Sibling Champions

[HH88]

Full brother / sister Bimelech and Black Helen both good racers, both in the American Hall of Fame make an interesting pedigree study.Their dam La Troienne carries 5 female strains of The Derby winner Thormanby and one of Lady Hawthorn, Thormanby's full sister. Further, Thormanby's sire Windhound is out of Phryne a full sister to Flatcatcher who also appears 5 times in La Troienne's pedigree.The key to the racetrack ability shown by both Bimelech and Black Helen may well lie with their sire Black Toney who carries the not so common male strain of Thormanby in Glengarry (foaled in 1866 sent to America in 1867)

[chiknsmack]

Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin and his Gr. 1-winning half-brother Pleasant Tap are both tail female to Black Helen via her daughter Hula Hula. Australasian Gr. 1 winners Hula Chief, Hula Drum, Hulastrike (and his half-brother Yamanin Vital who stud at stud here), and Love Dance trace back to Hula Hula too.

Hula Chief went to stud and left Queensland's peoples' champion Chief De Beers. Hula Chief's best daughter was Gr. 3 winner Hula Wonder, who left Gr. 3 winner Sugar Bella, who left Gr. 3 winner Gumdrops, who is still running around for Chris Waller in the Sheamus Mills Bloodstock colours.

Bimelech's best son was Better Self, who sired Lady Be Good. She's the ancestress of a number of Gr. 1 winners including King Halo, best known nowadays as the damsire of Japanese champion Equinox. Bimelech also sired Be Faithful, dam of Lalun, dam of Bold Reason and Never Bend. Bold Reason is damsire of Sadlers Wells, so that's the most obvious present day source of Bimelech blood.

With some unscientific poking around at the best progeny of the best progeny of Black Helen and Bimelech I found the unraced mare Villard, who was by Pleasant Tap and out of a great-grandaughter of Lady Be Good (so 5x6 to the siblings). Villard is the dam of Argentinian champion Village King.

[Ranger]

What about Graustark and his full brother His Majesty? I think His Majesty sire of Danehill's dam, which should affect many NZ and Australian mares.

[diomed]

[1]  Kalydon  (m)  (122)

[1]  Lacydon  (m)  (132)

[2]  Goodricke  (m)  (122)

[2]  Pastoral Pursuits  (m)  (127)

[3]  Juliette Marny  (f)  (123)

[3]  Julio Mariner  (m)  (127)

[4]  Khan Bahadur  (m)  (133)

[4]  Mahmoud  (m)  (145)

[5]  Master Bold  (m)  (133)

[5]  Raja Baba  (m)  (131)

[6]  Guersant  (m)  (129)

[6]  Ocarina  (m)  (124)

[7]  John'S Joy  (m)  (135)

[7]  The Doge  (m)  (134)

[8]  High Treason  (m)  (125)

[8]  Star Of India  (f)  (126)

[9]  Banks Hill  (f)  (126)

[9]  Cacique (11)  (m)  (122)

[9]  Champs Elysees  (m)  (121)

[9]  Dansili  (m)  (126)

[9]  Intercontinental  (f)  (120)

[10]  Bianconi  (m)  (122)

[10]  Hamas  (m)  (125)

[11]  Ambassador  (m)  (131)

[11]  Brown Prince  (m)  (133)

[12]  Kalaman  (m)  (126)

[12]  Oriental Magic  (m)  (124)

[13]  Altibr  (m)  (120)

[13]  Keen Hunter  (m)  (125)

[14]  Acropolis  (m)  (132)

[14]  Alycidon  (m)  (137)

[15]  Colonel Collins  (m)  (125)

[15]  Lit De Justice  (m)  (125)

[16]  Chance Play  (m)  (133)

[16]  Chance Shot  (m)  (134)

[17]  Isle Of Capri  (f)  (124)

[17]  The Solicitor  (m)  (142)

[18]  Blue Peter  (m)  (137)

[18]  Full Sail  (m)  (134)

