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Tony Morris’s 100 shapers of the breed

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    Posted: 06 Jan 2019 at 6:35pm

The Story of Djebel


Djebel: the four-time French champion sire features in many pedigrees today through his daughters

Renowned bloodstock writer Tony Morris with the first in a new series celebrating 100 horses instrumental in shaping the Thoroughbred of today.

 

Djebel, b c, 1937, Tourbillon – Loïka, by Gay Crusader

There seemed to be little to recommend the ten-year-old mare Loïka when she appeared at the 1936 Newmarket December Sales. Just a minor winner at two herself, she had produced only one equally insignificant winner, a colt born in 1932. Her recent record was dismal – barren in 1933 and 1935, a dead foal in 1934, and slipped twins in 1936.

She was now heavy in foal to the 1931 Prix du Jockey Club victor Tourbillon, whose current 2-year-olds included Gimcrack Stakes hero Goya, but that was not enough to impress British breeders, and she failed to reach a modest reserve.

Marcel Boussac, already France’s dominant breeder, took his mare home and never regretted the failure to sell her. In January 1937, she delivered Djebel, who would become a champion racehorse and sire, a mainstay of his breeder’s Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard.

Djebel went into training with Albert Swann at Chantilly and had five starts as a juvenile. Runner-up to the odds-on Lighthouse at his home course on debut, he next won the Prix de Chatou at Longchamp by three lengths, then collected two more second places, back at Chantilly behind Lighthouse again in the Prix d’Aumale, then at Deauville in the Prix Morny. Champion filly Furanebeat him there, but Lighthouse was now back in fourth.

Outstanding 2-year-old career

There was no more racing in France after the end of August in 1939, but some major races in England survived the outbreak of war, one being the Middle Park Stakes, albeit at the late date of November 1 on Newmarket’s July Course. Djebel was sent for the contest and won easily by two lengths fromTant Mieux, who was subsequently named England’s champion 2-year-old. On the strength of that performance Djebel was ranked top of his class in France.

The war inevitably caused considerable disruption to racing on both sides of the English Channel in 1940.  

Djebel won on his seasonal debut at Longchamp in March and followed up with a facile win in the 2,000 Guineas, staged on May 1 over Newmarket’s July Course. He was scheduled to return for a Derby bid and would surely have started favourite, but the fall of France meant his trip had to be cancelled.

He ran only twice more that year, winning the Prix d’Essai (a substitute event for both mile classics) in late October before a disappointing effort as third in the race staged at Auteuil that served as replacement for the Prix du Jockey-Club.

Having begun his 4-year-old campaign with three victories, Djebel took second place behindMaurepas in both the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Prix de Chantilly. He started favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but could manage only third place, two lengths behind unbeaten 3-year-old Le Pacha and Nepenthe, who were separated by a short head.

Training revisions paid off

A record of eight wins, five seconds and two thirds from 15 starts over his first three seasons read well enough, but Charles Semblat, the former jockey who now became his trainer, felt that Djebel might do even better if he was subjected to stronger work at home. The revisions to his routine paid off famously, as he completed a flawless campaign at five that added seven more victories, all at Longchamp.

April brought wins in the Prix des Sablons and Prix Boïard, he added the Prix d’Harcourt in May, the Prix d’Hédouville in June, and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (in which he ended Le Pacha’s unbeaten sequence) in July.

Rested then until an easy score in the Prix de Chantilly in early September, he arrived at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in tip-top condition, but only as second favourite, punters believing that Le Pacha would avenge his earlier defeat. The market was wrong. Djebel won with total authority by two lengths, and Le Pacha under-performed in sixth place.

Djebel had been a high-class performer throughout his career, but at five he was exceptional, an outstanding champion. He retired to Fresnay-le-Buffard at the height of his fame in 1943, and, if his wiry physique might be termed more workmanlike than conventionally handsome, he had other impressive attributes in soundness, consistency of performance – never worse than third in 25 races – and an equable temperament that set him apart from his notoriously hot sire, Tourbillon.

First-crop winners

Djebel’s first three crops were conceived in difficult wartime conditions, and it was hardly ideal that he began his stud career with the implied stigma that he and his descendants were ineligible for inclusion in the General Stud Book under the terms of the so-called Jersey Act. But that controversial ruling, in force since shortly before World War I, did not involve any restriction on racing such supposedly tainted stock, many of whom had proven their merit at the highest level.

