|DUBAWI|Down Under

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Now 24 years-old, Dubawi has been a stalwart of the European stallion scene for the better part of two decades. In addition to his deeds in the Northern Hemisphere, it might be recall that he did also shuttle to Australia for three seasons, 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2010-2011. Those three crops yielded 224 foals and 190 runners. Of those 22 won stakes, and Srikandi (BRC Stradbroke Handicap (Gr1) and Queenlsand Tatt’s RC Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr1)), Happy Archer (Thekwini Sakes (Gr1) and Garden Province Stakes (Gr1) in South Africa), Secret Admirer (ATC Epsom Handciap (Gr1) and AJC Flight Stakes (Gr1)), Tigers Tees (ATC Galaxy Handicap (Gr1)), Willow Magic (South African Nursery Plate (Gr1)) and Shamal Wind (MRC Oakleigh Plate (Gr1)).

From the very start of Dubawi’s career as a sire of sires, there were hints that his stallion sons might prove similarly effective in this part of the world. That said, Dubawi actually made a somewhat shaky start to his career as a stallion maker, as his first two high profile stallion sons, Makfi and Poet’s Voice (both foals of 2007) failed to make the kind of impact anticipated. The 2,000 Guineas (Gr1) and Prix Jacques Le Marois (Gr1) winner Makfi was much travelled.

He stood from 2011 to 2014 in England, moved to France for the next two years, and transferred to JBBA Stallion Station in Japan. So far, from 13 crops, he’s left just two Northern Hemisphere group one winners, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains-French 2,000 Guineas (Gr1) scorer, Make Believe, and MkFancy, successful in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Gr1). During his time in Europe, Makfi also made an annual trip to Westbury Stud, New Zealand, where his returns were far more impressive.

Getting group stakes winners from each of his six New Zealand-sired crops, his 22 stakes winners including the ATC Australian Oaks, MRC Underwood Stakes (Gr1) and WRC New Zealand Oaks (Gr1) heroine Bonneval; Sofia Rosa, who captured the ATC Australian Oaks (Gr1); and the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr1) scorer Marky Mark. Poet’s Voice, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1), Champagne Stakes (Gr2) and Celebration Stakes (Gr2), stood in England from 2012, until dying in the spring of 2018.

From 483 starters, his sole Northern Hemisphere winner at the highest level was Poet’s Word, who took the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr1). Poet’s Voice also shuttled to Kelvinside Stud, for five straight seasons, and if his Southern Hemisphere strike rate wasn’t as good as Makfi’s, he did leave the VRC L K S

Mackinnon Stakes (Gr1) winner Trap For Fools, and other group winners Viridine and Aramayo. Following those some faltering steps, Dubawi’s career as a sire of sires then rapidly went from shaky to stratospheric, with three successive years producing a trio that all quickly ascended into the European stallion elite, that being Night of Thunder (2011), New Bay (2012) and Zarak (2013). Night of Thunder, who became the only horse to defeat Kingman when upsetting him in the 2014 2,000 Guineas (Gr1), has made it to the very top of the tree, ending 2025 and Leading Sire in Great Britain and Ireland and he leads the table again this year.

He has sired 87 stakes winners in eight crops, and 12 group one from his European crops. Night of Thunder also shuttled for one season to Kelvinside. That season produced 51 foals, 46 starters and 40 winners, and seven stakes winners, including the BRC Queensland Derby (Gr1) scorer Kukeracha, as well as other group winners Cherry Tortoni, Rumbled Again and A Beautiful Night. Dubawi has also has several other young guns, headed by Ghaiyyath (2015), Too Darn Hot (2016), Space Blues (2016), Naval Crown (2018), Modern Games (2019), Lead Artist (2021) and Henry Longfellow (2021), the still-in-training Notable Speech (2021) and Delacroix (2022).

The first two of these, Ghaiyyath and Too Darn Hot, have both shuttled to Australia to great effect, and are covering their best books here in the most recent season. Ghaiyyath is out of the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr1) victress, Nightime, the first notable winner for her sire, Galileo. This means that he’s bred on the same cross as Night of Thunder. Although he won the Autumn Stakes (Gr3) at two, Ghaiyyath showed consistent improvement with age.

