Australian breeders love two year-old Gr.1 winners, especially when they are from the Danehill male line, so it’s hardly surprising they have embraced Vinery’s young sire Myboycharlie, the subject of this month’s stallion profile, as an attractive proposition. Courtesy of Bluebloods.
MYBOYCHARLIE (IRE), a Gr.1-winning juvenile who begins his second southern season at Vinery this year, represents a branch of the Danehill sireline that is more familiar in WA than the eastern states as his sire Danetime (IRE) was a great success there. Danetime’s “Sandgropers” include the Gr.1 winner Megatic, Karrakatta Plate-Gr.2 winner Roman Time and the likes of Dark Target, So Secret, Danebeela, Famous Roman and My Time, but just as he was really hitting his stride as a sire, Danetime died in September 2005 after covering just a handful of mares in his fourth southern season.
However he was anything but a “one hemisphere wonder” as he proved a hit in the north too, retiring to stud in Ireland in 1999 and leaving horses of the calibre of Bushranger (IRE) (Champion 2YO of England and France and new to Eliza Park, Victoria in 2010), Prix Morny-Gr.1 winner Myboycharlie (Champion 2YO Colt of France 2007) and Gr.2 winners Vital Equine (IRE) (shuttles to Touchstone Farm, WA) and The Kiddikid.
Myboycharlie (ex Dulceata by Rousillon) was foaled in 2005 and stands 16.1 hands. He was described by Timeform as “a quite good-topped useful looking colt” at two when he was given an annual rating of 118. He displayed above average ability on the track at that age and was purchased by Coolmore after he won his maiden (“overcoming greenness to win unextended by three lengths after travelling strongly from the outset”) and the Anglesley Stakes-Gr.3 at the Curragh (“outclassed them . . . running right away to score driven out by seven lengths”) at just his second start.
He kept up the momentum by winning the Prix Morny-Gr.1 (1200m) at Deauville at his first outing for his new owners (“stretching out impressively for a two-length success”) from Group winners Natagora (subsequent winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes-Gr.1) and Alexandros for trainer Tommy Stack and jockey Kieren Fallon. “He has natural speed, and I’ve never been going so easy in a Gr.1 race,” said Fallon, clearly impressed with the effort. Tried at 7f next time out, he was third behind subsequent classic winner New Approach and Rio de la Plata in the National Stakes-Gr.1. Myboycharlie had two unplaced runs in the UK at three, a fifth in the Greenlands Stakes-Gr.3 (6f) and a fifth in the Sapphire Stakes-Gr.3 (5f) and was sent to the US, winning an Allowance over 8f from three further starts at that age and finishing fourth in a mile Listed event, retiring with four wins and a third from nine starts.
His sire Danetime (Danehill (USA)-Allegheny River by Lear Fan) has had 171 starters in the southern hemisphere for 124 winners (72.5%) of $12.29m, with his eight stakes winners led by Gr.1 hero Megatic (dam by Old Spice). His other black type performers here being out of mares by WA-based sires like Is It True, Protos, Marooned, Tenby, Bletchley Park and Todvega, plus a Listed winner from a mare by Rory’s Jester. His runners from both hemispheres (511) have produced 323 winners (63.2%) of $30.2m including 27 stakes winners (5.3%) and 19 stakes placed runners. His northern Gr.1 winners are from mares by Efisio (Forli line) and Rousillon (Riverman) and his other stakes winners are from mares by Most Welcome, Komaite, Sadler’s Wells, Selkirk, Sharp Victor, Indian Ridge, Distant Relative (2), Cyrano de Bergerac, Fairy King (2), Exbourne, Alydeed, Don’t Forget Me, Caerleon and Nomination.
Unlucky not to be a Gr.1 winner, Danetime was in devastating form in 1997 when his big betting owner Michael Tabor unleashed huge plunges on the three year-old in two of England’s major handicaps. The first, in the 30-runner Wokingham Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot, came unstuck when he drew barrier 19, got trapped at the rear of the field and then made up 10 lengths to go down a head to Selhurstpark Flyer. He atoned next start by beating subsequent Newmarket July Cup-Gr.1 winner Elnadim (USA) over 6f at Newmarket and then tackled the Listed Stewards’ Cup (6f) at Goodwood, a race not won by a three year-old since 1983. Thought to be disadvantaged by his draw on the stands’ side of the track, the Danehill (USA) colt won by a neck (Be My Valentine) and a half-length (Dashing Blue) in what Timeform called “the most competitive sprint handicap of the season” (30 runners) and win his owner “a bit more than £200,000” from the bookies.