There were eight individual winners among Djebel’s first juvenile runners in 1946, including Clarionand Le Lavandou, both of whom would enjoy successful stud careers in due course, the former represented best by Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Klairon, the latter by a similarly distinguished miler in Le Levanstell.  

In October that year, three of his initial crop won races at Newmarket, most notably Djerba in the Cheveley Park Stakes. One of the others was the diminutive Djelal, who would return in the following year to notch victories in the Diadem Stakes at Ascot and the Select Stakes on the Rowley Mile. He was destined for stud duty in Kentucky, but went berserk on one of the first transatlantic horse flights in November 1948 and was killed.         

First sires title

In 1947, Djebel had only 2- and 3-year-olds to represent him, but both generations excelled to the extent that he earned the first of four French sires’ titles, his initial classic success coming courtesy ofMontenica in the Prix de Diane. Djelal, though successful over a mile and a half in the Prix du Lys, was most accomplished as a sprinter, while his outstanding contemporary Arbar only began to warm up after 12 furlongs; his best win at three came over two miles in the King George VI Stakes at Ascot, and at four he was Europe’s champion stayer, winning the Prix du Cadran and the Gold Cup to earn an annual Timeform rating of 135.

The star turn among 1947’s 2-year-olds was the English-trained Lerins, who reeled off five consecutive wins, signing off with an impressive display in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. He returned at three with a new name, and as My Babu won the 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes to rank as champion miler, failing to stay as fourth in the Epsom Derby in between.  

The triumphs of Arbar and My Babu helped Djebel to reach fifth place on the 1948 sires’ list in Britain, while he secured his second title at home.

It was much the same in 1949, when Djeddah’s victories in the Eclipse and Champion Stakes provided a significant contribution to his sire’s fifth place in Britain, while the third consecutive championship in France owed much to the exceptional filly Coronation, who romped home in the Arc to earn a 135 rating from Timeform.  

Important factor

Taller than most of Djebel’s stock, she also stood out as an extreme example of Marcel Boussac’s inbreeding policies, Tourbillon featuring as both paternal and maternal grandsire. The numerous attempts to produce a foal out of Coronation all proved fruitless, though her full-sister Ormara had no such problem.

Djebel finished only second in the French sires’ table in 1950, but it was a great year for Boussac, who headed the owners’ and breeders’ lists in both France and England, helped significantly in the latter case by the victory of Djebel’s son Galcador in the Epsom Derby.  

In the years that followed, the stallion continued to prove an important factor in major European races, with such as Djebellica and Hugh Lupus notching classic wins in Ireland, Djelfa, Arbele andCordova distinguishing themselves at home, while Argur (Eclipse Stakes) and Atlas (Doncaster Cup) collected prestige prizes in England.

If Djebel’s impact appeared to be waning when his French runners in 1954 and 1955 gave him a lower profile, he bounced back to earn his fourth title in 1956, with Apollonia (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Prix de Diane), Floriados (Prix Hocquart) and Janiari (Prix Vermeille) as the star turns.

At the time of his death, in July 1958, Djebel had more than 30 sons at stud in various parts of the world, and many were to flourish for a while, but his branch of the line leading back to the Byerly Turk has been dwindling dramatically in recent years. Although he never ranked higher than third in the French broodmare sires’ list, it is through his daughters that he features most in pedigrees these days.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mumtaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 2019 at 7:07pm
Thanks for that - it is always useful to have these reminders and also the article was not too long so made a great update.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 11:34am
When Stratum first went to stud I thought I'd go looking for Djebel/Tourbillon blood in mares sent to him due to Lord (by Targui a son of Djebel) being a full brother to his 4th dam.  So anything with Century or more Kaoru Star.  Never Bend/Mill Reef, etc had me take a look.  When you consider 13 of his 16 Group winners had this blood (when in reality very little Djebel blood is in Australia) you could say despite the distance his female line really liked that line.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 11:54am
Seen a number of his sons progeny race in Sydney in the 50s and early 60s furious I'm referring to the stallion Emperor , the 1963 Doomben 10K winner Tipperary Star may have been one of his better ones, Bernie Byrnes his trainer had 4 boxes at Inglis's and was great mates with Bill , seen him most mornings lovely horse.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 12:21pm
Does Rubiton have any sons at stud that could potentially have their own sons at stud ?


