Cityscape a fine reminder of the influence of Sharpen Up

It’s all well and good to celebrate the achievements of the best sires but with their dominance has come a recent marked contraction of sire lines.

The perceived need for speed in Britain and Ireland, driven mostly by the commercial market, has placed particular emphasis on the Danzig line, just as Sadler’s Wells’ influence grows year on year via Galileo and Montjeu. And given that the powerful alliance between Galileo and Danzig accounts for Frankel, Teofilo, Australia, Intello, Highland Reel and The Gurkha among others, expect more stakes winners of the ilk of last year’s bet365 Classic Trial winner Cunco (by Frankel out of Chrysanthemum, he is inbred 3x3 to both Sadler’s Wells and Danehill) to emerge.

We have lost, or are rapidly about to lose, a range of sire lines capable of acting as valuable outcrosses. For instance, back in 1990 breeders had access to fine horses descending from Hyperion (via Forli, Aureole and Tudor Minstrel), Blandford (via Busted and his sons) and Djebel (via Ahonoora and Blakeney). Today, the situation is very different, with a lack of success or neglect through fashion contributing to those line’s dwindling influence.