For a while, Lomond promised to follow in Seattle value, though, such as whether a potential stallion Slew’s famous footsteps. His first crop produced no comes from a family with a reputation for producing fewer than six group winners, including Ashayer (G1 successful stallions. Prix Marcel Boussac), Flutter Away (G1 Moyglare Stud These thoughts were prompted by the recent success S.) and Dark Lomond (G1 Irish St Leger). of Voix du Nord in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. However, none of his subsequent Irish crops This excellent prospect is a son of Valanour, who was compared to this spectacular collection (although they listed in the 2003 edition of Etalons as commanding a did produce another 11 group winners) and the decision fee of only 1,400 euros for Thoroughbred mares or to switch Lomond to Kentucky at the end of 1990 1,000 euros for non-thoroughbreds. These inexpensive seemed to make matters worse. Valanour was the only fees reflect the fact that Valanour is now one of the group winner sired during Lomond’s American sojourn. many stallions which the French National Stud makes Normally, you would have considered it a distinct available to breeders throughout France for modest plus that Valanour’s dam, the Mill Reef mare Vearia, is sums--he is based down in the Pyrenean region north of a half-sister to four group winners. Unfortunately the the Spanish border, well away from France’s main bad news was that three of them--Vayrann, Valiyar and breeding areas in the north. Yashgan--had disappointed badly as stallions and, to Even when he began his career at Haras de la cap it all, Vearia is also a half-sister to the dam of Reboursiere et de Montaigu, Valanour’s fee was only Natroun, a French Derby winner who achieved little 35,000 francs, or less than 6,000 dollars--a modest before being despatched to Japan. sum for a horse of his achievements. I suspect that Valanour has been found guilty by Valanour had defeated Singspiel (who will stand the association. This could be unfair, because his record 2004 season at a fee £50,000) in the G1 Grand Prix de this year suggests that he offered value at his original www.coolmore.com fee. He has seven black-type performers to his credit, with Voix du Nord heading a team with also includes the Listed winners Wedding Night and Valdoura and the group-placed colts Valentino and Vasywait. Voix du Nord’s trainer David Smaga said that he “had known for a long time that the further he goes the better he will get.” As the colt’s big win was gained over a mile and a quarter, Voix du Nord should certainly be suited by the distance of the French Derby, especially as his broodmare sire is the French Derby winner Top Ville and Valanour’s broodmare sire is the Derby-winning Mill Reef. Voix du Nord’s second dam, Girl of France, was a good-class miler in France, but was quick enough to win the Admirably H. over Santa Anita’s six-and-a-half furlongs. She has two stakes-winning sons, including Varxi, an impressive winner of the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at two in 1996. Another good recent winner from this family is Westerner, whose dam is a half-sister to Voix du Nord’s third dam, Water Girl. Westerner has established himself as France’s best long-distance horse this year despite being by the sprinter Danehill..