In the autumn of 1983, Sydney race fans were cheering for either Sir Dapper or Emancipation in a series of memorable clashes and this racing obsessed teenager was in the Sir Dapper camp, but with the hindsight of some 30 years, the mare had his measure, not only on the track, but in the breeding barn.
Foaled in 1979, Emancipation was by champion sire Bletchingly from Ammo Girl, a daughter of the legendary grey superstar Gunsynd.
Trained by Neville Begg, the dashing grey won 19 races from 1000 to 1750 metres including six at Group I level in an era when there was but one Group I event for mares.
That was the STC Rosemount Wines Classic, now the Coolmore Classic, which she won under a top weight of 60kg.
Sent to stud initially in New Zealand, Emancipation produced Group II winner Royal Pardon (by Vice Regal) as her first foal, but after that it was pretty much all downhill until her daughters started producing.
Emancipation produced five named fillies and while none had much to offer as racehorses, each one has spawned a stakes dynasty of success.
Her first born filly Animation, also by Vice Regal, left Group II winner Magneto and is also the grand-dam of current Group III winner Amovatio.
The next filly Principation (by Prince Echo (IRE) left two stakes -placed horses
in Masterful Lad and and Jackpot
Delight, not to mention the dam of stakes-winner Raid, whose full sister is the
dam of dual Group I winner and $1.6 million earner Stratum Star, winner of the Group
I WATC Kingston Town Classic last Saturday.The next filly for Emancipation was born in Australia and sired by champion sire Danehill (USA).
Felicitation has taken the family global as the grand-dam of outstanding filly Rumya, a dual Group I winner in South Africa and Aussie Group II winner Badawiya, while others in this branch of the family include UAE Oaks winner Raihana and classy Group I placed Group III winner Rageese, who retires to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand next year.
The following year produced another filly, this time Virage, a daughter of handsome grey shuttler Kenmare (Fr).
Virage is the dam of dual Group I winner Virage de Fortune, who sold as a broodmare
for $3.4 million to Darley in 2007, and Group III winner Avenue, while another
Group III winner Slapstick is also in this branch of the family.Emancipation produced her last foal in 1995, a filly by Palace Music (USA) called La Suffragette.
She never raced, but made her mark as the dam of dual Group I winner and $3million earner Railings and is also the grand-dam of Group II winner Pimms Time.
It's interesting that the four Group I winners that descend from Emancipation – Stratum Star, Railings, Virage de Fortune and Rumya are all multiple Group I winners – exceptional horses over a variety of distances.
Stratum Star a miler, Railings a stayer, Virage de Fortune a sprinter and Rumya a sprinter/ miler.
So many genetic factors come into play in a horse's pedigree, but you like to think it's that champion gene of Emancipation that made the horses above so special.
The next question is who will be the next star for this family and that may well be Queensland trained three year-old filly Benfica Princess, who has won her past three starts in eye-catching fashion.
She comes from the Animation branch of the family, which is yet to produce a Group I winner, so maybe Benfica Princess can place the last piece in the puzzle.
