by Miodrag Milovanovic©

The Central European (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland...) racing scene up to the 1600 m was dominated last year by a Czech-owned horse imported from Ireland. That horse was Sharp Focus (USA) (Lear Fan­Spark Of Success, by Topsider), who was practically unbeaten in the first part of season, winning the Austrian, Czech, and Slovakian equivalent of 2000 Guineas. It looks like the situation is same this year: another horse imported from Ireland by the same owners (Ray Racing) won the first legs of the Czech and Slovakian classics: Tribal Instinct (IRE) (Doyoun-Mystery Treat, by Plugged Nickle).

This bay horse already won listed Velka Jarni Cena (Czech 2000 Guineas), 1600m, turf, beating Deuce of Trumps (IRE) (Desert Style) and Access to Java (Java Gold), and also the listed Velka Jarna Cena (Slovakian 2000 Guineas), 1700 m, turf, beating Austrian-owned and British-bred chestnut colt Clarion (First Trump-Area Girl, by Jareer), a good horse who easily won Austrian Trial Stakes, 1600 m, turf.

Tribal Instinct was bred by his former owner, James J. Monaghan, for whom he raced as two-year-old in Ireland, winning one of his five starts. His best two-year-old form was at eight furlongs.

His sire, Doyoun, was bred by H. H. Aga Khan. Doyoun and practically only raced as a three-year-old; as a two-year-old, he just won a maiden at Newmarket in his only start. But, as a three-year-old, Doyoun won the Craven Stakes (G3) and 2,000 Guineas (G1), before three third places: in the Derby, Goodwood Mile and Champion Stakes. Although his best results were at eight furlongs, it looks like his best form was at 12 furlongs. His dam, Dumka, also won a classic: the French Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1), but even that could not bring too much attention to him as a sire.

Doyoun's books usually numbered less than 45-50 mares, and without strong support from his breeder and owner H. H. Aga Khan, numbers would be significantly smaller. The fact that he sired multiple G1 winner and champion horse Daylami, and also G1 winners Kalanisi [see article on Kalanisi], Manndar, Manntari, as well as some other G2 and G3 horses (but all for the Aga Khan) didn't stopped his exportation to Turkey where he stands now at their National Stud.

Mystery Treat, Tribal Instinct's dam, is a representative of a good female family (Another Treat-Rare Treat-Rare Perfume, etc.) which is responsible for some valuable horses in the last few years. Her dam, Another Treat, with Key To The Mint sired Rare Mint, which produced Crowned Ambassador (Storm Cat), Robin Des Bois (Nureyev), Robin Des Pines (Nureyev), etc.

Mystery Treat's racing results were an absolute disaster: in two outings (as two-year-old and a four-year-old) she didn't manage to find at least one horse to beat. Her results as a broodmare are much better, but not sensational. Apache Twist 1994, by Bigamist, won as a two-year-old at five furlongs and as a three-year-old at eight furlongs in Ireland and later raced as hurdler, winning a small maiden race.

Magical Baba, 1995, a Magical Wonder bay gelding, won in Ireland as a two-year-old before been sold to race in Macau, where he won at least two races, running as "Magical Warrior." Surprise Treat, 1996, a bay mare by Shalford also won as a two-year-old at seven furlongs in Ireland. After Tribal Instinct (foaled in 1998), she was again sent to Doyoun and result is a still unraced bay colt sold for 6000 Guineas at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Auction.

Mystery Treat is strongly linebreed to Domino. Her dam, Another Treat was 3x3 to Eight Thirty (2x3 to genetic equivalents Friar Rock-Man O'War), whose dam, Dinner Time, was by High Time (2x3x3 to Domino). Aside from that, she is also sired by Cornish Prince, whose sire Bold Ruler carries Domino's half sister Lady Reel through his broodmare sire Discovery.

The whole tail female line is full of horses carrying this famous sire - Domino. Her next dam, Rare Treat, was by Stymie, who was 3x3 to, again, Man O'War, but also 3x5 to Colin (by Commando by Domino), and whose fourth dam Noontide was 2x3 to Domino. The next dam, Rare Perfume, was by the previously mentioned Eight Thirty, and her dam Fragrance was by Sir Gallahad III. That makes Fragrance 3x3 to Spearmint. Chicle, sire of the next dam, Rosebloom, also brings to this pedigree Domino's half-sister Lady Reel through his broodmare sire Hamburg, and that's not all. Rosebloom's second dam Cherokee Rose II, was by Peter Pan (by Commando by Domino).

Doyoun himself was 3x4 to full siblings Nasrullah-Malindi, and to this Domino game, adds Pot O'Luck, sire of Doyoun's third dam Floralie. Pot O'Luck's dam Poteen was 3x3 to Peter Pan (by Commando by Domino), and her broodmare sire was the already mentioned Hamburg, which made her 3x5x5 to Domino and his half sister Lady Reel.

It is interesting that in both Pot O'Luck and Fragrance, the tail female line is Cherokee Rose II (family 8-c). All this suggests that, even though Tribal Instinct's sire, Doyoun, is more than capable of siring a classic distance horse, his best distances could be under 2400 metres. In a few weeks, when Derby Day(s) come, we will be able to see if this is true, and if he is capable to carry out his speed up to classic distances.

Copyright by Miodrag Milovanovic 2001.