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote StormSiren Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 1:31pm
Bulleton is the only one listed with the studbook.. only 15 foals over 10 odd years, one winner which is a gelding..
Lost in the magical world of racing. Storm Siren, Sirens Star, Elpis & Wait For It.
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Yes Emperor is where the Kaoru Star line gets it from Carioca.  And no Star Kingdom and Better Boy and Wilkes lines are no more.  When we sold Centaine to New Zealand and Toorak Toff failed it was the end.  Pity that both Show a Heart and Toorak could of been staying sires on pedigrees.  Stayers with speed!  Just like the Better Boy line.  But we are Australia out with the old and in with the latest thing to catch our eye.  Thank heavens not all the old blood get sold into Asia.  Some goes to Queensland and WA and they benefit from it.  THink of Spirit of BOom and Better than Ready siring winner after winner from what everyone think are poor families.  Just needed the right crosses.  Spirit is the old 1-l family (like 1-n (High Chaparral) and 1-o (Savabeel)) not to be sneezed at.  Better than Ready is the old Manto family like Written Tycoon and that old marvel of yesteryear Trenton.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 1:57pm
Originally posted by djebel djebel wrote:

Does Rubiton have any sons at stud that could potentially have their own sons at stud ?


Masterprint stood several seasons before succumbing to colic I think it was. He may have the odd VERY uncommercial son to stand.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote StormSiren Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 2:15pm
Originally posted by furious furious wrote:

And no Star Kingdom and Better Boy and Wilkes lines are no more.  When we sold Centaine to New Zealand and Toorak Toff failed it was the end.  Pity that both Show a Heart and Toorak could of been staying sires on pedigrees.  

I have eyed off from time to time Canny Show... as a breed to race and a throw at the stumps, he never raced but full brother to a G1 winner and Best In Show family line. Hasn't had any real opportunity, only 15 foals...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acacia alba Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 3:11pm
Adam stood but never did any good, and  Buriton wasnt much good either.  Think they might now have a son of Buriton out there near Stuart Town, but cant recall the name.
Shame Rubiton never got a decent son to carry on.
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Hello,
A son of Djebel was send to NZ, his Name was Targui. I spot his Name in several AUS/NZ peds and second he was bred 2x3 Tourbillon.
 
regards Ticino
P.S. wellcome in 2019, with a week delay.
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Hello,
the other important son of Djebel was Arbar.
 
He is in the damline of the German foundationmare "Love In" (Lomitas) and he appears twice in the ped
of "Dalakhani": Sire, Darshaan-Abdos-Arbar-Djebel; dam Daltawa-Astana-Arbar-Djebel
 
regards, Ticino
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carioca Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jan 2019 at 10:14pm
Originally posted by Ticino Ticino wrote:


Hello,
A son of Djebel was send to NZ, his Name was Targui. I spot his Name in several AUS/NZ peds and second he was bred 2x3 Tourbillon.
 
regards Ticino
P.S. wellcome in 2019, with a week delay.


One of the bravest horses to look through a bridle Lord was by Targui , winner of 21 races alone at Caulfield where he was trained , great horses up and down the east/ states. then, Kenny Hilton trained him and had 80 starts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 8:28am
Stratum was from his female line Ticino which is why I went looking for Djebel/Tourbillon blood in the mares going to him.  If a female line has a spike which is a champion you can't ignore the pedigree.  Something happened that was good.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djebel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jan 2019 at 2:38pm

Tony Morris’s 100 shapers of the breed: the legacy of an invincible American champion

Cyllene: an outstanding racehorse and an equally outstanding sire on two continents. Photo: Getty Images

Renowned bloodstock writer Tony Morris with the ninth article in his series celebrating 100 horses instrumental in shaping the modern Thoroughbred.

 

Cyllene, ch c, 1895, Bona Vista – Arcadia, by Isonomy

An over-achiever on the racecourse, Cyllene progressed to surpass expectations again as an outstanding sire on two continents.

