Another Juddmonte showstopper as Siskin lands Irish 2,000 Guineas

Siskin maintained his unbeaten record on Friday evening as he ran out a decisive winner of the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, with the son of First Defence supplying Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms with their second win in the Irish Classic in the process. The Ger Lyons-trained three-year-old followed in the footsteps of Kingman, who carried Abdullah's familiar silks to victory in 2014.

Juddmonte Farms have now bred the winners of 26 European Classics, with the roll of honour featuring familiar names such as Frankel and Zafonic (winners of the 2,000 Guineas), Quest For Fame and Workforce (Derby), Enable (Oaks) and Logician (St Leger).

Siskin, winner of the Phoenix Stakes at two, is backed up by a pedigree that showcases the strength in depth of Juddmonte's global breeding empire. He is by a Juddmonte homebred in First Defence and out of another in Bird Flown.

His dam also has two Juddmonte homebred parents in Oasis Dream and Silver Star, while Silver Star is by the Juddmonte colour bearer Zafonic out of one of the operation's foundation mares, Monroe.

Siskin is one of three Group/Grade 1 winners by First Defence, along with his near relation Close Hatches and another Juddmonte runner in Antonoe.

The sire – by Unbridled's Song out of Honest Lady, a Grade 1-winning half-sister to top-level scorers Chester House and Empire Maker – spent eight years on stallion duty at Juddmonte Farm in Kentucky but was sold to Saudi Arabia at the end of 2016, meaning Siskin hails from his last US-bred crop.

Siskin: one of three top-level winners by First DefenceCredit: Patrick McCann

His finest moment on the racecourse came when he ran out a wide-margin win of the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga in 2008 for legendary trainer Bobby Frankel.

Oasis Dream is the broodmare sire of two Group 1 winners, both of whom won the Phoenix Stakes, with Siskin joined by Sioux Nation, a son of Scat Daddy now standing on the Coolmore roster.

Siskin is the second foal out of Bird Flown, a winner over seven furlongs on soft ground at Clairefontaine as a two-year-old while under the care of Andre Fabre.

She is a half-sister to Listed Buckhounds Stakes winner and Hardwicke Stakes runner-up Barsanti and to Rising Tornado, who produced Close Hatches, a five-time Grade 1 winner in the US, and Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Lockdown.

Close Hatches has already made a big impression since retiring to Juddmonte's US-based broodmare band as her first foal is the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial Stakes winner Tacitus, who also reached the podium in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes.

Bird Flown is out of Silver Star, a Listed-placed sister to champion two-year-old Xaar and fellow stakes winners Diese and Masterclass; Diese is also the dam of dual Grade 1 scorer Senure.

Silver Star, meanwhile, is out of Monroe, a Group 3-winning daughter of Sir Ivor and blue hen Best In Show.

Best In Show features in the pedigrees of a plethora of top-class runners. Her Kentucky Oaks-winning daughter Blush With Pride founded her own branch of the family that includes the Belmont Stakes-winning siblings Jazil and Rags To Riches, as well as Peeping Fawn and her half-brother Thewayyouare.

Another daughter of Best In Show is Minnie Hauk, ancestress of Group/Grade 1 winners Aldebaran, Aviance, Chief Contender, Chimes Of Freedom, Denon, Good Journey, Lizzie L'Amour, Pathfork, Saddex, Spinning World and War Of Will.

Another notable daughter is Sex Appeal, who produced champions El Gran Senor and Try My Best. Sex Appeal is also ancestress of Almond Eye, Chinchon, Domedriver and Irish 1,000 Guineas favourite Albigna.

Best In Show's almighty influence has also been felt in the southern hemisphere thanks to the exploits of her daughter Show Lady, who in turn produced Dancing Show, from who the likes of Al Maher, Hurricane Sky, Manhattan Rain, Redoute's Choice, Shoals and Umatilla all descend.

Besides Siskin, Close Hatches and Xaar, the Monroe tribe also includes the high-class half-brothers Bated Breath and Cityscape and Grade 1-placed Requete.

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