By Elaine Belval
The first two-year-old stakes races are being run in North America and Europe. Recently, two European freshman sires had their first black-type winners.
Sir Prancealot, by Tamayuz, won the National S. at Sandown Park for owner Andrew Tinkler, breeder Dermont Cantillon and Forenaghts Stud, and trainer Richard Hannon. Looking ahead to a future target, Hannon stated, “The five furlongs of the G2 Norfolk S. [at Royal Ascot on June 21] will be no problem….He looked pretty special to me tonight.”
Sir Prancealot’s sire Tamayuz is a grandson of leading US sire Gulch through Champion Nayef. Tamayuz was a Champion at three in France, when he won the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and the G1 Prix Jean Prat (defeating future Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass). As a three-year-old, Tamayuz was rated a very solid 126 by Timeform.
Nayef won four G1 races and is one of Gulch’s best racing sons. But it is perhaps Tamayuz’s female family that is truly special. His dam is the winner Al Ishq by leading sire and broodmare sire Nureyev. His second dam is the GSW Allez Les Trois, who produced three SWs including G1 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) winner Anabaa Blue. His third dam is Allegretta. Yes, that Allegretta, the dam of G1 winner and sire King’s Best and G1 winner Urban Sea (the dam of leading sire Galileo and three other G1 winners including 2009 Horse of the Year Sea the Stars).
Tamayuz retired to stud with an outstanding pedigree and race record. His yearlings were very well-received, averaging over €70,000 in 2011. He is off to a quick start at stud with a May 31st stakes winner and a possible Royal Ascot contender in his first crop.
Tamayuz stands at Derrinstown Stud in Ireland and his 2012 fee is €15,000.
On the Epsom Derby undercard, a few days after Sir Prancealot’s stakes win, Chilworth Icon won the Woodcote S. He is owned by 7Rus, bred by Norman Court Stud, and trained by Mick Channon. He is by the freshman sire Sixties Icon.
Sixties Icon was bred to be superior. He is by perennial leading European sire Galileo and his dam is the G1 Epsom Oaks winner Love Divine. But you can be forgiven for thinking Sixties Icon wouldn’t sire many early two-year-olds: his biggest victory came in the prestigious 14-furlong St. Leger S. at York where he defeated Red Rocks, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf two months later. Sixties Icon did win a nine furlong race at age five (the Festival S. at Goodwood), but he clearly relished 12 furlongs, if not more.
However, Chilworth Icon, whose dam is by the speed source Acclamation, first raced in late April and now has a black-type victory for Sixties Icon. More could be expected from Chilworth Icon. Jockey Martin Harley said, “The step up to six [furlongs] was definitely the key and he’s always improving.”
Sixties Icon stands at Norman Court Stud in England and his 2012 fee is £4,500.