[19]  Javelot  (m)  (124)

[19]  Vif Argent  (m)  (121)

[20]  Frankel  (m)  (147)

[20]  Noble Mission  (m)  (123)

[21]  High Pitched  (m)  (121)

[21]  Imperial Stride  (m)  (126)

[22]  Louviers  (m)  (137)

[22]  Louvois  (m)  (134)

[23]  Semi-Pro  (m)  (140)

[23]  Swaps  (m)  (138)

[24]  To The Glory  (m)  (124)

[24]  To The World  (m)  (121)

[25]  Dr Fong  (m)  (129)

[25]  Lucky Story  (m)  (126)

[26]  Akarad  (m)  (130)

[26]  Akiyda  (f)  (131)

[27]  Le Moss  (m)  (133)

[27]  Levmoss  (m)  (134)

[27]  Sweet Mimosa  (f)  (122)

[28]  Simply Great  (m)  (122)

[28]  Star Lift  (m)  (122)

[29]  Macarthur (8)  (g)  (122)

[29]  Motivator  (m)  (129)

[30]  Jade Robbery  (m)  (121)

[30]  Numerous  (m)  (131)

[31]  Mashaallah  (m)  (124)

[31]  Sportin' Life  (m)  (134)

[32]  Peacetime  (m)  (125)

[32]  Quiet Fling  (m)  (124)

[33]  Noalcoholic  (m)  (128)

[33]  Noalto  (m)  (120)

[34]  Minsky  (m)  (123)

[34]  Nijinsky  (m)  (140)

[35]  Vice Regent  (m)  (131)

[35]  Viceregal  (m)  (121)

[36]  Great Commotion  (m)  (123)

[36]  Lead On Time  (m)  (123)

[37]  Robin Des Bois  (m)  (132)

[37]  Robin Des Pins  (m)  (120)

[38]  Diadem  (f)  (131)

[38]  Diadumenos  (m)  (134)

[39]  Rustam  (m)  (126)

[39]  Zabara  (f)  (128)

[40]  Caerleon  (m)  (133)

[40]  Colorado  (m)  (136)

[41]  Ardan  (m)  (134)

[41]  Gabador  (m)  (129)

[41]  Pardal  (m)  (122)

[42]  Janitor  (m)  (129)

[42]  Scratch  (m)  (134)

[43]  Pampered King  (m)  (131)

[43]  Pirate King  (m)  (123)

[44]  Spectrum (1)  (m)  (133)

[44]  Stream Of Gold  (m)  (121)

[45]  Greenland Park  (f)  (124)

[45]  Red Sunset  (m)  (120)

[46]  Bayraan  (m)  (124)

[46]  Blushing Groom  (m)  (126)

[47]  St Alphage  (m)  (139)

[47]  Yellow God  (m)  (130)

[48]  Buisson Ardent  (m)  (139)

[48]  Venture  (m)  (137)

[49]  Texana  (f)  (127)

[49]  Texanita  (f)  (124)

[50]  Tracery  (m)  (134)

[50]  Trap Rock  (m)  (138)

[51]  Ali-Royal  (m)  (127)

[51]  Sleepytime  (f)  (120)

[52]  Royal Palm  (m)  (129)

[52]  Royal Serenade  (m)  (130)

[53]  Kayf Tara  (m)  (130)

[53]  Opera House  (m)  (132)

[54]  Blue Stag  (m)  (122)

[54]  Oscar  (m)  (122)

[55]  Sea Wave  (m)  (122)

[55]  Tamure  (m)  (121)

[56]  Black Sam Bellamy  (m)  (121)

[56]  Galileo  (m)  (132)

[57]  Sanedtki  (f)  (129)

[57]  The Fort  (m)  (123)

[58]  Reindeer  (m)  (132)

[58]  Santa Tina  (f)  (123)

[59]  Saraca  (f)  (121)

[59]  Simbir  (m)  (130)

