by David Manser

(Continued from page 3)

LYGIE 1910 (Isinglass - Livie II by Silvio) 

Lygie had, through her dam, a quite remarkable pedigree. Livie II was by the Stockwell line sire, Silvio, out of Louveciennes (by Flageolet). Louveciennes had an important presence of Boadicea daughters through both Banter - the dam of Touchstone - and Etiquette. Her damsire, Polmoodie, was out of Burlesque (by Touchstone out of Maid of Honour, daughter of Etiquette) making Boadicea 3X3 in the tail female of Burlesque's sire and dam. In addition, Louveciennes was out of the daughter of a Touchstone mare.

However, an even more important element in her tail female was that her great grand dam, The Biddy (Bran - Idalia by Peruvian) introduced via the tail female of her sire, Bran, a further sibling of Whalebone, Whisker and Web in the form of Wire - great dam of Bran. The Biddy was a half sister to Pantaloon.

Lygie produced Azalee (by Ajax) which was the dam of the very good racer and prominent sire, Nino (by Clarissimus) and also Argentee (by As D'Atout) which was the dam of the accomplished racer and sire Maravedis.

The best daughter of Lygie was Medeah (by Masque). Masque descended by two removes from the mare Lena (Blandford {by Oxford} - The Swan by Oxford's son, Sterling. Blandford (Oxford - Auricula by Ambrose out of Pocahontas) introduced a female strain of Pocahontas giving Medeah not only the half sister to the full brothers Stockwell and Rataplan, but also the fourth full sibling, Wire, to the trio Whalebone, Whisker and Web.

This took on a whole new significance when Medeah was put to Ajax to produce La Flambee and Parthensis. Ajax had lines running to Pocahontas in all 4 quarters of his pedigree. In Orme, his grandsire, he traced directly via Stockwell, and even more crucially, his dam was Angelica - sister to St Simon - a daughter of King Tom. In Vampire, his sire's dam, he traced via Sarcasm to Stockwell through Breadalbane. In Clamart, his dam's sire, he traced via Princess Catherine through her sire to Stockwell and through her dam to Heroine of Lucknow. In Alice, his grand dam, he traced via Wellingtonia to Ayacanora through his sire and to Araucaria in his dam.

This gave Ajax 7 lines of Pocahontas tracing to 5 separate offspring of Pocahontas - Stockwell, King Tom and those 3 very important daughters Araucaria, Ayacanora and Heroine of Lucknow - as well as the all important sister to St Simon and 4 full siblings by Waxy - Penelope. It is no surprise that when put to Sir Gallahad III - inbred to St Simon - or Wrack, another descendant of an Isinglass daughter, that La Flambee was a source of outstanding progeny.


SAMPHIRE 1902 (Isinglass - Chelandry by Goldfinch)

Samphire was another daughter of Isinglass which remained unplaced on the racetrack, but which produced some very good progeny. She was the daughter of a mare which was a member of the Paradigm family in Chelandry (Goldfinch - Illuminata). Goldfinch was by Ormonde - a Stockwell line sire - while Illuminata was out of the Blair Athol mare, Paraffin.

At stud, ,Samphire produced Juniata (by Junior) which produced Jiffy (by Hurry On) - a dam of some quality, producing Ocean Swell (by Blue Peter) an excellent racer. Samphire was also the dam of Wrack (by Robert Le Diable) who was a sire of good quality progeny. His better offspring included the sisters Flambino and Flambola and Petee-Wrack.

Flambino (out of Flambette by Durbar II) bred Flares (by Gallant Fox) which was the sire of Chop Chop and Shimmer - the dam of Nantallah. She also bred Omaha (by Gallant Fox) which was the sire of Flaming Top. Her influence through her daughter Flaring Top, was enormous, as she was the ancestress of Fleur and Nijinsky.


ST CLAIRE II 1904 (Isinglass - Santa Brigida by St Simon)

Yet another daughter of Isinglass undistinguished on the racetrack, but which would prove to be influential in the development of outstanding horses. Santa Brigida (St Simon - Bridget) was also the product of inbreeding to Stockwell, as Bridget was by the Stockwell line sire, Master Kildare, out of a great grand daughter of Woodbine by Stockwell. In combination with the line coming in via St Simon, Santa Brigida had then 3 infusions of Pocahontas on the distaff side of her pedigree.

At stud St Claire II produced Lady Cicero (by Cicero) which on her sire's side had a very complementary pedigree for an Isinglass mare. Her sire Cicero was by Cyllene (Bona Vista - Arcadia by Isonomy) which provided not only Stockwell via Bend Or and a Bend Or - Macaroni nick via Bona Vista's dam, Vista (Macaroni - Verdure), he also provided a line via King Tom - the sire of Verdure. Arcadia brought in a line breeding to Isonomy, her sire and the sire of Isinglass. Lady Cicero's dam, Gas, was by the inbred Ayrshire, out of Illuminata. The lines from Pocahontas for these have already been examined.

