LAST month Sandiva scored a repeat victory in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Gulfstream Park, pushing to her earnings past the $750,000 mark.

Al Shaqab Racing’s mare was bred in Ireland by Denis McDonnell, is trained by Todd Pletcher, began her career with Richard Fahey, and holds the remarkable distinction of having won a group or graded event every year from two to six years of age.

She also has two listed wins to her name, the first of which was at Naas in early June of her juvenile season, and this relation of Derby hero Sir Percy (by Mark Of Esteem) is a daughter of Coolmore’s unbeaten classic star Footstepsinthesand.

Like most of her sire’s more than 50 stakes winners, she has proved to be best in the seven to nine-furlong range, and her large amount of prize money falls well below the totals of his highest earners. Hong Kong Group 1-placed Group 2 scorer Beauty Flame, who heads that list, raced here as Roca Tumu, mile Group 1 star Pure Champion was known as Steinbeck, and Helene Spirit was Arasin when racing in France.

Living The Life began her career in England, crossed the Atlantic as a four-year-old, and when she retired late last year her earnings were comfortably past the $1 million mark. A dual Grade 2 winner over six and a half furlongs, this 10-time scorer also won a Grade 3 contest at a mile and was third in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes over nine furlongs.

Footstepsinthesand’s roll of honour also includes the Group/Grade 1 stars Chachamaidee, Infiltrada, Sand Bijou and Shamalgan, and his Group 2 winners feature the prolific Kaspersky, last year’s Prix Eugene Adam scorer Heshem, juvenile Formosina and sprinter Giant Sandman.

A half-brother to Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Pedro The Great (by Henrythenavigator; first two-year-olds in 2017) and to the dam of Group 1 stars Curvy and Power (a leading freshman in 2016), he comes from the family of juvenile champion Superstar Leo and of mile Group 1 scorers December Draw and Rivet, the latter a classic candidate for 2017.

Footstepsinthesand gets juveniles, sprinters, milers and the occasional middle-distance horse, his yearlings made up to €200,000 at the 2016 Goffs Orby Sale, and he has proved his worth.

Won three races, £226,451, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, ultimatepoker.com 2000 Guineas, Newmarket, Gr.1, Killavullan Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3.

Retired to stud in 2005, and sire of the winners of 1,331 races, and £25,069,292, including SAND BIJOU (ARG), STEINBECK (IRE), INFILTRADA (ARG), SHAMALGAN (FR), CHACHAMAIDEE (IRE), HESHEM (IRE), KASPERSKY (IRE), BEAUTY FLAME (IRE), LIVING THE LIFE (IRE), SAND PUCE (ARG), KING KON (ARG), GIANT SANDMAN (IRE), MINAKSHI (FR), BAREFOOT LADY (IRE), SAGITARIANA (ARG), FORMOSINA (IRE), DON SALUSTIANO (ARG), LARCHMONT LAD (IRE), ONENIGHTIDREAMED (IRE), QUEEN OF THE SAND (IRE), ROSSO CORSA (GB), FOOT BAND (ARG), GOOD LUCK KENY (ARG), J WONDER (USA), ARNOLD LANE (IRE), SANDY’S CHARM (FR), SENT FROM HEAVEN (IRE), DIVINA COMEDIA (FR), FOURIOSO (FR), PAS DE SOUCIS (IRE), MAXIMUS ZEUS (ARG), QUEEN ELECTRICA (ARG), SPRING LEAF (FR), etc.

Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, Ireland

Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Tim Corballis, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Mathieu Legars or Jason Walsh

Telephone: +353 (0) 52 6131298

Email: info@coolmore.ie

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €10,000