[60]  Fighting Fox  (m)  (133)

[60]  Foxbrough  (m)  (127)

[60]  Gallant Fox  (m)  (136)

[61]  Golan  (m)  (129)

[61]  Tartan Bearer  (m)  (125)

[62]  Quintessence  (f)  (128)

[62]  St Martin  (m)  (134)

[63]  After Market  (m)  (126)

[63]  Courageous Cat  (m)  (121)

[64]  Sun Briar  (m)  (134)

[64]  Sunreigh  (m)  (135)

[65]  Danseur  (m)  (134)

[65]  La Sega  (f)  (130)

[66]  Match  (m)  (135)

[66]  Reliance  (m)  (137)

[67]  Quatre Bras  (m)  (136)

[67]  Sir Gallahad  (m)  (133)

[68]  Achieved  (m)  (125)

[68]  Final Straw (16)  (m)  (127)

[69]  Tetratema  (m)  (135)

[69]  The Satrap  (m)  (138)

[70]  Kashmir  (m)  (132)

[70]  Slady Castle  (m)  (127)

[71]  Gonzales  (m)  (120)

[71]  Mississipian  (m)  (128)

[72]  Pay The Butler  (m)  (121)

[72]  River God  (m)  (120)

[73]  Balidar  (m)  (131)

[73]  Balliol  (m)  (125)

[74]  Bosra Sham  (f)  (133)

[74]  Hector Protector  (m)  (125)

[Pam Robson]

On 1/3/2026 at 3:20 PM, chiknsmack said:

Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin and his Gr. 1-winning half-brother Pleasant Tap are both tail female to Black Helen via her daughter Hula Hula. Australasian Gr. 1 winners Hula Chief, Hula Drum, Hulastrike (and his half-brother Yamanin Vital who stud at stud here), and Love Dance trace back to Hula Hula too.

Hula Chief went to stud and left Queensland's peoples' champion Chief De Beers. Hula Chief's best daughter was Gr. 3 winner Hula Wonder, who left Gr. 3 winner Sugar Bella, who left Gr. 3 winner Gumdrops, who is still running around for Chris Waller in the Sheamus Mills Bloodstock colours.

Bimelech's best son was Better Self, who sired Lady Be Good. She's the ancestress of a number of Gr. 1 winners including King Halo, best known nowadays as the damsire of Japanese champion Equinox. Bimelech also sired Be Faithful, dam of Lalun, dam of Bold Reason and Never Bend. Bold Reason is damsire of Sadlers Wells, so that's the most obvious present day source of Bimelech blood.

With some unscientific poking around at the best progeny of the best progeny of Black Helen and Bimelech I found the unraced mare Villard, who was by Pleasant Tap and out of a great-grandaughter of Lady Be Good (so 5x6 to the siblings). Villard is the dam of Argentinian champion Village King.

As well as Yamanin Vital, Noble Bijou and Personal Escort traced to La Troienne, lines that were sought after by White Robe Lodge.

[chiknsmack]

4 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

As well as Yamanin Vital, Noble Bijou and Personal Escort traced to La Troienne, lines that were sought after by White Robe Lodge.

Circus Maximus is one currently standing in NZ who traces to La Troienne, via a half-sister to Noble Bijou.

I'm not one who favours unproven stallions but I think Southport Tycoon is a big chance of being a success. Mostly on his physical similarity to his sire Written Tycoon, but the fact that he's also tail female to La Troienne (his third dam is a full sister to Circus Maximus' third dam) and his dam is by More Than Ready (who I love mostly for the daughter of Northern Dancer in his pedigree, but also because he and his damsire Woodman are both tail female to La Troienne) helps.

I was reading about White Robe the other day and the thing that stood out was how they didn't care (or more accurately couldn't afford to care) about performance and type and went all-in on pedigree.

[Pheroz]

I have an acquaintance who is involved in the genetic sampling for the dairy and sheep industries. As a result New Zealands dairy herd is now  smaller than previous numbers but producing more milk than before.

