Godolphin's true blue hen, the best of Japan and the heir to Dynaformer

Godolphin's true blue hen

Eastern Joy’s standing as a blue hen was further underlined at Meydan on Saturday by the historic victory of her son Thunder Snow in the Dubai World Cup. In gamely wearing down the runner-up Gronskowski, the Darley homebred became the first horse to land two renewals of the showpiece event.

Thunder Snow is the sole Group 1 winner and one of ten stakes winners overall sired across both hemispheres by Helmet during his time standing for Darley. A triple Group 1 scorer in his native Australia, the son of Exceed And Excel shuttled for Darley to Dalham Hall and Kildangan Studs between 2013 and 2018, and now stands at Gestut Fahrhof in Germany, where he is advertised at €9,000.

Thunder Snow, however, is really a credit to Eastern Joy.

Remarkably, the daughter of Dubai Destination is the dam of five black-type runners from as many foals aged three and above.

Her first foal, Ihtimal (by Shamardal), won the 2013 May Hill and Sweet Solera Stakes for Saeed bin Suroor. In a portent of events to come, she also came to demonstrate an affinity for Meydan when sweeping the 2014 UAE 1,000 Guineas and Oaks - the latter by ten lengths.

Ihtimal was followed by Listed winner Always Smile (by Cape Cross), the Sun Chariot Stakes runner-up of 2016, and First Victory (by Teofilo), the Oh So Sharp Stakes winner of 2016.

Thunder Snow is her fourth foal and is followed by Winter Lightning, a sister to Ihtimal who landed last year’s UAE 1,000 Guineas. Eastern Joy also has a two-year-old colt, named Eastern World, and a yearling filly, both by Dubawi.

Eastern Joy was trained by Henri-Alex Pantall to win her debut at Vichy and run placed on each of her subsequent three starts. Also a Darley homebred, she is a half-sister to Sheikh Mohammed’s 2007 Prix de Diane heroine West Wind, another trained by Pantall, and out of the Nureyev mare Red Slippers, the 1992 Sun Chariot Stakes winner.

Red Slippers had been purchased by Sheikh Mohammed from Robert Sangster following an impressive maiden score as a two-year-old at Ascot in 1991. Two years later, he returned to the same source to acquire her promising Storm Bird half-sister to join his fledgling Godolphin operation; that filly turned out to be Oaks and Irish Derby heroine Balanchine, the first major runner for Godolphin and a fitting connection to the outfit’s current landmark horse, Thunder Snow, 25 years on.

All eyes on Almond

Japanese horse of the year Almond Eye treated onlookers to an imperious show of her superiority when leading home a one-two for breeder Northern Racing in the Dubai Turf.

Making her first start outside of her native country, last year’s Japan Cup winner held off the 2017 Dubai Turf heroine Vivlos in a result that showcased the best of Japanese breeding; for while Vivlos is one of 39 Group 1 winners by the dominant Deep Impact, Almond Eye is from the first crop of the ascendant Lord Kanaloa, himself Japanese Horse of the Year in 2013. Both stallions stand at the Shadai Stallion Station.

Lord Kanaloa joined Orfevre and Novellist among a strong intake of new Japanese stallions in 2014. The son of King Kamehameha had held his own at a high level over the course of several seasons for trainer Takayuki Yasuda, progressing from a Group 3 victory at three to wins in the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes and Hong Kong Sprint at four.

However, he was even more dominant at five when his quintet of wins included the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and Yasuda Kinen alongside repeat victories in the Sprinters Stakes and Hong Kong Sprint.

A brilliant sprinter, he duly covered a strong first book of mares that included Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed and Group 1 winner and stakes producer To The Victory. Almond Eye, out of the Group 1-winning Sunday Silence mare Fusaichi Pandora, is the highlight of that resulting 187-strong first crop, although it also includes last year’s Group 1 Kyoto Mile Championship winner Stelvio.

Almond Eye strides clear in the Dubai TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker

Meanwhile, his second crop is led by last year’s Group 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Saturnalia and the Group 2-winning juvenile Fantasist. Their achievements last season helped push their sire into second behind Deep Impact on the Japanese leading two-year-olds sires’ list.

As a result, Lord Kanaloa is standing for 15 million yen (£103,000/€120,000) this season, up from 8m yen (£55,200/€64,000) in 2018.

In Almond Eye, who also swept last year’s Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown, there is also an early example of how well Lord Kanaloa is emulating King Kamehameha by proving effective with Sunday Silence blood. In an industry dominated by the line, such an affinity is undoubtedly an important asset.

So far, all bar two of Lord Kanaloa’s ten stakes winners contain Sunday Silence close up in their female family. In addition to Almond Eye, the list includes Stelvio and Fantasist.

Almond Eye has seemingly inherited her share of stamina from her dam Fusaichi Pandora, who enjoyed her finest moment when promoted to first in the 2006 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup over 1m3f at Kyoto. She also wasn’t beaten far when midfield to Admire Moon in the 2007 Japan Cup.

Fusaichi Pandora is a granddaughter of Sex Appeal, best known as the dam of El Gran Senor and Try My Best, and therefore a member of the powerful Best In Show clan.

Winner of the 1968 Comely Stakes, Best In Show’s web has come to cover the globe, yielding the likes of Cityscape, Peeping Fawn, Spinning World, Rags To Riches and Redoute’s Choice over the past 20 years alone.

Straight to the Point

American raider Plus Que Parfait became the sixth stakes winner for his young sire Point Of Entry when striking for Irish-born trainer Brendan Walsh in the UAE Derby.

Hopes were high that Point Of Entry could develop into a legitimate heir to his sire Dynaformer when he retired to Adena Springs Farm in Kentucky in 2014.

The product of a fine Phipps family, he had been an exceptional turf performer during his 18-start career for Shug McGaughey, winning nine races including the Grade 1 Belmont Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, in which he beat Treasure Beach, Saratoga Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes, Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and Belmont Manhattan Handicap.

So far, the idea that he might contribute to the health of the Dynaformer sire line is coming to fruition thanks to a bright start that includes last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby and Secretariat Stakes runner-up Analyze It, also a Grade 3 winner. He was the highlight of his 76-strong first crop while Plus Que Parfait leads the way among 60 foals in his second.

Despite sparse representation, Point Of Entry has also made a mark in Europe as the sire of the Listed-placed Corelli, who remains in training with John Gosden, and Duckett’s Grove, the striking winner of his debut at Cork last summer.

Point Of Entry is standing the current season for $20,000 at Adena Springs Farm.

Bred in Kentucky by Calloway Stables, LLC, Plus Que Parfait actually represents a fusion of two major Adena Springs influences as the product of an Awesome Again mare; indeed, the same cross of Point Of Entry over Awesome Again is also responsible for Venezuelan Group 2 winner Cacciatora from just five foals.

He is the second foal out of Belvedera, an unplaced half-sister to Canadian Oaks heroine Touch Dial, and was purchased by Oracle Bloodstock for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale. Belvedera also has a yearling filly by Competitive Edge.