TURFmonthlySeptember2022THISMONTHNOHOLMEMAURICEMCCARTENTHEGENEPOOLFIRSTSEASONSIRESFOR2022
HOME WOODEDEXTREMEAFFAIRSWARRIORPINATUBOCAPTIVANT
TURF MONTHLY 17
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ome Affairs is the most expensive of the new stallions standing in Australia this season. Coolmore no doubt is hoping that he will create a new dynasty for the world-wide behemoth of the racing industry. Bred by Torryburn Stud, it is no coincidence that Coolmore purchased the colt from the Inglis Easter sale for the hefty price tag of $875,000. Apart from Home Affairs being closely related to Russian Revolution, both stallions are from the family of the blue hen mare, Fanfreluche whose descendants include not only Golden Slipper winner, Flying Spur, but also the long time Coolmore stallion, Encosta De Lago. No doubt this will play a role in his future, but before we get to that let us look at Home Affairs on the track.
HOME AFFAIRS
COOLMORE’S NEW BOY
T he temptation for many breeders is to look at descendants of Encosta De Lago to send to the stallion. I would caution about this as we see that the pedigree of Home Affairs already boasts the presence of his close relation in Flying Spur. Such close inbreeding is a high-risk strategy and given that the stallion has a distinct speed bias, perhaps more of an outcross mating would be more beneficial. This becomes a little problematic when we look more closely at the pedigree of Home Affairs. We see the inbreeding in his pedigree comes largely through Green Desert, his sire, and Flying Spur, his damsire. Danehill certainly becomes problematic in matings with the stallion. Given that I Am Invincible has had success with Danehill line mares, it will make finding suitable mares a little more difficult.
is a son of top stallion, I Am Invincible. He is a son of Invincible Spirit, and certainly the major legac y of that stallion in Australia. The dam line of Home Affairs, as we have mentioned, is that of Encosta De Lago and more recently Russian Revolution who has had a good start to his stud career. We cannot but note that Home Affairs’ damsire is Flying Spur, a son of Danehill who was from the same female family as Home Affairs. If you are looking for a stallion making family, this one would certainly be at the forefront of Australian thoroughbreds. We note that Danzig appears in both sire lines of the stallion, and we also see familiar names like Canny Lad and Mr Prospector prominent. The stallion’s pedigree is relatively inbred which makes us wonder not only what types of mares will suit him best, but also how many of these we will find in the general broodmare population.
Hwinner.omeAffairs
TURF MONTHLY 18
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e started his career on 30 January 2021 with a second to the Darley colt, Zethus in the Canonbury Stakes over 1100m. Home Affairs had kicked clear in the straight to be caught on the line with four runners crossing the line within a neck. Next up it was a win in the Silver Slipper over the same course and distance. The race followed a similar pattern, with Home Affairs kicking clear in the straight only to see Rocket Tiger and the rest of the field closing late with Home Affairs prevailing by 0.2 lengths officially. This earned the colt a start in the Golden Slipper and he headed to the Todman on his way to the big race. He was to finish third behind boom colt Anamoe who overhauled the leader Profiteer with Home Affairs trying hard in third only a half-length away. In the Golden Slipper, the colt was again well placed on the home turn but found the others a little strong over the last 100m fading slightly to finish eighth behind Stay Inside and Anamoe. A spell saw Home Affairs win the Listed Heritage Stakes over 1100m at Rosehill before he found Nature Strip and others a bit too strong in the Everest, again fading to finish ninth, some 5 lengths from the winner. It was then to Melbourne where Home Affairs found the 1200m at Flemington to his liking, winning the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. He settled with the leaders and kicked clear inside the last 200m to record a commanding three length victory from Bruckner and Artorious. Returning again for the Autumn, Home Affairs was to have his finest moment in winning the Group 1 Lightning over 1000m at Flemington. This time he fought on strongly to hold off Nature Strip in a close photo. The Newmarket at his next start saw him lead over the straight six at Flemington on the grandstand side but was no match for NZ star, Roch ‘n’ Horse, finishing ninth almost five lengths away. It was then off to the UK for a tilt at the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot, finishing over eight lengths from the
Binfluences.utquickly
hese stallions are hardly what we would classify as overseas influences, with Pierro standing at Coolmore, which brings us to the Northern Hemisphere
before we do, a look at the stakes winners of Russian Revolution shows us that Revolutionary Miss is by Onmorenomore, a son of Red Ransom and Ruud Awakening who is a daughter of Bernardini. Interestingly their second damsires are Danehill, and his son in Flying Spur. I think there are lessons to be learnt here. Firstly in pushing Danehill back as far as we can in a mare’s pedigree, and secondly the importance of the international bloodlines.
