SOBIG was a great racehorse and sire in New Zealand many years ago and his daughter Davante was an outstanding racemare who numbered the New Zealand Oaks among her nine victories. More than four decades after Devante was winning all around her, a descendant of hers is making waves.

Last weekend Gingernuts won the Group 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie and added this victory to a prior success in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas. He has now won four of his seven starts and his fourth dam is the aforementioned Devante.

A notable feature of Gingernuts’ classic success was that it credited his Darley sire Iffraaj with yet another Group 1 winner, and the Dalham-based stallion was also responsible for the third horse home, Jon Snow. Iffraaj has now sired seven Group 1 winners including Ribchester, Rizeena, Chriselliam, Wootton Bassett and the dual New Zealand champion Turn Me Loose. He is standing at a fee of £27,500 this year.

Gingernuts is the outstanding performer in this particular branch of the family which emanates from Devante.

At stud the classic winner bred seven winners, the best of which was the Group 1 Western Australian Oaks winner Trappings, by Grosvenor. Among her unraced offspring was the Sir Tristram mare Windrift and she too bred seven winners, just one of which was placed in a stakes race.

The seven winners out of Windrift included the Australian winner Timberland Lass (by Oregon) and she in turn bred the five-time winner Double Elle to a covering by the dual Derby winner Generous. Double Elle is the dam of Gingernuts.

Another branch of the family is responsible for the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner The Pooka, a son of Tobougg.

Breeders, stallion masters and readers are invited to contact Leo Powell at leopowell@theirishfield.ie with news and updates for the column, and to visit our website www.theirishfield.ie for daily breeding news