Bianconi, the Swettenham Stud, Nagambie, Victoria Danzig sire currently riding high as the source of crack sprinter Nicconi and as Victoria’s leader by earnings and numbers, has very limited use over mares carrying in their breeding one of the most prepotent Australasian influences in history, Sir Tristram. One of the few has been Posy, the daughter of the Sir Tristram sire Marauding who produced to Bianconi the good galloper Mr Martini, winner of the MVRC Bill Stutt Stakes and STC Kingston Town Stakes.
No Bianconi product, however, has had as much exposure in its breeding to Sir Tristram as a colt born September 22, 2008 who is in the consignment from Adam Sangster’s Swettenham Stud to the Magic Millions Adelaide yearling sale due to be held on March 9 and 10. One of the first Bianconi’s bred by Adam following his taking over the ownership of the stud after the death of his father Robert Sangster, the yearling is inbred to Sir Tristram 4x4 and on top of this is from a family that has had outstanding success with him.
Bianconi got the colt as the first foal of Ellexcell, a winning daughter of the Zabeel Horse of the Year and Lonhro’s sire Octagonal and Tamarind Tree, a mare by another superior transmitter of excellence, Last Tycoon. She was from Les Lilas, a winning sister by Sir Tristram to four Patrick Hogan bred stakes winners, Grosvenor (champion racehorse and prominent sire), National Gallery (won the Western Australian Derby, second Victoria Derby), Kyrie Eleison (won the Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes; second Great Northern Oaks) and Garfunkel.
In addition the yearling’s dam has relationship with Horse of the Year and budding sire giant Lonhro. He is by Octagonal and from dual Group1 juvenile second Shadea, a half-sister to Les Lilas.
The yearling is one of nine by Bianconi in the Adelaide catalogue, but the only one on account of Swettenham. They have, however, six other lots – two each - by other proven Swettenham sires in Dash for Cash (MRC Futurity Stakes and VRC Australian Guineas winner by Secret Savings), Hold That Tiger (European champion juvenile by Storm Cat) and Keep the Faith (Australian bred son of Sunday Silence who followed dashing wins here by setting a new American grass track record for six furlongs in one of his three outings in that country).
Tipped to be a big time sire in the future, Keep the Faith has got off to a good start with his first crop, current 2-year-olds, including the David Hayes trained unbeaten colt In Faith. He won by 2.3 lengths at Morphettville in January on debut and then by 4.25 lengths at Moonee Valley on February 13.
In Faith is inbred 4x3 to another giant of breeding in Danzig. The same Danzig dosage is in one of the Swettenham Keep the Faith yearlings, a September 10 foaled colt out of the Sydney winner Brittany Miss.
The other Swettenham Keep the Faith also has a strong pedigree. A half-brother to Brisbane winner Martha’s Vineyard, he is from Roya Jama, a winner by Royal Academy out of Sajama, a half-sister by Bletchingly to Skybeau, a triple Group 3 winner, Adelaide Cup second and Melbourne Cup third.
All told there are nine by Keep the Faith in the 369 lot Adelaide catalogue with the others being offspring of Danehill, Fairy King, Canadian Silver, Zeditave, Rory’s Jester, Soviet Lad and Danzero.