Could genetic sampling be introduced to the thoroughbred industry as a means of producing a superior animal? I posed that question to my friend who said they need large data samples to be effective and vested interests were unlikely to work together for the greater good. I know there is some genetic sampling currently to get indications of ideal distance performance, perhaps the door is opening.

Any thoughts?

[diomed]

7 hours ago, Pheroz said:

Could genetic sampling be introduced to the thoroughbred industry as a means of producing a superior animal? I posed that question to my friend who said they need large data samples to be effective and vested interests were unlikely to work together for the greater good. I know there is some genetic sampling currently to get indications of ideal distance performance, perhaps the door is opening.

Any thoughts?

I admit to doubting some genetic research. They are selling product.

Mim Bower proved Tadcaster won the 1880 Derby not Bend Or, the horse in the record book and still incorrectly as the sire of all Northern Dancer line horses. I liked this research. That error was suspected as far back as the start of the 20th century but now we have proof. I replaced Bend Or (1877) with Tadcaster (1877) in my data. Tadcaster is the sire of 168 horses in my data, Bend Or the sire of none.

 

A paper published 16 January 2020  Genomic inbreeding trends, influential sire lines and selection in the global Thoroughbred horse population quoted 105 scientific references. Concluding remarks "We report here a highly significant increase in inbreeding in the global Thoroughbred population during the last five decades"

 

I thought that conclusion was not logical.

Thoroughbred breeding long ago was a local activity with stallions and mares walking to each other. Now mares are transported distances. A few of my mares shipped from Ireland to France. Stallions shuttle between hemispheres. My guess was there is less inbreeding in the thoroughbred, not "a highly significant increase in inbreeding".

Inbreeding has a bad repuration, perhaps due to religions banning marriages between close relatives.

The scientific paper five decades of data

YOB    N

2017    112
2016    504
2015    755
2014    621
2013    1349
2012    1291
2011    767
2010    675
2009    607
2008    535
2007    403
2006    346
2005    294
2004    282
2003    226
2002    218
2001    155
2000    147
1999    140
1998    121
1997    132
1996    84
1995    43
1994    55
1993    59
1992    33
1991    27
1990    17
1989    19
1988    14
1987    15
1986    10
1985    4
1984    13
1983    13
1982    9
1981    6
1980    11
1979    1
1978    0
1977    0
1976    1
1975    1
1974    1
1973    1
1972    0
1971    1
    
    10118
 

It is 47 years of data, not five decades, and most of the data is in one decade 2007-2016.

 

On my Wordpress website foalmare.com [chart 7] I examined 618,275 ten-generation pedigrees (2,046 ancestors) from 1900 to 2019 - a steady decline in inbreeding.

That was a calculation of the number of individuals in pedigrees. I did another test [chart 10], 1970-2011 on inbreeding groups in six-generation pedigrees, Same result, a decline in most inbreeding types but the important point is there is an increase in one type of inbreeding - sons only of duplicated sire.

This steady increase in sons of duplicated sires began in the 1970s and is caused by the increase in stallion books from 40 mares to 150+ mares..

 

Genetic research is the way to go, but they need bigger data samples, data samples spread over extended time periods if they are putting out conclusions about time periods, and they need to compare their work to something (pedigrees) and not publish conclusions that are not logical.

Yes, I did e-mail my results to the people who produced the scientific paper. No reply. I would have welcomed a discussion or a refutation of my numbers.

[Pam Robson]

On 1/8/2026 at 2:25 PM, chiknsmack said:

Circus Maximus is one currently standing in NZ who traces to La Troienne, via a half-sister to Noble Bijou.

I'm not one who favours unproven stallions but I think Southport Tycoon is a big chance of being a success. Mostly on his physical similarity to his sire Written Tycoon, but the fact that he's also tail female to La Troienne (his third dam is a full sister to Circus Maximus' third dam) and his dam is by More Than Ready (who I love mostly for the daughter of Northern Dancer in his pedigree, but also because he and his damsire Woodman are both tail female to La Troienne) helps.

