The sting is in the tail. Conventional wisdom is that a good stallion is made by the male line, but without a suitable foundation things seldomly work out. Palaces and fortresses are built from the bottom up, one layer at a time. A well constructed female line, in other words, is of the essence. In the case of Dupont there can be no question about the background quality, nor the way the building blocks were placed over time.

We go back to 1931, and the mare Rosy Legend. Bred in France, where she won four races, Rosy Legend came to England as a 5yo. She produced fifteen foals in a lengthy stud career. Midway through, after her owner died, she changed hands at a dispersal sale as a ten-year-old for 3500 guineas. At the time she was carrying her sixth foal, by Nearco. That turned out to be Dante, unbeaten at 2, winner of the Derby at 3, when also runner-up to Court Martial in the 2000 Guineas. Two years later came Dante’s full brother Sayajirao, sold as a yearling for a then record price of 28.000 guineas, no doubt because of the exploits of his full brother. Sayajirao finished third in the 2000 Guineas and Derby, won the Irish Derby and the St Leger. At stud, the full brothers left a lasting legacy. Of interest in this context is Rosy Legend’s last foal, born when she was 22 years old - that was The Leopard Story, who found his way as a stallion to South Africa. Rosy Legend’s second last foal, born two years earlier, was a filly by Bois Roussel, named Rosy Dolly.

Rosy Dolly couldn’t run a yard, nor could her daughter Rosy Myth, by Nearco (and a 3-part sister therefore to Dante & Sayajirao). Some inspired thinking, however, saw Rosy Myth visit stallion Sound Track, whose third dam Double Rose was half sister (by Pharos) to Rosy Legend, the pair being out of the mare Rosy Cheeks. The mating produced highclass racehorse and later sire Track Spare. He was inbred 4x3 to the two half sisters out of Rosy Cheeks.

The female line background of Rosy Cheeks and her daughters is a pedigree peeler’s delight. Rosy Cheeks’ grandam Sanctimony, by St Serf out of Golden Iris, combines two of the most influential background elements in modern thoroughbreds.

Sanctimony’s sire St Serf is a son of the mare Feronia, who with her full sister Violet, grandam Honeysuckle and that one’s full brother Newminster make up one group, Family 8, generally known as the ‘Sundridge/ Melton/Ayrshire’ configuration.

Sanctimony’s dam Golden Iris is by Bend Or out a Macaroni mare, the combination which represents another major group, generally described as ‘Bend Or Mac’.

Such is the strength and so widespread the influence of these two groups that their effects are in full force even today. In general terms, the key to success is to identify which sires and mares perpetuate the influence of their respective group, and accumulate as many of those (and as many different ones) as possible.

New Zealand pedigree analyst Clive Harper identifies Teddy, Bull Dog, Sir Gallahad and La Troienne as powerful modern representatives of the ‘Bend Or Mac’ group, with Mr Prospector and Nijinsky its leading lights.

For the ‘Sundridge/Melton/ Ayshire pattern Harper identifies Robert le Diable, Blenheim, Solario, Lady Juror, Happy Warrior, Sun Briar, Sunreigh, Mint Briar (and others). This translates, for example, into the pedigree of The Minstrel’s damsire Victoria Park, explaining why The Minstrel ‘throws’ so differently compared to his 3-part brother Nijinsky.

Northern Dancer is interesting, as his background goes many ways, his descendants carrying on the affinity one way, or another (or a third or even fourth). Which may well explain his continued influence.

Back to Track Spare. His sire Sound Track was by Whistler, who combines Happy Warrior, Lady Juror and Solario. From the damline comes another line of Solario, and of course Sanctimony. Track Spare’s grandam Rosy Dolly is inbred to Sanctimony, one line coming from her sire Bois Roussel, through Vatout. And the next dam Rosy Legend added more, as she was inbred 3x3 to Sanctimony and her 3-part sister St Lucre (grandam of her sire Dark Legend). That gave Track Spare 4 lines of Sanctimony (and 3-part sister) plus all the rest! Track Spare’s lasting influence as a stallion was modest, but from his daughters and grandaughters did come two topclass runners, Terimon (by Bustino) and in 2005 Winged d’Argent (by In The Wings). Terimon’s female line had Gold Bridge (like Sanctimony strongly infused with both groups), while Terimon’s sire Bustino is a strong representative of the Family 8.

For Winged d’Argent, all of Solario, Gold Bridge, Happy Warrior are doing the business for Family 8 o get to Dupont, Rosy Dolly was mated to Mossborough (by Nearco) to get 3-time winner Rimosa, who in turn is the dam of Dupont’s third dam Rimosa’s Pet, a highclass winner by Petingo. Petingo is a grandson of Fair Trial (out of Lady Juror) and inbred to Lady Juror. Petingo’s damsire is Alycidon, by Donatello (Blenheim) - a noted Family 8 progenitor.

