DEIRDRE is the best of three Group 1 winners sired by the 11-length 2010 Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Harbinger (Dansili) who stands at the Shadai Stallion Stakes in Japan.

All three of his top-level winners are from his third crop, born in 2014, and Deirdre could well add to her victory in last year’s Group 1 Shuka Sho if she continues the form which saw her won last weekend’s Group 2 The Ireland Trophy Fuchu Himba Stakes.

The dam side of Deirdre’s pedigree is very well known in this part of the world. She is the best of two winners, from her first three foals, out of the placed Reizend (Special Week) and that mare is a sibling to three stakes winners; Group 3 winners Northern River (Agnes Tachyon) and Renforcer (Symboli Kris S), and the listed winning Not Alone (Agnes Tachyon).

Their dam was the unraced Soninke, by Machiavellian (Mr Prospector) out of the champion racemare Sonic Lady (Nureyev). Bought as a yearling in 1984 by Sheikh Mohammed for $500,000, Sonic Lady was a difficult filly to ride. A specialist miler who won seven group races among eight victories, she was third when favourite for the Group 1 1000 Guineas. She then won three Group 1 races, the Irish 1000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin and was rated the best filly of her generation in Europe. She was twice the beaten favourite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Sonic Lady was moderately successful at stud, her three winners all being stakes winners, but no better than Group 3 standard. She herself was the sole winner from the Group 3 Child Stakes winner Stumped (Owen Anthony).