I was reading about White Robe the other day and the thing that stood out was how they didn't care (or more accurately couldn't afford to care) about performance and type and went all-in on pedigree.

I think that in earlier times,  NZ breeders had no choice but to acquire the horses they could afford, not necessarily the ones they may have preferred.  The half or full siblings to high class European performers, or sons of champion fillies or colts, were what we went with,  and over the years, served us pretty well.

And certainly,  Mellay and Noble Bijou were fine examples of that. 

[Leggy]

On 1/9/2026 at 4:13 AM, diomed said:

It is 47 years of data, not five decades, and most of the data is in one decade 2007-2016.

Yes, I did e-mail my results to the people who produced the scientific paper. No reply. I would have welcomed a discussion or a refutation of my numbers.

I'm not clear where in that paper you get the numbers you cite above @diomed? The 'n' for the study was 10,118 horses. As far as I can see the temporal regression analysis was based on a subset foaled between 1996 and 2017, not 5 decades. I might be missing your point here so please elaborate. It is a well respected study that has been cited 69 times in the scientific literature.

[Leggy]

 

[diomed]

On 1/12/2026 at 7:23 PM, Leggy said:

I'm not clear where in that paper you get the numbers you cite above @diomed? The 'n' for the study was 10,118 horses. As far as I can see the temporal regression analysis was based on a subset foaled between 1996 and 2017, not 5 decades. I might be missing your point here so please elaborate. It is a well respected study that has been cited 69 times in the scientific literature.

The paper paragraph A marked increase in inbreeding in the Thoroughbred population over five decades sets out their findings.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-57389-5

Search for S10 Table

It is the last table in

Supplementary information
Supplementary Text, Legends and Figures.

If you click S10 Table it downloads to your PC and you can view the Excel spreadsheet.

 

I might be missing your point here so please elaborate.

The point is the scientific paper is wrong.

There has not been an a "marked increase" in inbreeding in the thoroughbred population.

There has been a steady decrease from 1900 to 2019 (my work), the decline consistent year by year.

Please look at my Wordpress website foalmare.com PDF file "Download the Full PDF"

Look at 17.2 decline in duplications in pedigrees 1900-2019 [CHART 7] and 17.5 decline in favourable inbreeding types 1970-2011 [CHART 10]

The sample size for CHART 7 was 618,275 and for CHART 10 it was 84% of 618,275.

 

Their research found an increase in a marker.

My guess is they assumed (incorrectly in my opinion) that the increase in the marker was due to an increase in inbreeding in recent years.

There was no increase in inbreeding.

There has been a decrease in inbreeding throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century.

This should be obvious as the racing population in the UK is now more than seven times that of 1900.

The thoroughbred population has expanded, travelled across oceans, across countries.

Close inbreeding happened when horses were stabled in one area and bred to horses in that area.

 

There are about 25 different types of inbreeding (see foalmare.com).

Within the decrease in inbreeding is a constant year by year increase in the unfavourable type, two or more sons of a duplicated sire (in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th generations).

This increase in sons of duplicated sires (in the ancestors) is caused by the practice that began in 1978 with Be My Guest serving about 80 mares.

Previously stallion owners voluntarily restricted their stallions to an upper limit of 40 mares a year.  Now books of 200+ mares are common.

Northern Dancer had 201 stallion sons, Mr Propector 266; Danzig 174; Sadler's Wells 166; Danehill 159.  These stallions (and their sons) served large books of mares. 

That has consequences, in my opinion slower horses and less fertility in mares (more failing to get in foal, slipped foals, failure to reach term.)

 

From the scientific paper

Concluding remarks
We report here a highly significant increase in inbreeding in the global Thoroughbred population during the last five decades, which is unlikely to be halted due to current breeding practices.

 

Read my website, read the scientific paper, and draw your own conclusions.