St Mark's Basilica
Beaten only once in his last seven starts, St Mark’s Basilica joined an elite group of horses, including Nijinsky, Mill Reef, El Gran Senor, Shamardal, Teofilo, New Approach and Frankel, which have followed up a victory in the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes at two with a classic victory. In fact, he won two classics – the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey-Club – before defeating the older horses in the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes. St Mark’s Basilica is a son of the Group 1-winning 2YO Siyouni, and Cabaret, who was also a Group-winning 2YO.
Four of Siyouni’s ten Gr.1 winners are inbred within four generations to DANZIG. Mares from the GREEN DESERT branch of the DANZIG line therefore have obvious appeal for St Mark’s Basilica, as it was INVINCIBLE SPIRIT who sired his classic-winning half-brother. Siyouni sired two more of his classic winners, the Prix de Diane winner Laurens, and the outstanding miler Tahiyra from daughters of CAPE CROSS. St Mark’s Basilica should also suit daughters of OASIS DREAM, SEA THE STARS, LAWMAN and KINGMAN. Siyouni’s Australian Gr.1 winner Amelia’s Jewel is inbred 3x4 to DANEHILL.
Siyouni has Group winners out of mares by KINGMAMBO’s sons KING’S BEST (the classic-winning Ervedya) and LEMON DROP KID. KINGMAMBO also sired the second dam of the smart Sacred Life. MACHIAVELLIAN sired the second dam of Gr.1 winner Dream And Do and is also broodmare sire of Gr.2 winner Volta. GONE WEST’s son ZAMINDAR is the broodmare sire of three of Siyouni’s black-type horses, including Zaykava. This suggests that daughters of ZAFONIC, RAVEN’S PASS, IFFRAAJ and WOOTTON BASSETT could suit St Mark’s Basilica. Siyouni also has Listed winners out of mares by DUBAWI and his son MAKFI.
Mares from three generations of the STORM CAT male line have been working well with Siyouni. He has SWs out of daughters of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, SHAMARDAL and LOPE DE VEGA, with SHAMARDAL’s 20 foals featuring three SWs, as well as the Gr.1-placed Marieta. Daughters of LOPE DE VEGA could be especially suitable for St Mark’s Basilica. SIYOUNI also has a Stakes winner out of a JOHANNESBURG mare, which opens the door to daughters of SCAT DADDY and NO NAY NEVER.
St Mark’s Basilica is out of a GALILEO mare, as is the very successful stallion NIGHT OF THUNDER. NIGHT OF THUNDER has Gr.2, Gr.3 and Listed winners inbred 3x3 to GALILEO. Mares by TEOFILO and FRANKEL would also produce 4x4 to DANEHILL, but daughters of the likes of NATHANIEL, NEW APPROACH, AUSTRALIA and GLENEAGLES avoid Danehill inbreeding.
Siyouni has Group winners out of several SADLER’S WELLS line mares. He has done very well with the MONTJEU branch, siring the outstanding Gr.1 winner Paddington from a daughter of MONTJEU and Gr.1 winner Etoile from a mare by Montjeu’s son AUTHORIZED, plus a Gr.2 winner from a MOTIVATOR mare. Mares by CAMELOT are the obvious option for St Mark’s Basilica. There are also Group winners out of daughters of EL PRADO, MEDAGLIA D’ORO, POLIGLOTE and BEAT HOLLOW. He also has Group winners with second dams by SADLER’S WELLS.
Multiple Gr.1 winner Paddington is inbred 4x4 to NUREYEV, his second line coming via PEINTRE CELEBRE.
St Mark’s Basilica has a 2nd dam by LEAR FAN but more ROBERTO blood could suit, as Siyouni has two black-type winners with mares from the ROBERTO male line and DR FONG sired the 2nd dam of the top-notch Tahiyra.
AHONOORA appears in the 4-generation pedigrees of several of Siyouni’s Group winners, including those of the Gr.1-winning fillies Laurens and Tahiyra. The Gr.2 winner Lights On has a dam by INCHINOR.
Sottsass and his fellow classic winner Laurens both have 2nd dams from the NIJINSKY line. Mares with some NIJINSKY blood should suit St Mark’s Basilica.