He did take the Prix du Prince d’Orange (Gr3) at three, the Grosser Preis von Baden (Gr1) and Prix d’Harcourt (Gr2) at four. He peaked at five, however, earning honour as European Champion Older Horse after adding the Coronation Cup (Gr1), Eclipse Stakes (Gr1), Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1) and Dubai Millennium Stakes (Gr3). In Europe, with his first crop now four, Ghaiyyath has ten stakes winners - two from his current two year-old crop - including the Jebel Hatta (Gr1) scorer, Opera Ballo; The Padre, who took the Del Mar Derby (Gr2); My Highness, winner of the Prix du Calvados (Gr2); and Mandanaba, winner of the Prix Vanteaux (Gr3).

In his first Australian crop, Ghaiyyath is represented by five first crop stakes winners. They are led by Observer, whose successes including the VRC Victoria Derby (Gr1) and VRC Australian Guineas (Gr1). A half-brother to group winner Sandpaper, Observer is out of the Lonhro mare, Smooth, a sister to Champion Two Year-Old Pierro (which makes the cross with Pierro mares a possible one). The mating brings back Sadler’s Wells and Shirley Heights (Mill Reef), the sire and broodmare sire of Smooth’s granddam, Sky Song.

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Sadler’s Wells is out of a mare by Bold Reason, a half-brother to Never Bend, the sire of Mill Reef and Smooth has three crosses of Never Bend. There’s a lot of Nasrullah/Princequillo behind this, along with a sister to Nasrullah, and a double of Miswaki, who goes back to a Princequillo/Nasrullah cross. The ATC Tulloch Stakes (Gr2) scorer, Storm Leopard is out of a Street Cry mare, this being a version of the Dubai/Machiavellian mare cross that has been a hugely successful one, including the ageless Rebel’s Romance, and other group and group one winners Broadsiding, Dynamic Pricing, Albahr, Walk of Stars and Shamal Wind.

Storm Leopard’s dam, Brilliance, is a three-quarters sister to group one winner Pericles, and a half to Helmet and Epaulette. Brilliance’s dam, Accessories, is another Sadler’s Wells/Mill Reef cross, and she’s by Singspiel, who is by In the Wings, like Ghaiyyath’s broodmare sire, Galileo, a Sadler’s Wells son. In The Wings’ dam is actually half-sister to the third dam of Dubawi. Ghaiyyath’s Australian stakes winners, Different Gravy and Freedom Flame, are both out of mares by sons of El Prado.

Since El Prado is by Sadler’s Wells, this marks the good pattern of crosses a stallion back over a mare from his own broodmare sire line. Different Gravy is out of a Medaglia d’Oro three-quarters sister to stakes winner Federal, and the second dam is by Street Cry, and Freedom Flame - a half-sister to multiple group winner Dalasan and stakes winner Party Princess - from a daughter of Kitten’s Joy. First stakes winner for Ghaiyyath out of a Danehill line mare in Australia is the MRC Jim Maloney scorer, Yum, who is out of a mare by Snitzel.

He’s also scored over Danehill line stallion Champs Elysees and Exceed and Excel in Europe, with success for the Green Desert branch of Danzig via Invincible Spirit, Kheleyf and Desert Style. Too Darn Hot was at the opposite end of the precocity scale to Ghaiyyath. He went four-for-four at two, taking the Solario Stakes (Gr3), Champagne Stakes (Gr2) and Dewhurst Stakes (Gr1), earning a position as Champion European Two Year-Old Colt. At three, he missed the Guineas and debuted in the Dante Stakes (Gr2) at 2100m.