Lady Cicero was the dam of Regal Roman (by Roi Herode) which was the dam of Alcibiades (by Supremus). Supremus has already been discussed, as he was out of the John O'Gaunt mare, Mandy Hamiliton. Alcibiades was the dam of Menow (by Pharamond II), which was the sire of Flaring Top, Spring Run - dam of Red God - and Tom Fool, one of the most outstanding sires and broodmare sires of the late 20th century. He nicked beautifully with the brothers Bull Dog and Sir Galahad III (Teddy - Plucky Liege). 


VAIN DUCHESS 1897 (Isinglass - Sweet Duchess by Hagioscope)

Vain Duchess enjoyed a relatively successful racing career,  having won 4 times in 7 starts. Unusually, for an outstanding broodmare daughter of Isinglass, her dam only had the one line tracing to Pocahontas. This was through Hagioscope which was desended from the Stockwell mare, Zelle, by 2 removes.

At stud, Vain Duchess produced Lady Mischief (by St Simon) and Helicon (by Cyllene). Lady Mischief produced the excellent broodmare, Waffles (by Buckwheat). She produced Manna (by Phalaris) which won the 2000 Guineas and Derby, and the very good broodmare Bunworry (by Great Sport). Manna went on to become a very good sire.

The more influential offspring of Vain Duchess was Helicon. As a racer he was moderate and his record as a stallion would have been fairly ordinary also, without him producing La Grelee and Helene de Troie - dam of La Troienne.

La Grelee (out of Grignouse by Kilglass) produced the exceptional speed influence Rialto (by Rabelais). Rialto was the sire of Sif (out of Suavita by Alcantara II) which produced Fantine (by Fantastic) and the exceptional racer and stallion Sicambre (by Prince Bio) - maternal grandsire of Sea Bird. Rialto also sired Wild Risk, which was the sire of some extraordinary sprinters including Le Fabuleux, Vimy and Worden II.

La Troienne was the undisputed queen of 20th century broodmares. Her offspring were amongst the most highly credentialed members of the equine "Who's Who" in the United States, and their influence spread to every corner of the world. The list of her offspring is as follows :

BLACK HELEN 1932 (by Black Toney)
BABY LEAGUE 1935 (by Bubbling Over)
BIG HURRY 1936 (by Black Toney)
BIMELECH 1937 (by Black Toney)
BIG EVENT 1938 (by Blue Larkspur)
BUSINESSLIKE 1939 (by Blue Larkspur)
BESIEGED 1940 (by Balladier)
BEE ANN MAC 1944 (by Blue Larkspur)
BELLE HISTOIRE 1945 (by Blue Larkspur)
BELLE OF TROY 1947 (by Blue Larkspur

The ability of this magnificent mare to produce such a high number of extraordinary sons and daughters arose from the quality of her pedigree. An in depth examination of her pedigree reveals an abundance of genetic material to complement the crucial genetic strength of Isinglass. Of even greater significance, it also reveals a plethora of opposite sex strains of many of the important ancestors in his pedigree. The digression here in the following commentary is an invaluable insight into the correct method of reinforcing the genetic strength inherent in a pedigree.

La Troienne (Teddy - Helene De Troie by Helicon) was sired by Teddy, a son of Ajax, which has previously been discussed. Teddy's dam was Rondeau (Bay Ronald - Doremi by Bend Or). Bay Ronald was a son of Hampton, also previously discussed, out of Black Duchess (Galliard - Black Corrie by Sterling). Galliard was by the Voltigeur line sire, Galopin - himself out of the mare Flying Duchess (The Flying Dutchman - Merope) which was also tail female to Everlasting - out of Mavis (Macaroni - Merlette by The Baron out of Cuckoo).

Cuckoo (Elis - Reel by Camel) was sired by the Selim line sire Elis (Langar - Walton mare). His dam, Olympia (Sir Oliver - Scotilla) was also the dam of Kite, the dam of Lady Moore Carew and also the grand dam of Orlando. Reel (Camel - La Danseuse by Blacklock) descended via Madame Saquai to the Diomed mare, Fanny. Madame Saquai was by Remembrancer by Pipator - half brother to Trumpator.

Mavis was by Macaroni (Sweetmeat - Jocose by Pantaloon). Jocose was by Pantaloon, out of the very important broodmare Banter (Master Henry - Boadicea by Alexander). Banter was the dam of the full siblings Touchstone, Retort, Launcelot, Lampoon and Pasquinade - all by Camel - as well as the full siblings Jocose, Pantaloon mare ex Banter and Raillery - all by Pantaloon - and their half sister ,Sarcasm, by Teniers. Boadicea (Alexander - Brunette by Amaranthus) had two other daughters, Etiquette (by Orville) and Bertha (by Rubens). The produce of these 3 daughters of Boadicea were the tail female of many important horses over time, including Macaroni, Orlando, Leamington, Atherstone, Carnival, Admiration and Polynesian. 

Black Corrie (Sterling - Wild Dayrell mare by Wild Dayrell) also had a very good pedigree. Sterling, her sire, has already been discussed. Her dam, was a Wild Dayrell mare ex Lady Lurewell which traced in tail female via Dirce - Antiope - Amazon to Everlasting. Wild Dayrell (Ion - Ellen Middleton by Bay Middleton) was sired by Ion, which was also the sire of Adeline - the dam of St Angela, the dam of St Simon and Angelica - and Tadmor - the damsire of Hermit. His dam, Ellen Middleton (Bay Middleton - Myrrha by Malek) was out of a mare by the brother of Velocipede and half brother of Merope (by Voltaire).

