Written 2011
LADY SUSAN family (branch of Gibside Fairy)
Kingston Town was an early product of a Bletchingly – Rockefella cross, while more recent products include Telesto, Bonanova, Fraternity, Macedon Lady and Czar Hero.
Danzig – Rockefella crosses have produced Sunline, Danehill Dancer, Dylan Thomas, Johan Cruyff, Erhaab, Sierra Dane, Tiger Hill, Hut, Monet’s Cove and Royal Voyage.
I first wrote about the potential for the Danzig / Bletchingly nick about five years ago and with Danzig sons now common in Australia we are seeing the emergence of this combination, as in Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, Shogun Lodge, Desert War, Niconero, Blur, Fairy King Prawn, Special Dane, Dansino, Let’s Rock Again, Bush Padre, West Point, Crowned Glory and Coup de Grace.
Private Steer carries Danzig and Rockefella through her sire DD and Copper Kingdom (her 2nd damsire) traces to an earlier common ancestor.
The success of combining members of this family could be now considered a ‘nick’.
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As the shuttle stallion phenomenon continues, an affinity between three stallion influences from far flung corners of the globe is revealing itself.
I first wrote about the genetic relationship between Danzig, Rockefella and Bletchingly and its potential for success about three years ago, for U.K.’s Pacemaker magazine.
The emerging ‘nick’ – like most nicks – is based on line breeding and therefore, with adequate research, can often be predicted.
Despite the fact that Danzig has the quintessential ‘American’ pedigree, Rockefella appears in European pedigrees and Bletchingly is a dyed-in-the-wool Aussie, these three trace to the same taproot mare, LADY SUSAN, a descendant of TWINE THE PLAIDEN.
Permutations of these three influences in pedigrees have had success across the globe.
Primarily, the first opportunity for two of these influences to get together presented itself when sons of Danzig – Danehill and Green Desert – were imported to the U.K. for stud duties.
Over the past seven years in Europe, the Danzig / Rockefella cross has produced stakes winners of the calibre of ERHAAB (by Chief’s Crown), winner of the Gr. 1 English Derby and Champion 3 Year Old Colt in the U.K.; DANEHILL DANCER (by Danehill), dual Gr.1 winner; INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (by Green Desert), 2002 Gr. 1 Haydock Sprint Cup;TIGER HILL (by Danehill) Gr. 1 Grosser Preis von Baden-Baden, 3rd Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe; JOHAN CRUYFF (by Danehill), Gr. 1 winner; LAND OF DREAMS (by Cadeaux Genereux), Gr. 2 Flying Childers S. ARDKINGLASS (by Green Desert) Gr. 3 Jersey S; and SAHARA STAR (by Green Desert) Gr.3 Molecomb S.
Land of Dreams is bred on a reverse of the usual Danzig / Rockfella pattern – his dam is by Green Desert and the mating with Cadeaux Genereux creates two lines to Rockefella.
The dam of ALMUTAWAKEL, who won the Gr.1 Dubai World Cup, is also bred on a Danzig / Rockefella cross.
In Australia, Rockefella had the opportunity to meet up with fellow family member Bletchingly a little earlier in history. Two decades ago, that outstanding son of Bletchingly, KINGSTON TOWN, set the track alight. His dam carried Rockefella on her third remove.
More recent stakes winners TELESTO, BONANOVA, FRATERNITY and CZAR HERO also carry this cross.
Sons of Danzig started to filter into Australia about ten years ago, with representatives such as Akaaber, Mister C, Snaadee and Monongahela. More recently, Danehill, Chief’s Crown, Desert Sun, Honor Grades, Volksraad and Perugino have headed the list of successful Danzig line stallions with crops to race in Australasia.
With limited access to mares carrying Rockefella in the southern hemisphere, Danzig line stallions have produced the outstanding racemare SUNLINE (by Desert Sun), HUT (by Danehill), MONET’S COVE (by Monongahela), ROYAL VOYAGE (by Danehill) and ARENA VALADORA (by Flying Spur) from mares carrying Rockefella.
Danzig / Bletchingly crosses appear in the pedigrees of Australasian stakes winners such as REDOUTE’S CHOICE (by Danehill), PLATINUM SCISSORS (by Danehill), SHOGUN LODGE (by Chief’s Crown), SPECIAL DANE (by Danehill), Gr.2 LET’S ROCK AGAIN (by Chief’s Crown), Gr.2 WEST POINT (by Danehill), Gr.2 winner Gr.1 placed CROWNED GLORY (by Danehill) and Gr. 1 COUP DE GRACE (by Roi Danzig), Gr.3 BLUR (by Flying Spur) six time Group One winner DESERT WAR (by Desert King), Gr.2 EL CAMBIO (By Commands) EXCITES (by Danehill), FAIRY KING PRAWN (by Danehill), HE’S NO PIE EATER (by Canny Lad), HOTEL GRAND (Grand Lodge), Gr.2 JET SPUR (by Flying Spur), Gr.2 MARCHING (by Commands), 5-time Group One winner NICONERO (by Danzero), SHREWD RHYTHM (by Danehill Dancer), dual Gr.1 winner VIRAGE DE FORTUNE (by Anabaa) and Gr.2 TREZEVANT (Flying Spur).
With ever increasing numbers of representatives of Danzig now standing in Australia and New Zealand, the opportunity to exploit his affinity with both Bletchingly and Rockefella should be taken.
Most of the quality sources of Rockefella in the southern hemisphere have come from New Zealand. They include mares by STAR WAY, BALMERINO, ALVARO, FAMOUS STAR and LONG ROW.
In Australia, sources of Rockefella include GYPSY KINGDOM, IDEAL PLANET, KEEN, RADAMES, SWITCH IN TIME and CREESE.
Bletchingly’s key representatives are CANNY LAD (this cross with Danzig having produced Redoute’s Choice), SIR LAURENCE, BEST WESTERN, OPERA PRINCE, RIGOLETTO, COSSACK WARRIOR, LORD BALLINA and BUREAUCRACY.
I enjoy looking through a post that will make people think.
Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!
If i mated GODS OWN country with nova sofala.what nicks would I have
Hi Colin – both God’s Own and Nova Sofala already carry the Danzig / Bletchingly / Rockefella nick. There is a lot of inbreeding created in the mating which is not necessarily desirable. If you would like me to do a report on this hypothetical mating, please let me know.
that would be nice.how do i go about that
It’s hard to come by experienced people in this particular subject, however, you seem like you know what you’re talking
about! Thanks