He took second there but clearly didn’t stay the trip. Second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr1) and third in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Gr1) back at a mile, he returned to his best later in the season, capturing the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) at 1400m and the Sussex Stakes (Gr1), defeating the St. James’s Palace winner, Circus Maximus. He has something in common with Ghaiyyath on the pedigree score, as his dam is by Singspiel, who as we’ve mentioned, is by In The Wings, like Ghaiyyath’s broodmare sire, Galileo, is by Sadler’s Wells out of a mare from Dubawi’s own family.

Too Darn Hot has 19 stakes winners, 12 group, in his first three Northern Hemisphere crops, and another in his current juvenile crop, his fourth. He’s already had six group or group one winners, including Fallen Angel, a five-time group one winner; Hotazhell, winner of Futurity Trophy (Gr1) and Grosser Dallmayr Preis (Gr1); Title Roll, who took the Belmont Derby (Gr1); Glacius, successful in the Saratoga Derby (Gr1); the Al Quoz Sprint (Gr1) scorer Native Approach; and Tornado Alert, another Grosser Dallmayr Preis (Gr1) winner.

From his Australian crops, Too Darn Hot has already sired 18 stakes winners 12 group. The star, the four-time group one winning Broadsiding, is bred on a cross which we’ve discussed with regard to Ghaiyyath, that with a Street Cry mare (a version of the broader Dubawi/Machiavellian cross). His dam is half-sister to group one winner Flit. The second dam is by Redoute’s Choice. The cross with a Street Cry mare has also come up the group three winner Arabian Summer.

The second highest level winner from Too Darn Hot’s Australian crops is the MRC Oakleigh Plate (Gr1) captor, Tropicus. He is out of a mare by Exceed and Excel so represents a version of what’s already become a successful Too Darn Hot/Danehill cross. The Exceed and Excel version has also come up with Shiki, successful in the ATC Gimcrack Stakes (Gr3). Other Danehill line broodmare sires to enjoy success under Too Darn Hot are Magnus, broodmare sire of group two winner Too Darn Lizzie, and Casion Prince, broodmare sire of listed winner Perspiration (this pair both by Flying Spur); Fastnet Rock, broodmare sire of group winner Tornado Valley (whose dam is similarly bred to Smart Missile) and listed scorer Jenni the Fox; Redoute’s Choice, broodmare sire of group three winner American Eagle and listed winner Silmarillion, and his son Snitzel, broodmare sire of listed winner Hot and High.

A pattern that we discussed with reference to Ghaiyyath, that of breeding a stallion back over his broodmare sire line, here Sadler’s Wells, has also done well for Too Darn Hot. ATC Skyline Stakes (Gr2) scorer, Rivellino, is out of a mare by So You Think, who as a son of High Chaparral, brings in that horse’s broodmare sire, Darshaan, a half-brother to the second dam of Too Darn Hot. The Medaglia d’Oro version of the cross has produced ATC Furious Stakes (Gr2) scorer Bangkok Hottie and listed winner Superalloy.

In addition to the cross with Street Cry, Too Darn Hot has scored with two other branches of his own Mr. Prospector sire line. Shanwah, the MVRC Alister Clark Stakes (Gr2) scorer is out of a mare by Iffraaj, and WATC Karrakatta Plate (Gr2) scorer is out of a mare by Dubai Destination (by Kingmambo) and both Too Darn Hot and the dam of the Shanwah are Mr. Prospector/Sadler’s Wells. Kingmambo is a Mr. Prospector/Nureyev (three-quarters brother to Sadler’s Wells) too.

Two of his European group one winners are out of Kingmambo line mares too. Group three winner Too Darn Discreet is out of a mare by Shamardal (dam a sister to Street Cry, which might be significant). Shamardal is Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector and Dubawi is Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer (as is Too Darn Hot in a very extended version). The cross with Shamardal mares has also produced three stakes winners from his Northern Hemisphere crops, including the group one winning Native Approach.

Finally, SAJC Morphettville Guineas winner Bootlegger is out of an imported mare by Dalakhani, a half-brother the granddam of Too Darn Hot. And finally, finally, it is noteworthy that all the Group winners in Australia (and all but one of the stakes winners) by Too Darn Hot are the best foals of the mare to date. That’s some Darn achievement.BB