by Nigel Pullen©

Nine years after Arazi's breathtaking victory in the Breeders Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, his three quarter brother, Noverre (by Rahy - Danseur Fabuleux by Northern Dancer - Fabuleux Jane by Le Fabuleux) attempted to emulate his feat. Lightning did not strike twice for Noverre trailed in eleventh. However, Noverre has now achieved something that was missing from Arazi's CV, by putting up a tenacious performance to secure a European classic, the Poule d'Essai du Poulains (the French 2000 Guineas).

Noverre had previously proved himself a tough and consistent two year old in 2000. A seven race campaign saw him successful in both G3 July Stakes and G2 Champagne Stakes, before finishing runner-up to Tobougg in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes.

His dam, Danseur Fabuleux raced thirteen times without success, but statistics can be deceptive for she was certainly no back number being placed eight times including a second in the G3 Prix Minerve over twelve furlongs. She was purchased for 1,400,000 dollars by Sheikh Mohammed at the 1989 Keeneland November Sales, where she was followed into the ring by her foal. This small chestnut colt by Blushing Groom was secured for 350,000 dollars by Allen Paulson, and of course, carried all before him as a juvenile racing under the name of Arazi.

Noverre's granddam was the smart French middle distance filly Fabuleux Jane, a winner four times including G3 Prix de Pomone, and placed in G1 events the Prix De Diane and Prix Vermeille. She has a half sister to champion sprinter Adjal (by Northern Dancer), Middle Park Stakes winner Formidable (by Forli) and North American G1 scorer Flying Partner (by Hoist The Flag).

Let us begin by looking at the pedigree of Noverre's third dam Native Partner (by Raise a Native - Dinner Partner by Tom Fool - Bluehaze), as it is a perfect illustration of balanced breeding; the duplication of ancestors via both sons and daughters. Native Partner was 3x2 to the mares Lady Glory (granddam of Raise a Native) and Bluehaze. Lady Glory was by American Flag (by Man O'War out of Lady Comfrey) and her granddam Bill And Coo was by Disguise II's son Helmet out of Padula.

As we shall see this proves to be a perfect foil for Bluehaze, who was by Black Servant's son Blue Larkspur out of Flaming Swords. Not only was Black Servant a very close relative of Lady Glory's granddam, Bill And Coo, being by Disguise II's three eighths brother Black Toney out of Padula; but Flaming Swords was herself a three quarter sister to Lady Glory's sire American Flag. So, in Lady Glory and Bluehaze, we have mares with very a similar and beautifully balanced genetic heritage - Lady Glory's sire American Flag being a three quarter brother to Bluehaze's dam Flaming Swords, and Lady Glory's granddam Bill And Coo a near three quarter genetic relative to Bluehaze's grandsire Black Servant. Since these two mares were found 3x2 in the pedigree of Native Partner, the latter had a very potent genetic background.

There was one further important genetic relationship in Native Partner, that being the 3x2 cross of Polynesian and Tom Fool. Polynesian was a grandson of Sickle and his granddam was the mare Black Queen. This was reflected in Tom Fool who was a grandson of Sickle's full brother Pharamond II, and had as his granddam Alpoise, herself a five-eighths genetic relative to Black Queen.

Fast-forwarding to the pedigree of Noverre, the importance of the mare Native Partner and her closely related ancestors Lady Glory and Bluehaze will soon become apparent. Noverre was a son of the stallion Rahy (by Blushing Groom - Glorious Song by Halo) and the latter's maternal grandsire, Halo, is the perfect staring point. His pedigree features Bluehaze's full brother Blue Swords, as well as strains of Pharamond II, Sir Gallahad III and Mother Goose, who were matched in Native Partner by Pharamond II, Sir Gallahad III's full brother Bull Dog and the mare Gaga who had a very similar Spearmint, Peter Pan, Broomstick background to Mother Goose. All these strains were further woven together by Noverre's maternal grandsire Northern Dancer, since his dam Natalma provided a balancing daughter strain of Native Dancer, in addition to herself being a half sister to the dam of Rahy's maternal grandsire Halo.

There is a further very significant factor at work in the pedigree of Noverre, namely the appearance of Owen Tudor in his sire Rahy and Nearctic in his dam Danseur Fabuleux. The genetic relationship between Owen Tudor and Nearctic was covered in the analysis of Golan's pedigree (see article on 1000 Guineas winner Golan), but to briefly recap here, they have opposite sex strains of Pharos and Hyperion backed up by the close genetic relationship between Owen Tudor's granddam Anna Bolena and the mare Nogara (dam of Nearctic's sire Nearco).

This combination is certainly a potent one and well worth repeating in any mating plans. A possible even better variation of it can be found in the current leading European middle distance horse Fantastic Light, who combines Rahy with Nijinsky as well as a further balancing daughter strain of Nearctic.

In Noverre's pedigree there is the additional bonus of his sire Rahy not only adding Owen Tudor to match Nearctic, but also bringing in Wild Risk (via a daughter), Spring Run and Vanille. These three are nicely balanced in Noverre's dam Danseur Fabuleux, by Wild Risk (via a son), Spring Run's three quarter genetic relative Tom Fool and Vanille's full sister Variete.

With the Godolphin Stables leading older milers such as Aljabr, Fly To The Stars and Muhtathir now retired to stud, the opportunity will now present itself for Noverre to take over their mantle in the major mile races this season.