The Other Half of the Equation

This former top shuttle sire and now leading broodmare sire featured as sire of the dam of three stakes-winners last weekend, which is a good achievement in anyone's book.

He is Grand Lodge (USA) and he sired the dams of Pied a Terre (Ad Valorem (USA) / Group II MRC Autumn Stakes), Geegee's Blackflash (Clangalang / Group III Hobart Cup) and Temper Tantrum (Hold That Tiger (USA) / Listed Strutt Stakes).

A dual Group I winning grand-son of Danzig, Grand Lodge shuttled to Woodlands Stud for eight seasons leaving a host of stakes-winners over varying distances including Group I stars Shogun Lodge, Freemason, Ambulance, Hotel Grand, Lovelorn and Grand Zulu.

Many of his stock proved adept up to 2000 metres and often beyond, albeit not considered 'stayers' as such, their success over the longer trips more due to class and a willingness to give of their best, rather than any dead set staying ability.

His influence in a pedigree can only be seen as a great positive and his daughters have already produced 34 stakes-winners, six of them Group I winners – Zipping, Wall Street, Toorak Toff, Xtension, Joshua Tree, Strategic News.

Zabeel and Danehill lead the table below as you would expect, but Grand Lodge is certainly having an impact, his three stakes-winners over the weekend joined by Toorak Toff (Show a Heart), My Destiny (Stratum) and Raspberries (Lonhro) to give him a total of six for the season.

Interestingly, current champion sires Encosta de Lago and Redoute's Choice are starting to play a role in this area, the former is sire of the dam of Fillydelphia (Bianconi (USA) , Instinction (Exceed and Excel) and Malasun (Red Ransom (USA), while the latter can claim Chase the Rainbow (Dash for Cash), Eight Till Late (Lonhro) and Hussousa (Husson (Chi).

Leading Australian Broodmares Sires 2011/2012 by Stakes-Winners (Figures courtesy Arion)