It’s difficult to home in on just one race in this star-studded weekend, but the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes has quite the history and stallion-making record.
Taking the 35 winners of the race from 1979 to 2013, 31 of them made it to stud (four died or were infertile) and 22 of those 31 conquerors went on to produce Group One winners (71%).
Not producers of just a single Group One winner either, the roll of honour includes the likes of Storm Bird, El Gran Senor, El Prado, Danehill Dancer, Dubawi, Teofilo, New Approach and Mastercraftsman.
This year we are anticipating no less than a thrilling battle between the superpowers, with the potential for the Group One winner in the field (or anyone else), to spoil the party.
Here is a brief look at the pedigree of each of Sunday’s eleven contenders.
Two wins in three starts including the Group Two Vintage Stakes and Listed Chesham Stakes both over this distance.
Sire – War Front. Already sired the winner of this race in 2015, Air Force Blue, who went on to become European Champion two-year-old after three straight Group One wins. War Front is a top sire of two-year-olds. He has produced seven Group One winners at two so far and boasts the highest percentage of juvenile Stakes Winners from runners in this field (8.3%).
Female Family – This immediate female family is an enviable one to say the very least. Battleground is the first foal out of phenomenal race-mare Found (Galileo), who not only won the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at two-years on her third start but also the Arc at four, as well as the Breeders' Cup Turf and she placed in twelve other Group One races. Found is then out of another multiple Group One winner Red Evie and Galileo is the damsire of nine Group One winning juveniles to date.
Unbeaten in two starts including the Group Two Superlative Stakes over this distance.
Sire – Dubawi. Winner of this race himself in 2004 and also sired the 2018 winner Quorto amongst five other Group One scoring juveniles.
Female Family – Master of the Seas is out of the Stakes winning juvenile and French 1000 Guineas placed daughter of Danehill, Firth of Lorne. Danehill is the damsire of a whopping 23 Group One winning two-year-olds including 2006 winner of this race, Teofilo. Firth of Lorne has produced three other Stakes winners including Group Three UAE Oaks winner Falls of Lorna and St James's Palace Stakes placed Latharnach. The family includes a number of Group performers but Master Of The Seas would be the first Group One winner within five generations of the family (there is one Group One winner in the sixth generation in Argentina). And he would also be the first Group One winner for Dubawi out of a Danehill mare.
Highest rated Timeform two-year-old colt. A Group One winner already at this track over the shorter six furlongs in the Phoenix Stakes.
Sire – Lope De Vega. Lucky Vega is Lope De Vega’s fourth Group One winning juvenile so far and his percentage of Group One winning juveniles from runners is actually higher than Dubawi’s.
Female Family - Lucky Vega is the sixth foal out of unraced Cape Cross mare Queen of Carthage. He is the first black-type horse amongst his siblings and the third Group One winning juvenile for Cape Cross as a broodmare sire. Lucky Vega’s grandam Satwa Queen ran only once at two but won the Group One Prix de l’Opera at five. This is also the distant family of top-level winners Desert Blanc and Mille et Mille.
Won the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh over six furlongs and placed fourth behind Lucky Vega in the Phoenix last time.
Sire – Power. Power won this race in 2011 for Aidan O’Brien but has never produced a Group One winner of any description and was sold by Coolmore after five seasons to the Southern Hemisphere. Laws of Indices is his fourth Group winning juvenile.
Female Family – Laws of Indices is out of Sampers, a winner over five and six furlongs on the all-weather. Sampers is by Exceed and Excel who is the damsire of Group One winning juvenile Ten Sovereigns. The next Stakes performer in the family is great-grandam Privity who won a Group Two in France and is a full sister to Group Three winning and Group One placed juvenile Zindari.
Group Three Tyros Stakes winner over this distance in three starts.
