Understanding a stallion's pedigree affinities can be one of the most valuable tools in planning successful matings. This analysis explores Eden Roc's genetic strengths, kin-breeding patterns and the broodmare lines that could offer the greatest opportunity to produce top-class racehorses.

Eden Roc has had some outstanding yearlings go through the salsa this year. He was notably well supported at the KZN Yearling Sale with trainers and breeders commenting positively about his stock with the sales results following suit. 

Race Record

• 6 wins (1160m–1400m), from 2 to 4 years
• Rated MR 119

At 2

• Won Gr1 Gold Medallion (1200m)
• Won Gr2 Golden Horseshoe (1400m)

At 3

• Won Gr2 Merchants Stakes (1200m)

At 4

• 2nd Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint (1200m)
• 2nd Gr3 Merchants Handicap (1160m)

Sire Line

VAR – 7 wins (1000m–1200m), including the Gr1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp. European Champion Sprinter. Rated Timeform 124.

Sire of Gr1 winners of both sexes. Sire of champions of both sexes. Sire-of-sires. Broodmare sire of Gr1 winners.

Notable Progeny

Variety Club (08c - Secret Prospector, Northern Guest) – SA Horse Of The Year (2x), international Gr1 winner, rated Timeform 131; Via Africa (09f - Qui Danzig, Quick Turnover) – Champion Sprinter; Val de Ra (06f - Elliodor, Tilden) – Champion Sprinter; Vardy (15c - Jet Master, Badger Land); Eden Roc (16c - Captain Al, Dominion Royale) – sire; Contador (09c - Fort Wood, Roland Gardens); Sommerlied (13f - Pentire, Dashing Blade); Villandry (06c - Complete Warrior, Capture Him); Normanz (10c - American Chance, Roy); August Rush (06c - Huntingdale, Sparkler); Speedpoint (14c - Casey Tibbs, Goldmark); Rivarine (13c - Jet Master, Prince Florimund); Princess Of Light (07f - Foveros, Mariache); Schiffer (09f - Jallad, Argosy); Varallo (14c - Western Winter, Bush Telegraph); Our Destiny (12f - Sapieha, Del Sarto); Valdivia (09f - Irish River, The Minstrel); Valeta (06f - Goldmark, Truely Nureyev); Cavivar (16f - Tamburlaine, Complete Warrior); Schippers (14f - Count Dubois, Thunder Gulch); William The Silent (15c - Captain Al, Elliodor); Exquisite Touch (13f - Elliodor, Golden Thatch); Happy Forever (08c - National Assembly, Pompeii Court); Dollar Dazzler (10c - Joshua Dancer, Dancing Champ); Miss October (08f - Huntingdale, Sparkler); Vacherin (06c - Golden Thatch, Fluorescent Light); Ghaalla (15f - Captain Al, Elliodor); Harry Lime (11c - Alami, Jallad); Purple Diamond (14c - Jallad, Centaine); Varikate (09f - Modern Day, Badger Land); Twitter (09c - Confidential Talk, Storm Bird); Rule The Night (15c - Victory Moon, Argosy); A Womens Way (13f - Windrush, Elliodor); Delta Queen (17f - Jet Master, Prince Florimund); etc.

Kin-Breeding

Several of Var's best progeny have dams carrying direct female-line descendants of La Troienne, or descendants of La Troienne in other combinations, notably through Buckpasser (Numbered Account, Sex Appeal and descendants, Woodman, etc.).

Storm Bird Line Sires in South Africa

Eden Roc, Talk Of The Town (Var).

Pedigree Analysis

The best progeny of Eden Roc's damsire Captain Al appear to fall into one of two kin-breeding patterns. One is through sire Al Mufti, notably the clan of Buckpasser (and La Troienne descendants). The other is through elements from Captain Al's female line, particularly grandam Infanta and her dam Beylic.

Townsend, Eden Roc's Gr2-winning dam, appears to fit the latter pattern. The closest link is through Infanta and fourth dam Island Farewell. Both are by Jamaico and both carry a double of Baby Polly, daughter of the influential mare Pretty Polly.

Baby Polly appears as the dam of Colorado Kid, sire of the third dams of both Jamaico and Island Farewell, while she is also the dam of Duddingston, sire of the third dam of Infanta.

This suggests that mares carrying descendants of Baby Polly or her dam Pretty Polly may prove particularly compatible with Eden Roc.

Apart from her two sire sons, Baby Polly's influence also flows through daughter Rusk and granddaughter Turkish Blood, the dam of sire Vienna. Best known as the sire of champion Vaguely Noble, Vienna carries a double of Pretty Polly through both Rusk and Donatello, the damsire of Vienna's sire Aureole.

Of further interest is the kin-breeding found in Vienna's dam, Turkish Blood. The grandam of her sire Turkhan is Teresina, who is closely related to Baby Polly. Teresina is best known as the dam of stallion Alibhai, principally through her daughter Flower Bowl, the dam of sires His Majesty and Graustark. Teresina also appears twice in the pedigree of influential sire-producing mare Toussaud, creating a kin-link between Best In Show and mare Ortalan. The latter is by Swaps, who himself has strong kin-links to Flower Bowl. Pedigrees combining both Baby Polly and Teresina may therefore suit Eden Roc particularly well.

The remote female line of Eden Roc traces to the influential mare Santa Brigida, whose influence is seen through Gold Bridge, Heliopolis and Herculaneum. Santa Brigida is closely related to mare Padua, which appears twice in Blue Larkspur. These kin-links converge in mare Bloodroot, grandam of Lalun, herself a closely kin-bred mare. Lalun is the dam of Never Bend and Bold Reason, the latter leading to Sadler's Wells through female-line ancestor Dalmary.

Several of Var's best progeny have dams carrying direct female-line descendants of La Troienne, or descendants of La Troienne through other combinations, particularly via Buckpasser (Numbered Account, Sex Appeal and descendants, Woodman, etc.). This may prove to be the most effective breeding route should Eden Roc continue to reflect his sire's pedigree affinities.

Suitable Lines

The following bloodlines may prove particularly compatible with Eden Roc:

• Vienna (through Vaguely Noble in Flower Alley and Indigo Magic).
• Alibhai (through Flower Bowl and her sons His Majesty and Graustark – now widespread).
• Best In Show and her dam Stolen Hour, through:
  • Northern Guest (Pomodoro, Capetown Noir)
  • Pathfork
  • El Gran Senor (Visionaire, Cordoba, Act Of War)
  • Redoute's Choice (Rafeef)
  • Canford Cliffs (carries a double of Stolen Hour and also traces to Vienna through his sire).
• Direct female-line descendants of Baby Polly and her dam Pretty Polly (widely represented, although generally remote).
• Direct female-line descendants of La Troienne, particularly through Buckpasser and his dam Busanda (also widespread).

A standout mating may be with mares by Oratorio. The dam of his sire Danehill is by His Majesty out of a Buckpasser mare, while Oratorio's own dam is by Vaguely Noble. His pedigree also carries a double of Heliopolis and a treble of Blue Larkspur, converging in female-line ancestor Heliolight, who is closely related to Buckpasser. This combination makes Oratorio an especially appealing pedigree match for Eden Roc.

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2026 FEE: R10.000 LIVE FOAL
Owner: KZN Breeders Club
Stud master: PETER BLYTH
C: 082 456 3489
E: [email protected]