How tough are these ?

[HJ]

Searching through results recently I came accross this performer - Marion's Man (by Helmsman) who made his seasonal debut at Penn National as a 10 year old having his 100th start and not only won, he won by 8 lengths ! This was his 17th victory. Marion's Man has subsequently come out and won his very next start as well. Marion' Man has an enviable record of 101 starts, 18 wins, 18 seconds, and 15 thirds for $433 030.

With all of the discussion around soundness it may be worth noting that stakes placed Marion's Man is bred 4x4 to Round Table. His sire Helmsman (by El Gran Senor) has bred the gritty mare Chepper who has raced 64 times to age 8 winning 14 of her starts and placing another 13 times, she is bred 4x5 to Round Table. Another durable horse Bring Out The Best is bred along a similar pattern and is from the same crop as Marion's Man. Bring Out The Best (by Helmsman) racing through to nine years has had 93 starts for 13 wins and 19 placings, he is bred 4x4 to Round Table and his full sister Monarchy.

From limited observation it would appear that line-breeding to Round Table can improve the chances of producing a sound racehorse.

[wilf]

I see that you are a Kiwi, from a land that breeds rare tough thoroughbreds growing up on grassland full of limestone on the side of the odd volcano, I envy you. I saw many of them race as a strapper in Australia, Leilani, Hyperno and Gold and Black spring to mind. Your study of Round Table should not be a surprise to you if you have clicked on his name here in the thoroughbred database. He was in a word , INCREDIBLE.!

[HJ]

Wilf - I have started reading Bart Cummings book and in it he talks about all three Leilani, Hyperno and Gold and Black.

Back to Round Table - yes he was a fabulous horse ! Leon Rasmussen made the following observation about Round Table “When it comes to the grass context, Round Table is a Man O War, the one to which all other horses must be compared ”

Helmsman mentioned above is now standing at stud in New Zealand and with the benefit of a bit of hindsight a few more durable types should be racing for many years to come. Yet another by Helmsman carrying the 4x5 to Round Table with predictable results is stakes winner Guiding Hand, now 7 years old, he has had 44 starts for 10 wins, 10 seconds and 4 thirds. He is a last start winner as a 7 year old.

The most durable daughter of international shuttle sire Marju is Venom. Venom (bred in England) had 77 starts and won 20 of them, she was named Champion Imported Mare in Turkey. Venom is out of the Sir Tristram mare Deira. Sir Tristram a son of Sir Ivor was out of the Round Table mare Isolt. Venom is bred 4x4 to Round Table.

[griff]

I have a mare named Legitimada that started 64 times winning $213k at every distance and retired sound.. And she won two of her last five starts.

She was covered last weekend by a WV stallion named Stored who is out of Safely Kept.

griff

[KBEquine]

In our broodmare band we've got:

Strawberry Gogo, 133 starts, 23-36-17 $151,797. A year after her last race, she foaled a filly who was a MSW winner at first asking & twice stakes-placed. And a year later, a stakes-placed full sister to the first filly. Gogo's 1/2 brother had 135 starts 15-12-15 $100,686

http://www.pedigreequery.com/strawberry+gogo

Also:
Veni Visa, 113 starts, 13-20-18 $174,428.

http://www.pedigreequery.com/veni+visa

(And we considered Legitimada when she was available - and I'm glad to see you got her, griff.)

[HJ]

Isn't it interesting when looking at the examples of durability given by other posters the almost bohemian look of the pedigrees ! The usual suspects in fashionable and sometimes fragile pedigrees are conspicuously absent ! Note some South American influence amongst the examples given by GRIFF and KBEquine.

Getting back to the Round Table factor here is yet another example, this time in New Zealand - yesterday the GR1 Auckland Cup (NZ$1million) was won by the 7 yr old Zavite (by Zabeel). Recording his 10th career win from 50 starts. Zavite - you guessed it ! - is 4x4 to Round Table
www.pedigreequery.com/zavite

Here are some of the other pedigrees discussed
www.pedigreequery.com/marions+man
www.pedigreequery.com/venom3
www.pedigreequery.com/guiding+hand
www.pedigreequery.com/bring+out+the+best

[griff]

KBEquine

Me too!

griff