Sire – War Front. Already sired the winner of this race in 2015, Air Force Blue, who was also the European Champion two-year-old after three straight Group One wins. War Front is a top sire of two-year-olds. He has produced seven Group One winners at two so far and boasts the highest percentage of juvenile Stakes Winners from runners in this field (8.3%).
Female Family – Military Style is the second foal out of the Group One winning two-year-old by Galileo, Together Forever; making him a full brother to Stakes-placed King of Athens. Together Forever is a full-sister to the Oaks winner Forever Together and half to Group Two winning juvenile and French Group One winner at three, Lord Shanakill. It is also the family of Group/Grade One winners Spanish Fern, Hearts of Fire, Heatseeker, Al Bahathri, Haafhd, Military Attack, Red Cadeaux, Big Orange, the list goes on.
Winner in three starts. Also placed fifth behind Lucky Vega in the Phoenix.
Sire – French stallion Siyouni. A Group One winning juvenile in France himself and sire of four top-level winners in total, one of whom, Laurens, struck at two.
Female Family – Half-brother to Group One winning two and three-year-old, Magna Grecia. Their dam Cabaret is also a Group winner at two and is by Galileo (damsire of nine Group One winning juveniles).
Winner of his sole start over course and distance five weeks ago.
Sire – Zoffany. Placed third in this race himself after winning the Phoenix. More than half of his total Group winners are as juveniles, which includes Group One winner Albigna. His percentages are the lowest amongst the heavyweight sires in this field however.
Female Family – Half-brother to Listed winner Table Rock. Their dam is an unraced half-sister to the dam of French Group One winning juvenile Vert de Grece. This is part of the brilliant family of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Trusted Partner, USA Grade One winner Dress To Thrill, Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Free Eagle and Irish St Leger winning filly Search For A Song (none of whose best performances were at two).
Group Two Futurity Stakes winner over course and distance on the most recent of his four starts.
Sire – New Approach. Won this race himself in 2007 and also sired 2012's winner, Dawn Approach. Dawn Approach is actually New Approach's only Group One winning juvenile amongst 11 Group winners so far, even though an unbeaten dual Group One winner at two himself.
Female Family – Mac Swiney is out of the unraced Teofilo mare Halla Na Saoire, making him closely inbred (2x3) to Galileo. Halla Na Saoire is a full-sister to Group Two scorer Light Heavy and is closely related to Group One Dewhurst winning juvenile, Parish Hall.
Winner on debut and third in Group Three Tyros Stakes behind Military Style.
Sire – Leading third-crop sire Kingman. So far his best performing juvenile was Calyx in the Coventry. His own performances improved at three and his own sire Invincible Spirit’s best performance was at five-years; although the latter has produced many Group One winning juveniles.
Female Family – This is one of Juddmonte’s finest families. Masen’s dam is a winning two-year-old by Smart Strike who is out of the dual Grade One and Breeders’ Cup winning mare Intercontinental (did place in a Group One at two). She is a sister to triple Group One winners Banks Hill and Champs Elysees, dual Grade One winners Heat Haze and Cacique and Group One producing sire Dansili.
Winner on heavy ground on his fourth start over 7½ furlongs at Roscommon.
Sire – Galileo. Doesn’t need much of an introduction. Sire of 21 Group One winning juveniles including four winners of this race (New Approach, Teofilo, Gleneagles, Churchill) and one grandson. Has the highest percentage of Group One winning juveniles from runners (2%).
Female Family – Wembley is out of the Holy Roman Emperor mare who was a winner at two, Inca Princess. Her four previous runners are all by Galileo and are all Stakes performers including Group One winning juvenile Johannes Vermeer and Group Two winner Elizabeth Browning.
Winner over course and distance on third attempt.
Sire – Charming Thought. First season sire by Oasis Dream. Won the Middle Park Stakes at two. So far has five winners from fourteen starters, no stakes performer.
Female Family – Out of a winning half-sister to Group Three winner and multiple Group One placed Ela Athena who is the dam of Doncaster Cup winner Pallasator. Stemming from a strong Italian family.
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