The power of a strong female family can never be underestimated and was highlighted over the weekend by two top class staying three year-olds that both claim the same fourth dam.
New Zealand Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles has been a revelation this season dominating her peers to win four major races highlighted by last Saturday’s Group I New Zealand Oaks.
A $5,000 weanling purchase, she is the second Group I winner for her sire Rip Van Winkle (IRE) and is from a grand-daughter of tough multiple Group II winner Waikiki, whose dam is Sovereign Edition (IRE) mare Dancing Maid.
At Moonee Valley last Friday night we saw lightly raced Nonconformist give the impression better things are to come when scoring a big win in the Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes.
He too claims Dancing Maid as his fourth dam, but this branch of the family has been bereft of Black type until now.
A Moonee Valley winner over 1600m, Dancing Maid has left a dynasty that has produced no fewer than 15 stakes-winners and among them is world champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom, the HK Horse of the Year in 2010.
The pedigrees of these two horses Jennifer Eccles and Nonconformist are interesting for their use of a tried and true female family updated with quality diverse bloodlines delivering two Group winners that are completely free of Danehill blood.
Zabeel is a common factor in both pedigrees and no doubt brings some stamina into the mix, his sire Sir Tristram (IRE) achieving huge success back in the early days of his career covering daughters of Sovereign Edition, the sire of Dancing Maid.
