BALLYHANE Stud has become synonymous with the production of speed and precocity, and these days its five-strong roster is headed by the established pair Dandy Man (Mozart) and Elzaam (Redoute’s Choice).
The former’s double-digit tally of stakes winners includes three Group 1 stars of whom miler River Boyne has now joined the stallion ranks in Ireland. Elzaam’s standout performer is last year’s Group 1 Matron Stakes heroine Champers Elysees.
Their Group 2 Norfolk Stakes winner Prince Of Lir (Kodiac) sired 2020’s Group 1 Phoenix Stakes-placed Group 2 Norfolk Stakes victor The Lir Jet in his first crop, whereas their multiple Group 1-placed, Group 2-winning sprinter Soldier’s Call (by Showcasing) covered 164 mares in his first season. His first foals are arriving now.
Sands Of Mali is the newest addition to the team, and while all of his stud mates represent branches of the mighty Danzig (Northern Dancer) line, he offers something quite different.
Sands Of Mali is, like the typical Ballyhane stallion, all about speed. He is a horse who will likely sire plenty of two-year-old winners and sprinters, while also getting some who are effective at seven furlongs and a mile. In terms of bloodlines, however, he is free of Danehill, Green Desert, Sadler’s Wells, Galileo, Dubawi, and many of the other major names that appear somewhere in so many pedigrees.
He is a great-grandson of Mr Prospector (Raise A Native) and of Indian Ridge (Ahonoora), and also of the noted French speed source Sicyos (Lyphard), while the noted speed influences Mummy’s Pet (Sing Sing) and Habitat (Sir Gaylord) appear in the fourth and fifth generations of his chart, on the distaff side.
Indeed, in what is arguably a big plus for him, his is an actual outcross pedigree. The word outcross is too often misused to mean something akin to ‘representing a sire line different from my mare’s one’, but that is incorrect. Being an outcross means having zero duplicated ancestors within the first five generations of the pedigree.
Sands Of Mali is the best son of Panis (Miswaki), who has mostly sired sprinters, and he is out of an unraced daughter of the speedy Indian Rocket (Indian Ridge), with blacktype earners as both his grandam and third dam.
Sands Of Mali was Timeform-rated 116 at two after he beat Invincible Army easily in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, and that figure rose to 125 at three. He won a Group 3 sprint in France, beat Invincible Army again in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes, was a half-length runner-up to Eqtidaar in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, and later defeated the brilliant Harry Angel by a length in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock. He was trained by Richard Fahey, won on everything from good to heavy, was Group 1-placed on fast ground, and looks sure to be very popular in his new role.
SANDS OF MALI (FR), Bay 2015. Won five races, £726,876, over 6 furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes, York, Gr.2, Armstrong Aggregates Sandy Lane Stakes, Haydock Park, Gr.2, Prix Sigy, Chantilly, Gr.3, also placed second in Commonwealth Cup, Ascot, Gr.1.
Retires to Stud in 2021.
Stands at: Ballyhane Stud, Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, R93 K095, Ireland.
Contact: Joe Foley or Jane Foley
Telephone: +353 (0)59 9722068 or +353 (0)86 2524135 (Joe) or +353 (0)86 8066000 (Jane)
Email: info@ballyhane.com
Web: www.ballyhane.com
Fee: €6,500