Bred by Charles Day Rose at his Hardwick Stud in Berkshire, Southern England, he was the product of parents who had both proved successful in Rose’s blue, black and red colours – Bona Vista most notably in the 2000 Guineas of 1892, Arcadia in her first two starts as a 2-year-old in 1889. Bona Vista had been a yearling auction purchase for 1,250gns from his breeder, the 5th Lord Rosebery, who would win the 1895 Epsom Derby with Sir Visto, his half-brother by Barcaldine.

The mating allowed Rose high hopes, but the foal did not arrive until May 28 and was still small and backward as a yearling, when nominations to the 1898 classic races had to be made. Much to his subsequent regret, his breeder chose not to make the entries.

Blossoming early

Rose sent Cyllene into training with William Jarvis at Newmarket, where the late foal blossomed early. He was ready for a run on Grand National day at Aintree on March 26; he started at odds-on in a field of first-time starters and won easily by three lengths. He was at odds-on again for his second race at Gatwick in May, and the concession of 9lb to all his four rivals presented no problems.

At Royal Ascot in the Triennial Stakes, he was opposed by only two fillies, set to concede 3lb to Nun Nicer – herself already a two-time winner – and 9lb to Demonette; he swept them aside by three lengths and five. The runner-up would win the 1000 Guineas the following spring.

Cyllene was aimed next at the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, the most valuable juvenile contest of the season, and it was at Sandown that he had his first close call, prevailing by a head over Ebba, a filly with 7lb advantage at the weights.

Was there a better 2-year-old in England in 1897? Cyllene had his fifth and final race at two in the Imperial Produce Stakes at Kempton Park, and it was considered such a competitive renewal that the Rose colour-bearer started at a shade of odds against for the first time. It also produced the colt’s first reverse, but, as he was giving 10lb to the winner, Dieudonne, and failed by only three-quarters of a length, the result did nothing to damage his reputation. Dieudonne’s subsequent victory in the Middle Park Plate advertised the form.

Having won four times over five furlongs and proved best at the weights over six, Cyllene was confirmed as a precocious sprinter, but there was always going to be more to him than that.

For his first start at three, at his home course, he was presented with an apparently easy task in the Column Produce Stakes over a mile, but, having started at 11/2 on, he turned in an uncharacteristically poor performance in third place, albeit while giving 21lb to the winner and 13lb to the runner-up.

Cyllene’s three subsequent races in 1898 showed him in a much more favourable light. The bookmakers perhaps felt that he was already a back number, because they let him go off at the generous odds of 9/2 in the ten-furlong Newmarket Stakes. He trounced ten rivals by four lengths and more, his victims including fifth-placed Jeddah, who would win the Derby on his next appearance.

No contest

More than four months passed before Cyllene was seen in action again.  His reappearance came over the same course and distance as the Newmarket Stakes in the Jockey Club Stakes, a race considerably more valuable than the Derby. Among his rivals this time were two filly classic winners in Chelandry (1897 1000 Guineas) and Airs And Graces (1898 Oaks), but a more significant foe was 4-year-old Velasquez, a half-brother to Bona Vista by Donovan; on his latest start he had won the Eclipse Stakes, the season’s richest race. In receipt of 12lb for the year’s difference in their ages, Cyllene was the 5/2 favourite with Velasquez held at 3/1, but the predicted close contest did not materialise, the 3-year-old stretching six lengths clear of the older colt.

Cyllene signed off for the season in the Sandown Foal Stakes with his third victory at ten furlongs. Set to give solitary rival Pie Powder 17lb, the outcome was so obviously predictable that he started at 33/1 on before giving the filly a four-length drubbing.

There was plenty of evidence to suggest that Cyllene had been the best of his generation at two and three, but his absence from the classics and the fact that he had never won beyond a mile and a quarter might tell against him in the minds of some breeders. He needed to come back at four and win the Gold Cup.

Jarvis prepared him with just that end in view and sent him out for two engagements at Ascot. On the first day of the meeting, his target was the Triennial Stakes over two miles, and the weight concessions he was required to make to three opponents seemed highly unlikely to trouble him. Sure enough, he romped home by two lengths, the exercise tuning him up nicely for the more consequential test to come two days later.

