Machiavellian has the magic touch as a damsire of top stallions

When popularity for Mr Prospector was at its height in Europe, it looked a safe bet that Machiavellian would be among those leading the charge to maintain the health of his line.

Several other sons had naturally become targets for European investors, among them Kingmambo, who had raced in Europe, and Gone West, whose line remains a commercially viable option here through Iffraaj, by Zafonic, and Raven’s Pass and Sepoy, by Elusive Quality. Seeking The Gold, meanwhile, gifted Sheikh Mohammed with Dubai Millennium, sire of Dubawi.

Machiavellian, however, was the Mr Prospector horse who proved the line could succeed from a European base. At one time the flagship stallion of Dalham Hall Stud, he left behind 13 Group/Grade 1 winners during his 14 years in Newmarket, thereby going some way to remedying the sour taste left by Hello Gorgeous and Damister, previous European-based sons of Mr Prospector who had been disasters.