by Nigel Pullen©

The first classic of the English flat racing season, the 2,000 Guineas, run over Newmarket's historic Rowley Mile was a resounding triumph for the Ballymacoll Stud.

The spectacular winner, Golan (by Spectrum - Highland Gift by Generous - Scots Lass by Shirley Heights - Edinburgh by Charlottown), was the product of a mating between a stallion and a broodmare whose female families have resided at Ballymacoll since the early 1930's. In addition, Golan's fifth dam, the mare Country House was also the third dam of the runner-up Tamburlaine (by Royal Academy - Well Bought by Auction Ring - Knighton House by Pall -Mall - Country House), although this colt was not owned or bred by Ballymacoll.

The story began back at the 1931 Doncaster Sales when Miss Dorothy Paget, then the owner of the Ballymacoll Stud, purchased a 900 guineas yearling by Phalaris. Subsequently named Jamaica, she was to become the seventh dam of Golan's sire Spectrum. The second defining moment was to occur seven years later at Newmarket December Sales with Miss Paget's purchase of a chestnut filly foal by Hyperion out of Carpet Slipper, for 2,300 guineas. This filly gained her solitary victory over five furlongs, when still unnamed in 1940, sandwiched between her year older full sister Godiva winning both the English 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks. The filly was subsequently named Coventry Belle, and she had another very talented sibling in the form of unbeaten Irish Triple Crown winner Windsor Slipper.

Coventry Belle ultimately became the granddam of Country House, and this daughter of Vieux Manoir won three times over six and seven furlongs from fifteen starts. Country House retired to Ballymacoll Stud in 1959, just a year before Dorothy Paget's death, and the subsequent sale of the stud along with the best of the bloodstock to Michael Sobell, whose son-in-law Lord Weinstock is the current owner of Ballymacoll.

In 1964, Country House foaled a very ordinary looking colt, named Reform, who was considered so unimposing that he was not sent to the sales. Instead he raced in his breeder's colours, and after finishing fourth on his racecourse debut, progressed to win his remaining six races that year. At three it was almost a repeat performance, for he established himself as the top miler, winning five of his seven starts, including St James's Palace, Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He then rounded off his racing career by taking the ten furlong Champion Stakes, with that season's Epsom Derby winner Royal Palace back in third place.

Golan's fourth dam Queens Castle (by Sovereign Path) was a half-sister to Reform, and although nowhere nearly as talented of the racecourse, did register one win over a mile. Golan's next three dams, Edinburgh (by Charlottown), Scots Lass (by Shirley Heights) and Highland Gift (by Generous) were all winners; with Edinburgh gaining some black type by scoring in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs. As broodmares, Edinburgh bred the G1 Prix du Cadran winner Sought Out, while Scots Lass also produced a useful stayer in Bonny Scot, a G2 winner who was placed third in the St Leger.

Let us now move on to examining the pedigree of Golan himself. The real hot spot in his pedigree is the fascinating genetic relationship between River Dancer and Scots Lass. Since these two mares are the respective dams of Golan's sire and dam, they appear 2x2 in his pedigree. Comparing the two we find that River Dancer is a granddaughter of Riverman, and her granddam Sunny Valley is by Val de Loir (by Vieux Manoir out of a granddaughter of Carpet Slipper) out of Sunland by Charlottesville.

Now compare this with Scots Lass, who is a granddaughter of Riverman's close genetic relative Mill Reef, out of a mare who traces tail female to Carpet Slipper, and also has a son of Charlottesville and a daughter of Vieux Manoir. These last two balance the respective daughter and son strains found in River Dancer.

There is a further interesting genetic relationship nestling in Golan's pedigree. This is the 3x4 cross of Blushing Groom and Nijinsky II. Both trace tail male to Nearco, and while Nijinsky II's dam Flaming Page features a Menow/Bull Dog cross close up, this combination is also found in Blushing Groom, courtesy of the mare Spring Run (dam of his sire Red God). However, there is another important genetic relationship linking the pedigrees of Blushing Groom and Nijinsky II, which revolves around Owen Tudor (present in Blushing Groom via Tudor Minstrel) and Nearctic (grandsire of Nijinsky II). Owen Tudor was by Hyperion out of Mary Tudor by Pharos out of Anna Bolena; a pedigree which bears an obvious similarity with that of Nearctic, who was by Nearco (by Pharos - Nogara) out of Lady Angela by Hyperion.

However, the relationship goes a lot further than simply having opposite sex strains of Pharos and Hyperion. Owen Tudor's granddam Anna Bolena was a granddaughter of the stallion Ajax and her dam was a three-quarter sister to Spearmint. When we compare this with the genetic background of Nearco's dam Nogara we find that the latter's sire Havresac II is out of a mare by Ajax, and her dam is herself a daughter of Spearmint. This Nijinsky II/Blushing Groom cross has already resulted in three Epsom Derby winners, namely Kahyasi, Lammtarra and Quest For Fame; while the first three dams of Golan are daughters of Epsom Derby heroes Generous, Shirley Heights and Charlottown respectively.

Golan will hopefully soon have his opportunity to add his name the role of honour of the blue riband of the English Turf.

Copyright by Nigel Pullen 2001.