Rimosa’s Pet visited Diesis to get topclass filly Kerrera, grandam of Dupont. Kerrera won the Cherry Hinton Stakes at 2 and ran second in the 1000 Guineas. Diesis was a great choice. His sire Sharpen Up is by Atan, a son of Mixed Marriage. His grandam Soft Angels is by Crepello. Both Mixed Marriage (who carries Bois Roussel, Lady Juror and Solario) and Crepello (with Donatello and Solario) are strong Family 8 disciples. Better still, Mixed Marriage and Rimosa are genetic siblings, appearing 4x2 in Kerrera.

The dam of Dupont, Kerrera’s daughter June Moon, is by Sadler’s Wells. The latter’s damsire Bold Reason generally is regarded as the driving force behind his pedigree. Bold Reason is by Hail to Reason (Turn To), whose grandsire Royal Charger is a Family 8 key horse.

June Moon bred three Graded Stakes winners, full brothers (including Dupont) from matings to Zafonic, who is by Gone West out of the mare Zaizafon. A daughter of The Minstrel (Family 8 key horse), Zaizafon’s grandam Wold Lass is inbred to Gold Bridge 2x3. Zaizafon’s whole pedigree, in fact, has Family 8 written all over it. That leaves Zafonic’s sire Gone West, whose third dam is Mixed Marriage - giving three crosses of Mixed Marriage and genetic sibling Rimosa in Dupont.

Dupont’s grandam Kerrera (shown here in training at 2), was bought for a million pounds by Sheik Mohammed ten days before she made her racecourse debut as a 2yo in 1988. Her best career effort was running second in the 1000 Guineas as a 3yo (rated 115).

In Kerrera’s pedigree, her sire Diesis pulled together the important elements from her bottom female line. Kerrera is inbred 4x2 to two mares who are genetic siblings: Mixed Marriage and Rimosa.

Zafonic’s pedigree shows concentrated inbreeding to similar elements, including another line of Mixed Marriage (from his sire Gone West).

The mating of Zafonic with Kerrera’s daughter June Moon produced three stakes winning full brothers, including Dupont.

Dupont’s pedigree shows him to be a Family 8 horse from top to bottom. The sensible way to make him work should be to stick with the theme.

Working from Dupont’s bottom pedigree upwards, notable are Solario, Lady Juror, Happy Climax - translating in the current context into Panorama, Whistler, Sound Track, Track Spare. The latter two are rare in South Africa: Sound Track is the damsire of Piaffer, Track Spare the damsire of the mare Petrillia (grandam of 2004 Green Point Stakes winner Royal Opinion MR 102, by Jallad, a suitable mating). Aside, Sound Track is also the second damsire of English sire Royal Applause, who traces in the bottom female line to a sister of Solario. Royal Applause is by Tate Gallery, full brother to Sadler’s Wells and Fairy King.

Whistler is more readily found, as are Panorama, Lady Juror (Fair Trial) and Solario. The latter is the damsire of Royal Charger, a potent force for Family 8, notably through son Turn To (leading to Hail to Reason, Bold Reason, Halo, Roberto) and daughter Gay Hostess (leading to Majestic Prince, Crowned Prince).

Of great interest might be Rosy Dolly’s talented half brothers Dante and Sayajirao. Dante is widespread, with Golden Thatch, National Emblem, and Jallad (who’s inbred to Dante) of interest. Another half brother to Dante, The Leopard Story, might still be found in local female lines. Divine King looks interesting, as he has Sayajirao in his sire, is out of a mare by Whistler and doubles Gold Bridge.

Moving up further into Dupont’s pedigree, there are Dark Legend, Bois Roussel, Alycidon. The latter is by Donatello, who also is the sire Crepello, which leads to Busted (and his full sister, in Elliodor). In the Alycidon camp also belong Aureole, Herculaneum, Borealis, Queen Of Light, Dastur, Tehran (and others).

Next Diesis, the sire of Kerrera. There’s his full brother Kris, also a major sire. They have Sharpen Up, with Mixed Marriage. The latter mare locally found in Gone West (West Man, Western Winter), Krusenstern, and My Earl. Sharpen Up is more widespread: Fine Edge, Dominion Royale, etc.

In this context Kerrera’s half brother Rock City needs to be mentioned. A topclass racehorse, Rock City is by Ballad Rock, also known in South Africa as the sire of Flaming Rock. Ballad Rock has Blenheim, Solario, Mahmoud, Alycidon and Fair Trial. Not surprisingly, perhaps, the female line of Flaming Rock (which is the same as the one of Averof) is noted for its Family 8 affinity as well.

Dupont’s damsire Sadler’s Wells has done well in European classic fillies in 2005, when combined with his 3-part brother Nureyev. Generally, Sadler’s Wells has an affinity with Lalun (Mill Reef, Shirley Heights).

Finally Dupont’s sire Zafonic. His dam is a half sister to the dam of Modern Day, with all the benefits the female line brings for the Family 8. Zafonic’s damsire The Minstrel is an important element for Family 8. A stallion with similar tendencies is Storm Cat.

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