For a stallion that failed to win a stakes race in a 16 start career, Desert Sun (GB) has overcome any short comings he had on the racetrack through the deeds of two champion mares.
His daughter Sunline won 28 stakes races including 13 Group ones, ranging in distance from the 1200 metre Manikato Stakes to the 2040 metre WS Cox Plate, which she won twice.
Black Caviar, a daughter of Desert Sun's unraced daughter Helsinge has chalked up 18 stakes wins in her undefeated 19 start career to date. Saturday victory in the Lightning Stakes was her ninth at the highest level.
The nearest Desert Sun came to a Group 1 success came when he finished sixth behind the David Haines-bred Mystiko in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He spent the best part of his final two years battling around the west coast of America with little success.
A 135,000 guineas yearling, Desert Sun is a son of the influential Danzig stallion Green Desert out of the Group 1 placed Solar a half-sister to the dam of champion sprinter and successful sire Cadeaux Genereux.
Desert Sun stood five seasons in New Zealand, 1994 - 1998. He was sold in 1999 to Eliza Park Stud and he shuttled to Ireland from 2000 to 2006.
In his second season at Eliza Park, Desert Sun covered the top-class Snippets mare Scandinavia a Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 placed including a third in the Lightning Stakes.
She subsequently foaled a filly for breeder Robert Crabtree and Eliza Park Stud's Lee Fleming who consigned her to the 2003 Magic Millions Yearling sale where she made $305,000 to the bid of Aquanita Racing. She had not raced and was not named when she made her next appearance in the sales ring at the 2005 Easter Broodmare Sale. She made $115,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Peter Ford on behalf of Rick Jamieson's Gilgai Farm was given the not so regal name of Like Billy Oh.
Thankfully, Jamieson changed the filly's name to Helsinge who, in her first season at stud, was one of 210 mares to be courted by Eliza Park Stud's Bel Esprit in his third season.
That union produced Black caviar and a repeat mating the following season left the talented stakes-placed Moshe who won 3 of his 5 starts.
Helsinge next visited Patinack Farm's first season stallion Casino Prince. The colt foal (pictured left as a foal) was consigned to the 2011 Easter Yearling sale where he was purchased by trainer John Hawkes on behalf of Nathan Tinkler for $1,025,000. Named All To Hard he became his sires first stakes winner and his dams second when he made a winning debut in the Listed Talindert Stakes at Flemington shortly before his half-sister claimed her ninth Group 1 success.
All eyes will now be on Helsinge's fourth foal, a filly by champion sire Redoute's Choice, who Jamieson will consign through Makybe to the upcoming Easter Yearling sale.
Helsinge has a colt foal by Redoute's Choice and was bred back to Bel Esprit last year.
