St Mark's Basilica
Beaten only once in his last six 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 S. 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 S.
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, who also sired the dam of a first-crop St Mark’s Basilica filly which sold for 420,000gns. 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 and the highly promising Zarigana are inbred 3x4 to DANEHILL. St Mark’s Basilica’s first-crop filly which sold for €1,700,000 has a dam by DANSILI, and DANEHILL DANCER sired the dam of a €460,000 filly.
Siyouni has Group winners out of mares by KINGMAMBO’s sons KING’S BEST (the classic-winning Ervedya) and LEMON DROP KID. MACHIAVELLIAN sired the second dam of Dream And Do, winner of the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, and is also the broodmare sire of classic-placed Gr.2 winner Volta. There are also good winners out of mares SMART STRIKE, DISTORTED HUMOR and MACHIAVELLIAN’s sons
ALMUTAWAKEL and MEDICEAN. GONE WEST’s son ZAMINDAR is the broodmare sire of three of Siyouni’s black-type horses, including Zaykava. This suggests that daughters of RAVEN’S PASS, IFFRAAJ andWOOTTON BASSETT could suit St Mark’s Basilica, as could daughters of NAYEF and TAMAYUZ. Siyouni is now making his mark with daughters of DUBAWI, with three BTWs from 20 starters, and he also has a LW with a dam by MAKFI.
Mares from three generations of the STORM CAT male line have been working well with Siyouni. He has black-type winners out of daughters of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, SHAMARDAL and LOPE DE VEGA.
Daughters of LOPE DE VEGA, with his close inbreeding to MACHIAVELLIAN, could be especially suitable for St Mark’s Basilica. SIYOUNI also has a black-type winner out of a JOHANNESBURG mare, which opens the door to daughters of SCAT DADDY, JUSTIFY and NO NAY NEVER.
Siyouni has Group winners out of several SADLER’S WELLS line mares, most notably from the MONTJEU branch siring the outstanding Gr.1 winner Paddington from a daughter of MONTJEU and the Gr.1 winner Etoile from a mare by Montjeu’s son AUTHORIZED.
St Mark’s Basilica is out of a GALILEO mare, as is NIGHT OF THUNDER who has Gr.2, Gr.3 and Listed winners inbred 3x3 to GALILEO. New Approach has a classic winner inbred 2x3 to the many-times champion sire. Siyouni is already working well with daughters of FRANKEL, siring the exciting Zarigana and the Gr.3-placed Love Rush. Mares by TEOFILO and FRANKEL would also produce 4x4 to DANEHILL, but daughters of NATHANIEL, NEW APPROACH and GLENEAGLES avoid the Danehill inbreeding.
Multiple Gr.1 winner Paddington is inbred 4x4 to NUREYEV, his second line coming via PEINTRE CELEBRE.
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 winners Lights On and Txope also have AHONOORA in their pedigree, the former via INCHINOR, the latter through ACCLAMATION.