Career best performance

French stables routinely targeted the Gold Cup at that period, and Gardefeu, winner of the previous season’s Prix du Jockey-Club, promised to be a formidable challenger for the 1899 renewal. But the punters retained their faith in Cyllene, who started a warm favourite at 6/4, Gardefeu being sent off second best at 3/1. It turned out to be no contest, Cyllene dominating in an eight-length triumph, while Gardefeu could manage no better than third, three more lengths adrift. By general consent, his Gold Cup performance ranked as his career best.

In a career of 11 races over three seasons Cyllene had notched nine wins, a second and a third, his earnings amounting to £25,567. Though deprived of a classic campaign, he numbered classic winners among his victims, including the English and French Derby heroes of his generation. It was no surprise that his owner-breeder could soon announce that his champion was fully booked for 1900 and 1901 at a fee of 150gns. (Of course, ‘full’ did not imply large numbers in those days.  Most stallion owners chose not to over-tax their horses, particularly in their first season.)

Cyllene had nine seasons at stud in England, beginning back at Hardwick, his first home. He did not start well, his first auctioned yearlings failing to impress, and his first runners – 2-year-olds of 1903 – contrived only two wins in modest company between them.

Significant developments came along in 1905. Rose reduced the horse’s fee to 100gns, and in May sold him to William (later Sir William) Bass for 30,000gns. The buyer had cause for celebration when shortly afterwards Cyllene’s second crop son Cicero won the Derby. In September, the stallion was represented prominently at classic level again with the second place of Polymelus in the St Leger.

In spite of that forward showing at Doncaster, Polymelus was not really a stayer, and his achievements at four, after his auction purchase at 4,200gns by Solly Joel, illustrated the point. An autumn hat-trick of victories in the Duke of York Handicap at Kempton, the Champion Stakes and the Cambridgeshire – the last-named under a 10lb penalty – brought Polymelus plenty of kudos, while raising the profile of his sire to new heights.

It was now apparent that Cyllene had been under-rated and was entitled to better patronage. That is what he duly obtained, but in January 1908 Bass allowed himself to be persuaded to part with the horse who might have served as an enduring money-making machine for him. Argentina’s renowned Ojo de Agua Stud made a speculative offer of 25,000gns and was delighted to learn that it was acceptable.

But Cyllene could not depart for South America just yet. Rose had sold the horse to Bass on the understanding that the buyer would stand him in England for at least three years. That was fine; Bass would have the income from the 1908 matings, and the Argentinians could wait until the end of the breeding season before they claimed their prize.

Cyllene sailed from Southampton in July, and he was to achieve fresh fame in South America – champion sire in 1913, second in 1921, and third in both 1915 and 1916. He survived to reach 30, dying early in 1925.

Notable consequence

More notable distinction was to be achieved at home. In 1909, Cyllene was represented by Derby hero Minoru, and in 1910 by Derby hero Lemberg. Those Classic triumphs were instrumental in assuring their sire of champion status in both years.

The necessity for Cyllene to remain in England for the 1908 breeding season had a notable consequence, one of the results of that year’s matings being Tagalie, successful in both the 1000 Guineas and the Derby.

Cyllene’s feat of getting four Derby winners (1905, 1908, 1909, 1912) in eight breeding seasons was remarkable.  There had been nothing comparable since the achievements of Sir Peter Teazle (1798, 1799, 1803, 1806) and Waxy (1809, 1810, 1814, 1815), and only two stallions have since been responsible for four Derby winners – Blandford (1929, 1930, 1934, 1935) and Montjeu (2005, 2007, 2011, 2012). No stallion to date has sired five Derby winners.

In an era when we rarely concern ourselves with names beyond the fifth generation, we hardly ever encounter Cyllene. He is further back in pedigrees, and it is no exaggeration to state in all pedigrees. His Derby winners played their part, but the star turn was unquestionably Polymelus, five times champion at stud and sire of Phalaris, the most influential of all 20th century stallions.

Cyllene’s dominant displays over a variety of distances suggest that, had he been granted the opportunities, he might well have won a Triple Crown. But it is sufficient to celebrate him as the lifetime over-achiever who became a staple ingredient of the breed.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mumtaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jan 2019 at 6:58pm
Thank you 
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Yes it does djebel.
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