TURF MONTHLY 19
Overseas lines are a key to the success of Home Affairs in the breeding barn, but we do not have to go far. New Zealand will be the source of some excellent prospects for the stallion. Mares carrying Zabeel will be likely good mates for Home Affairs. Not only are there some lovely pedigree influences, but Zabeel would bring in some much-needed stamina to balance the speed influences in Home Affairs’ pedigree. Again though, the trick is going to be finding Zabeel line mares that do not end up with dominant Danehill lines also in the pedigree. Lonhro and Pierro are two sires that likely could have suitable daughters, although again we must be careful with the other influences in a mare’s pedigree.
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to mention Coolmore at times without also reflecting on the other large Northern Hemisphere stud in Darley. Again, the overseas bloodlines that they have introduced could well play a role in the success of their great rivals. Street Boss has been one of their leading stallions for some time, and this son of Street Cry is another who might have daughters who would match well with Home Affairs. Of course, they also stand Lonhro in the twilight of his career but there are plenty of his daughters around that might well find Home Affairs an ideal match.
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adler’s Wells is one whose presence in the sireline of a mare could well be important. It is here that we find his grandson in So You Think who also stands at Coolmore and no doubt will have plenty of daughters who are suited to the stallion. Churchill is yet another of the Coolmore stallions who may play a role in Home Affairs’ future. Still, it is So You Think who may well prove to have the most suitable daughters for Home Affairs.
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hile I Am Invincible was making his name, another similar style of stallion in Written Tycoon was also taking the local breeding industry by storm. While we are breeding speed on speed which could ultimately lead to some issues, there are certain attractions for owners with daughters of this stallion in the pedigree of Home Affairs. The key of course will be the rest of the mare’s pedigree, and especially if it was to carry a stallion like Sadler’s Wells, the produce would certainly have plenty of appeal.
TURF MONTHLY 20
here is no doubt that the sale ring will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first of Home Affairs youngsters. It is likely that there will be plenty of early 2yo types among them, and the market seems to not be able to get enough of this type of stock. For his long term success though, it is likely to be some of the classic lines that will see if the stallion can make it to the top level.
ride Of Dubai from the same stud could also daughters that may suit. His sire Street Cry certainly fits our Northern Hemisphere criteria, and interestingly he also traces to the same female family as Invincible Spirit. It certainly looks as if Coolmore purchased this stallion with an eye on his potential future with their own Istallions.tishard
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HOME AFFAIRS has a pedigree that features Danzig in both sire lines leading to a total of 9.38% inbreeding. In an interesting mix, we see that Sir Ivor appears through two daughters highlighting similarities in the pedigrees of Green Desert and Flying Spur. The stallion’s pedigree also features five lines of Northern Dancer, and we have to start wondering just how many lines of that stallion we can fit into a successful pedigree. Critically though in this pedigree we see two of these lines through his daughter, Fanfreluche. Interestingly these two female lines both see Northern Dancer in the sixth generation, so we wonder if they will continue to play such an important role in the case of the stallion. As a daughter of Natalma, whenever we see Danehill in a pedigree we get the obligatory duplication of that mare.