Lady Lurewell (Hornsea - Dirce by Partisan) was bred on similar lines to Wild Dayrell. Her sire, Hornsea, was by Velocipede, out of a Cerberus mare ex Miss Cranfield. Cerberus was inbred to Herod, being by Gohanna (Mercury - Herod mare ex Flyer) out of a Herod mare ex Desdemona. Dirce (Partisan - Antiope by Whalebone) was sired by a stallion which was out of Parasol, a daughter (by Pot8o's) of Prunella, and therefore a half sister to Penelope.

Rondeau's dam Doremi (Bend Or - Lady Emily by Macaroni) was the product of another Bend Or - Macaroni nick. Bend Or (Doncaster - Rouge Rose by Thormanby) was a Stockwell line horse, so traces in tail male to Whalebone - a son of Penelope. Doncaster (Stockwell - Marigold by Teddington) was the product of a mare with her sire line tracing through Orlando to Touchstone. Teddington was out of Miss Twickenham,  which was by Humphrey Clinker's son, Rockingham, himself out of Medora - tracing to Promise through a Trumpator mare ex Peppermint. Her dam, Electress (Election - Stamford mare ex Miss Judy by Stamford) was by Gohanna's son, Election, out of a Stamford mare. Stamford was a Sir Peter line sire. Marigold was out a Ratan mare ex a Melbourne mare ex Lisbeth. Ratan was by the Blacklock son, Buzzard - which was out of Miss Newton by Delpini - out of a Picton mare. The Ratan mare ex Melbourne descended to Belvoirina (Stamford - Mercury mare)

Rouge Rose (Thormanby - Ellen Horne by Redshank) traces in direct tail female to Penelope. Thormanby was by Windhound (Pantaloon - Phryne by Touchstone). Phryne was a daughter of Decoy, and therefore a sister to Flatcatcher. Thormanby's dam, Alice Hawthorn (Muley Moloch - Rebecca by Lottery) had a line to Muley via Muley Moloch.

Rebecca was by Tramp's son, Lottery - which was out of Mandane (Pot8o's - Young Camilla). Her dam was a Cervantes mare ex Anticipation by Beningborough. Cervantes was by Don Quixote (Eclipse - Grecian Princess) and was thus a brother of Alexander and Xantippe. He was out of Evelina (Highflyer - Termagant) which was the dam of Orville and Orvillina (by Beningborough), Louisa (by Ormond), Capsicum (by Sir Peter) and Paulowitz (by Sir Paul). Termagant was also the dam of Pewet (by Tandem) which produced Sir Paul and Paulina (by Sir Peter) and Clinkerina (by Clinker) - the dam of Humphrey Clinker, sire of Melbourne. Anticipation was also inbred to Herod, as she was by Beningborough, the son of a Herod mare, out of Expectation by Herod.

Rebecca was also the dam of The Provost (by The Saddler), Rowena (by Recovery), Annandale (by Touchstone), Marion (by St Martin) and Fair Helen (by Pantaloon). Amongst others, Fair Helen produced the full siblings by Touchstone, Lord Of The Isles, Lord Of The Hills and Lady McDonald and their half sister Lady Flora (by Stockwell).

Ellen Horne (Redshank - Delhi by Plenipotentiary), the dam of Rouge Rose, also produced Paradigm (by Paragone) which established a prolific family of broodmare daughters, including Illuminata and Chelandry, which have already been mentioned. Redshank (Sandbeck - Johanna by Selim) through his sire Sandbeck (Catton - Orvillina by Beningborough) and also his dam Johanna (Selim - Skyscraper mare by Skyscraper) brought more of the common ancestral members into Ellen Horne's pedigree. On the distaff side, Delhi (Plenipotentiary - Pawn Junior by Waxy) has done a similar thing with her sire, Plenipotentiary, and her dam, Pawn Junior (Waxy - Pawn, daughter of Prunella) 

Lady Emily (Macaroni - May Queen by Claret), the dam of Doremi (by Bend Or) brought in through her direct tail female the ideal ingredients to ignite the Bend Or - Macaroni nick. Her dam May Queen (Claret - Lady Blanche by Voltigeur) had the necessary ingredients through both her sire and dam to reinforce this nick. Claret (Touchstone - Mountain Sylph by Belshazzar) brought in Touchstone, and thus Banter, in his sire line.

Mountain Sylph (Belshazzar - Stays by Whalebone) was by a son of Blacklock, Belshazzar, which was out of Manuella (Dick Andrews - Mandane by Pot8o's). She was out of the Whalebone daughter, Stays, which descended to Maiden. Lady Blanche was out of an Ithuriel mare which descended to Bronze (Buzzard - Alexander mare ex Highflyer mare) - therefore a full sister to Selim, Castrel and Rubens.

Continued,  page 5

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