ROMANISED is not the first Irish classic winner in his family, his third dam Seasonal Pickup (The Minstrel) being a full-sister to Style Of Life whose best offspring was Grey Swallow (Daylami), winner of the Group 1 Budweiser Irish Derby and who followed up with success the next year in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

The 11th Group 1 winner for his sire Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill), Romanised joins his close relation Designs On Rome, Beauty Only, Mongolian Khan, Rich Tapestry, Sheidel, Morandi, Homecoming Queen, Rollout The Carpet, Maraton and Salto Olimpico on the list of top level winners for the Group 1 winning juvenile who retired to stud as a three-year-old in 2007.

That decision to retire the dual Group 1 winner came as a shock in early March of his second season following the discovery that George Washington was largely infertile (he sired just a single foal). A leading classic hope, Holy Roman Emperor won four of his seven starts at two, most significantly landing the Phoenix Stakes in Ireland and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium in France. He was twice runner-up to Teofilo, in the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes and the National Stakes at the Curragh.

Romanised is a first Group 1 winner in Ireland for Holy Roman Emperor, while the 1000 Guineas winner Homecoming Queen is his only winner at that level in England.

Indeed, it can truly be said of Holy Roman Emperor that he is a leading international stallion, his progeny excelling in Hong Kong, France, Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Brazil. He is excellent value at €15,000 at Coolmore and his progeny are consistently popular with buyers.

HIGH CLASS

From a top-class family that is a perennial producer of stallions, Holy Roman Emperor offers a great opportunity to breed a high-class runner at a modest fee.

Almost half of all his foals are winners, his runners have earned in excess of €41 million and already this year 54 of his offspring have won, setting him well on the way to eclipsing last year when he had more than 130 individual winners.

Romanised is the third stakes and second classic winner from the Indian Ridge (Ahonoora) mare Romantic Venture who was sold from Moyglare Stud 10 years ago at Goffs to Brendan Corbett for €40,000. At the time she was carrying her fifth foal and her second foal, Fictional Account (Stravinsky), was her only winner.

How that picture has changed as Fictional Account went on to become a six-time winner, including a pair of victories in listed races. Since then Romantic Venture has compiled a record of having six of her first seven foals be successful, the other being placed.

Among that sextet was Rock Of Romance (Rock Of Gibraltar) and he won and was placed in the Group 3 Italian St Leger and also made the frame in the Group 3 German St Leger.

The eighth and final foal from Romantic Venture is a two-year-old full-sister to Romanised named Roman Venture, and she is unraced to date. She is with Ger Lyons and what a boost her value received with her brother’s classic success. She continues to be owned by the Aherne family, being bred in the name of Monica, mother of three sons including Gerry who is a key member of the Coolmore team.

Romantic Venture is an own-sister to Sights On Gold (Indian Ridge) and he came close to being a Group 1 winner when he was runner-up in the Hong Kong Vase. He did win a couple of Group 3 races and earned more than £430,000. However, he had two siblings that won at a higher grade.

Simple Exchange is a son of Danehill (Danzig) and he gained his biggest success in the Grade 2 American Derby, having also won stakes races in Ireland and England. He was not the best offspring of Summer Trysting (Alleged) though.

That honour falls to the former Pat Flynn trained Designs On Rome, the biggest earner sired by Holy Roman Emperor and a grandson of Danehill.

Horse of the Year in Hong Kong in 2014 and winner of more than €6.26 million, Designs On Rome won four Group 1 races, the Hong Kong Cup, the QE11 Cup and the Hong Kong Gold Cup twice, in addition to the Hong Kong Derby. He has been one of the most popular runners in Hong Kong racing history.