Sent straight to Gr.1 level and looking certain to be competitive, the Noel Callaghan-trained colt was withdrawn from the Nunthorpe Stakes-Gr.1 on race day when he was found to have a high temperature.He started 3/1second favourite in the Haydock Park Sprint Cup-Gr.1 when he next ran in September and finished second past the post (demoted to third) behind Royal Applause. This prompted Timeform to suggest that Danetime “looks a serious candidate for Champion Sprinter in 1998”.
“A sturdy, good-quartered colt with a quick action, Danetime looks every inch a sprinter in physique,” continued the report in Racehorses of 1997, and Timeform awarded the colt an annual rating of 119p. As it turned out, 1998 proved a problematic year for Danetime with Timeform reporting his stable was “badly out of sorts”. However he ran on strongly to be third in Elnadim’s July Cup-Gr.1 and wasn’t far away when fifth behind Seeking The Pearl in the Prix Maurice de Gheest-Gr.1 at his final start (annual Timeform 121). He retired to Tally-Ho Stud, County Westmeath in Ireland on a fee of IR3000 guineas.
An IR13,000 guineas foal and IR36,000 guineas yearling, Danetime is out of modest 7f winner Allegheny River, a daughter of the Prix Jaques le Marois-Gr.1 winner Lear Fan (Roberto-Wac by Lt Stevens) and juvenile winner Allesheny (Be My Guest). This is the family of Riboboy and Champion Irish Two Year Old Mantovani.
He retired to stud in 1999 and early success in Europe with runners like Group winner The Kiddykid (dam by Sadler’s Wells) prompted moves to shuttle the young sire to WA in 2002. In addition to his high profile shuttlers in the eastern states, Danetime also has a couple of locally-bred sons at stud in the west (plus shuttler Vital Equine), notably So Secret (ex Most Secret by Bletchley Park) at Rangeview Stud and the unraced Hartley’s Spirit (ex Prohurst by Protos) at Bellbridge Park.
Danetime’s sire Danehill (USA) (Ranzig-Razyana by His Majesty) won the Haydock Sprint Cup-Gr.1 before creating history as the most prolific stallion of the modern era, becoming a champion sire in Europe and Australia, leaving 348 stakes winners (17.3% stakes winners to starters), 89 of those at Gr.1 level. A champion sire of sires (Danzero, Flying Spur, Redoute’s Choice, Danehill Dancer, Fastnet Rock) and broodmare sire of more than 100 stakes winners, Danehill’s blood dominates the Australian breeding industry.
Myboycharlie’s dam Dulceata, by dual Gr.1 winner Rousillon, a son of Riverman, ran last at her only start at Newmarket at three but she hails from a family well known in Australia, and all her six foals to race are winners. She is a daughter of the 6f Listed winner Snowtop (by Thatching and from the Gr.3 winner Icing (Prince Tenderfoot), a half-sister to Gr.1 winner and sire Al Hareb (USA) (El Gran Senor) and dam of seven winners.
One of Snowtop’s non-winners, the placed Snowdrift (FR) (by the Danzig son Polish Precedent), has produced five winners in Australia led by Gr.1 winner Snowland, a very good sire despite poor fertility, and his Listed-winning brother, the Widden Stud based Snippetson (both by Snippets) and the Gr.2 winner and Golden Slipper-Gr.1 third Portillo (Red Ransom (USA)).
Myboycharlie’s damsire Rousillon, (ex Belle Dorine by Marshua’s Dancer) won seven of his 13 starts including the Sussex Stakes-Gr.1 and Prix du Moulin-Gr.1 and the Queen Anne Stakes-Gr.2 by big margins (racing best when there was genuine speed up front). Although Rousillon’s female line is fairly modest, it’s worth noting that his second dam Palsy Walsy is by Sea o Erin, a very tough (19 wins in 85 starts) stakeswinning son of champion Australian performer Shannon(Midstream-Idle Words by Magpie), a performer of the highest class in Australia (wins included the Epsom Handicap) and the US (Hollywood Gold Cup) and winner of 20 of his 44 starts.
