TRETHIAS (Invincible Spirit) has already justified the 400,000gns price tag she commanded when sold as a yearling in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2017. Purchased by BBA (Ireland) for Stonethorn Stud Farm Limited, the filly will now be aimed at the Group 1 Irish Oaks following her victory midweek in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Naas Oaks Trial.

The three-year-old is trained by The Irish Field columnist Jessica Harrington and she and the owners had previously enjoyed blacktype success together with Drumfad Bay (Acclamation), a listed winner two years ago.

Bred by Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber’s Watership Down Stud, Trethias is from a family that the couple has enjoyed much success with in recent times, latterly with Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and Lah Ti Dar (Dubawi).

Trethias is out of Evita, a well-named daughter of Selkirk (Sharpen Up) who raced for Andrew Lloyd-Webber without becoming a winner. Trained by Luca Cumani, she ran seven times and was runner-up on the polytrack at Wolverhampton. Being a sibling to four Group 1 winners ensured she found a place at stud and Trethias is her fourth winner and second stakes winner, following the 230,000gns breeze-up buy Moohaarib (Oasis Dream) whose four victories included an Ascot listed race.

Six of Evita’s first seven foals were sold at auction, and they have aggregated 1,630,000gns for the Lloyd-Webbers. The most recent is the two-year-old Peronista (Muhaarar) and she sold for 370,000gns last year to Blandford Bloodstock. This year Evita produced a filly by Australia (Galileo).

Evita is a daughter of Darara, a mare who needs little introduction. The daughter of Top Ville (High Top) won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at three and her 10 winners include four Group/Grade 1 winners on the flat, and an additional Grade 1 winner under National Hunt rules. Probably the best known of the quartet is Dar Re Mi (Singspiel) and she was a Group 1 winner in Ireland, England and Dubai. She earned almost £2.7 million for the Lloyd-Webbers and she is now proving to be an exceptional matron.

Mated with Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) Dar Re Me has produced the Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed So Mi Dar, the Group 2 winner and classic-placed Lah Ti Dar, and last year’s champion two-year-old and 2019 classic runner-up Too Darn Hot. The latter crowned his juvenile season with victory in the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

Darara is from a family that has served the Aga Khan well for generations, though it has its roots in the world of National Hunt racing. Evita’s third dam Kelty (Venture) went to stud as an unraced filly and it was some three years later that her half-sister Ibarra (Iron Liege) won on the flat and added three more successes over jumps.

Kelty bred four winners, one of which founded a successful dynasty of jumping winners in France. That was Cyane (Abdos) but she herself didn’t manage to win. Her full-sister Delsy (Abdos) did win and was placed at Group 3 level, and she was subsequently a phenomenal success as a broodmare. Her dozen winning offspring included the aforementioned Darara and she was born two years after an even more celebrated sibling. He was the 1984 Group 1 Prix de Jockey Club-French Derby winner Darshaan (Shirley Heights).

What a race that classic turned out to be as an influencer, Darshaan beating Sadler’s Wells and Rainbow Quest. When you consider what they all achieved at stud, it is arguable that this was one of the most important races run in the 20th century.

Alain de Royer Dupré, training for the Aga Khan less than a year following the death of François Mathet, saddled Darshaan to face 16 opponents. Vincent O’Brien brought Sadler’s Wells over, while Rainbow Quest in the Abdullah colours and trained by Jeremy Tree ensured that the race was full of quality.

Darshaan went to stud at the end of his three-year-old year and he sired the Group 1 2000 Guineas winner Mark Of Esteem, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Kotashaan, and Dalakhani who won the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club nine years after his sire. Darshaan is also a hugely significant broodmare sire of Group 1 winners.

Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) became the greatest European stallion of his time. He sired 74 Group 1 winners and many of his sons have become influential stallions, amongst them Galileo. Rainbow Quest (Blushing Groom) would go on to win the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at four and at stud he sired 18 Group 1 winners.

Back for a moment to Delsy. She bred 12 winners, five blacktype winners, two Group 1 winners and her descendants include her dual Group 1 winning grandson Daliapour (Sadler’s Wells) and triple Group 1 winner Hunter’s Light (Dubawi).

Invincible Spirit (Green Desert), the sire of Trethias, is one of the most successful sires globally and the 22-year-old has just completed his 17th season at the Irish National Stud. Trethias is his ninth stakes winner of 2019, a list headed by the classic winner Magna Grecia and augmented by a trio of Group 2 winners, Digital Age, Invincible Army and Inns Of Court.