PHILOMENE, a daughter of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), was beaten less than a length by Joan Of Arc in the Group 1 Prix de Diane-French Oaks at Chantilly. That short distance is all that stands between her dam being a four-time Group 1 winner producer.

Prudenzia (Dansili) is in the news again thanks to her daughter Diamond Necklace (St Mark’s Basilica) running out a stunning winner of Sunday’s Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches-French 1000 Guineas, and giving her Coolmore sire a classic winner with his first crop. She provides yet another chapter in the growing book of success for this female family.

This is a family that has a deep association with Luca Cumani’s Fittocks Stud, and in 2004 he sold the five-year-old mare Platonic (Zafonic) for 100,000gns to Patricia Boutin’s Suprina. She was carrying her second foal, later named Prudenzia, and the investment paid a very quick dividend. Boutin was acting for Écurie des Monceaux and Lady Chryss O’Reilly’s Skymarc Farm. Put in training with Pascal Bary, Prudenzia won a listed race at three and headed to stud.

This week, Henri Bozo told me: “Prudenzia has been one of our foundation mares, the result of an extraordinary friendship with Lady Chryss O’Reilly, with whom the whole Écurie des Monceaux story began 18 years ago with the purchase of Platonic. The influence of the ‘P’ family now goes far beyond just one mare or one farm — it has become an important part of the European breeding industry.

“I believe the breeding industry remains very strong internationally, although it is becoming increasingly competitive and demanding. In the end, I think it is long-term vision and patience that remain the true foundations of success.”

The partnership struck oil with Prudenzia’s first foal, a filly who sold for €600,000 as a yearling at Arqana, purchased by Badgers Bloodstock. She was Chiquita (Montjeu) and her valuation increased 10-fold when she sold at Goffs two years later, having won the Group 1 Irish Oaks and been runner-up in the French equivalent. At stud, two of her three winning daughters have been second at Group/Grade 1 level.

Staggering

All of the first 11 foals out of Prudenzia have been sold as yearlings at Arqana, and have grossed a staggering €13,495,000. Just three of them made a six-figure sum, and the range of prices goes from €420,000 for the multiple group-placed Enemy (Muhaarar) to €3 million last year from Amo Racing for Marylebone (Night Of Thunder). Nine of the 10 runners out of Prudenzia are winners, the other was placed, and this year’s yearling is a son of Siyouni (Pivotal) who will be offered at Arqana in August. What is he worth?

Chiquita and the unbeaten, now dual Group 1 winner, Diamond Necklace, who foaled down at Peter Molony’s Rathmore Stud, are joined on the roll of honour by Magic Wand (Galileo). The latter mare clocked up a lot of airmiles in her 28-race career. She won four times, notably the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot, and went to Australia where she landed the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington. She was placed at Group/Grade 1 level in Ireland, France, the USA and Hong Kong and has since been at stud in Japan and the USA.

On Tuesday, Prudenzia was on her way back to France, safely in foal to Delacroix (Dubawi). The dream lives on.

ST MARK’S Basilica was Europe’s champion juvenile, topped the rankings again in an undefeated classic season that saw him crowned Cartier Horse of the Year, is by a sire who is one of the best in Europe, and is a half-brother to a classic winner.

A son of Siyouni (Pivotal), St Mark’s Basilica was held in such early high regard that he was fifth, as favourite, in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes before winning his maiden. That success came a few weeks later over six furlongs at the Curragh, and he ran third in the Group 1 National Stakes over seven.

His victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on his fifth and final outing of 2020 guaranteed the two-year-old title, and provided him with the first leg of a remarkable Group 1 five-timer.

St Mark’s Basilica won the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains-French 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance and followed that with an almost two-length defeat of the subsequent Champion Stakes victor Sealiway in the Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby. Leading sires Shamardal and Lope De Vega are two who previously achieved that classic double.

A month later, St Mark’s Basilica took on older horses for the first time and soared to the top of the three-year-old division with an impressive Group 1 Eclipse Stakes performance, beating Addeybb and Mishriff by three and a half lengths and a neck. He added the Irish Champion Stakes, beating multiple Group 1-stars Tarnawa and Poetic Flare in a memorable finish.

Paddington

By the sire of Coolmore teammate Paddington, St Mark’s Basilica is out of Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes winner Cabaret (Galileo). That half-sister to Group 3 Solario Stakes scorer Drumfire (Danehill Dancer) is responsible for the 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Invincible Spirit).

Leading Irish juvenile filly Ugo Fire (Bluebird), who won the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, appears under the third generation of the pedigree, while those under the fourth include Group 1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (Efisio).

St Mark’s Basilica covered almost 150 mares last year, up from 110 in 2024, and his first crop now comprises three stakes winners; Diamond Necklace, Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner Aylin and Group 3 winner Thesecretadversary who recently contested the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket where he finished fifth behind Bow Echo. Down under, the sire’s first crop numbers dual listed winner Aristopolos among them.

Gone but never to be forgotten

DAYS before he would have officially turned 26, Juddmonte’s Dansili (Danehill) died after a short but aggressive illness. He was a top-class racehorse, stood at Banstead Manor from his retirement from racing in 2000, and was pensioned from stallion duties in 2018. He was a sibling to five individual Group or Grade 1 winners.

Trained by André Fabre, Dansili won his only start at two, and his first at three. He was runner-up to Sendawar in the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas, won the Group 3 Prix Messidor, and placed in both the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, to Dubai Millennium, and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. He raced on at four, wining the Group 3 Prix Edmond Blanc and Group 2 Prix du Muguet, and placed four more times at the highest level, running second to Giant’s Causeway in Goodwood’s Sussex Stakes.

Dansili sired 24 Group 1 winners among a total of 90 who won pattern races, and his multiple Group or Grade 1 winners were Flintshire (five wins), The Fugue (four), Proviso (four), Foreteller (three) and dual winners Dank, Laughing and Rail Link. He also developed into an influential broodmare sire, with the likes of Diamond Necklace and her sisters, Minnie Hauk, Ombudsman, Los Angeles, Kalpana and the Arc heroine Bluestocking.

Intrinsic role

When he died, Simon Mockridge, Juddmonte’s general manager, paid this tribute: “As a racehorse, Dansili was durable, genuine and consistent. Although he deserved a Group 1 victory on the racecourse, having been placed in six, that somehow always managed to evade him. During his 17 years at stud he played an intrinsic role in establishing the reputation of the Juddmonte roster.

“A truly wonderful, reliable and uncomplicated character as a stallion, he was a firm favourite of the stallion team and Juddmonte as a whole. He will be greatly missed.” Dansili is far from being forgotten, and he will continue to play an influential role in breeding circles for generations to come.