Rousillon left 115 winners from 184 starters (62.5%) and his 16 stakes winners (8.7%) included three Gr.1 winners, led by Melbourne Cup hero Vintage Crop. His daughters have produced 171 winners (57.8%) and their 16 stakes winners (5.4%) include two at Gr.1 level, Myboycharlie and 2008 Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka (six Gr.1), a daughter of the Roberto-line sire Tanino Gimlet. His daughters have also produced stakes horses by Piccolo, Kylian, Salse, Rambo Dancer, Halling, In The Wings (2), Saddlers’ Hall, Fairy King, Machiavellian, Burden of Proof, Bahamian Bounty and Komaite.
Myboycharlie, who has clearly inherited his sire’s speed, should do well at Vinery on $11,000 and was extremely popular in his first season in 2009, getting 94 mares at a fee of $14,300. Myboycharlie offers breeders in the eastern states the chance to tap in to a new branch of the Danehill sire line. He carries a 5×5 cross of the brother and sister Lt Stevens and Thong (Nantallah-Rough Shod by Gold Bridge) – the latter via Thatching who is inbred to this family. Further returns of relatives like Fairy King (USA), Sadler’s Wells (USA), Perugino (USA), Yeats (USA) and Nureyev could prove beneficial and it’s worth noting that Rousillon mares have crossed well with the Sadler’s Wells, Fairy King and Nureyev sirelines (as has Danehill).
Snowtop’s sire Thatching (Thatch) derives a second line of the Thong family via his dam Abella (Abernant). She has the mare Jennydang (Colombo) as her third dam and Jannydang is a half-sister to Thong’s dam Rough Shod (Gold Bridge), both being daughters of Yorkshire Oaks winner Dalmary (Blandford). Bred by Vincent O’Brien, who also trained his sire and dam, Thatching proved a very good sprinter with his major win coming in the July Cup-Gr.1. Several of his sons stood in Australia including Rustic Amber and Archway. Daughters of both these horses and of Rustic Amber’s good sprinting son and now successful sire Sequalo look suitable mates for Myboycharlie, as do mares carrying his family members Al Hareb, Snowland, Freeze or Snippetson.
Myboycharlie’s sixth dam Ballisand (The Phoenix) has the mare Celone (Wavlet’s Pride) as her fourth dam. Celone’s half-sister Anchora (Love Wisely) achieved lasting fame as the grandam of Pharos and Fairway (Phalaris) – names hard to escape in modern pedigrees. They all trace to Rattlewings (family 13e, 1883 by Galopin), a sister to English 2000 Guineas winner Galliard.
While it’s good to be aware of this family history, perhaps it’s more pertinent to suggest some modern bloodlines which should also suit this talented Gr.1 winner. In addition to the Rough Shod family mentioned earlier (daughters of Vinery stallion mate Testa Rossa also fit this criteria), daughters of a former Vinery stallion Red Ransom (Roberto) could prove interesting, as could mares by Mr. Prospector-line sires such as Hussonet, Bellotto, Secret Savings and Faltaat (all giving further line breeding to already strong lines of Native Dancer) and mares from the Halo and Sir Ivor lines, (mares by Zabeel, Octagonal, Lonhro or Marauding for example).
Myboycharlie’s dam Dulceata has two lines of Princequillo via sons Prince John and Blue Prince and this could also be augmented using mares by Success Express or his son Mossman or by adding Princequillo’s Somethingroyal (via Secretariat or Sir Gaylord). The Snippets (Lunchtime) connection to this family could also be exploited, perhaps using daughters of Snippets or his son Pins or daughters of Intergaze.
The success of Danehill’s son and grandsons at stud augurs well for Myboycharlie, who has the speed and the family connections suggesting he will make the grade as a stallion. He’s in good hands at Vinery and is sure to be well supported with mares belonging to that stud’s astute band of owners.
Reproduced courtesy of Bluebloods. 
STALLION PROFILE by David Bay (August Edition)
