Danehill - Startling Lass
2008 Service Fee - $8,800

Shovhog

Shovhog and the Lady Josephine connection

Golden Slipper-Gr.1 runner-up Shovhog had another good season in 2007-08 with 36 individual winners of more than $1m.

The son of Danehill (USA) and the Gr.2 winner Startling Lass had winners from two-year-olds to seven-year-olds (his oldest runners) which shows that his stock are early maturing types who hold their form in subsequent seasons.

In fact his stakes performers during the season included seven-year-old Bennetts Green (Macau Futurity Trophy-LR), a winner of 17 races and six-year-olds Legendary Man (five wins) and Fox Lake (seven wins).

Shovhog’s best performer is Uber (dam by Covetous), whose seven wins include the Black Opal Stakes-Gr.3 at two and who trained on to win the AJC Razor Sharp Stakes-LR and City Tatts Lightning-LR. He is also the sire of Morphettville Guineas-LR winner Harley Ma and several stakes placed performers including Loftily (eight wins) and Kistadan (six wins).

Since retiring to stud in 1999, he has had 126 winners from 205 starters (61.5%) and they have won 402 races and $7.8m (to early September 2008).

His other prolific winners include Roadhog (10 wins and $334,398), Baron’s Court (14 wins and $164,240), Showoff (seven wins and $204,200) and Super Dragon (eight wins and $176,225). While most of his runners excel from 900m-1400m, he has had winners up to 2100m.

Never further back than fourth in his six starts at two, Shovhog won over 1000m at Rosehill on debut by 4.75 lengths in 1:03.48. Given a break and then taken to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Prelude-Gr.3 (1100m), he was runner-up to subsequent Golden Slipper winner Prowl, beating Special Edition (third) and Mr Innocent (fourth). He was fourth (beaten just 2.2 lengths) to Danelagh in the Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr.1 (1200m) after hitting the lead (Prowl ninth) and then runner-up in the Illawarra Classic-Gr.3 (1200m), beaten 1.25 lengths by Splendid Horse and with Medals 3.5 lengths further astern in third.

In the Slipper he was beaten 1.25 lengths by Prowl and was followed home by Glammis and Iglesia and with the unplaced division including Laurie’s Lottery, Splendid Horse and Danelagh. He was third (beaten under a length and with Prowl fourth) behind Alf and Mossman in the AJC Sires’ Produce-Gr.1 (1400m).

At three he ran 1:09.19 in winning over 1200m at Rosehill (beating Spend by 1.5 lengths) and then completely outclassed the field in the Brian Crowley Stakes-LR (1200m) at Randwick, winning by six lengths in 1:09.73 after making the running. Subsequently third in the Chivas Regal-Gr.3 at Flemington, he was retired after finishing fifth in the Listed Hilton on the Park Sprint with earnings of $653,596.

By nine times Champion Australian Sire and breed-shaper Danehill (USA) (Danzig-Razyana by His Majesty), sire of five Golden Slipper winners among more than 350 stakes winners of $370m, Shovhog is out of a mare by Golden Slipper winner Luskin Star (Kaoru Star-Promising (NZ) by Idomeneo).

His dam Startling Lass was also a very good two and three-year-old, winning the Reisling Slipper Trial-Gr.2, Blue Diamond Prelude-Gr.3 and Gimcrack Stakes-Gr.3 and finishing second in the Silver Slipper-Gr.2 and third in the Golden Slipper-Gr.1. She also won the Verve Cliquot-Gr.2 and the Silver Shadow Stakes-Gr.3 and produced seven winners including stakes winner Shovoff (also by Danehill) and the dams of stakes winners Carnegie House and Leveller. Her sister, the stakes producer Midnight Fever, won eight races including the Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr.1 and was rated Champion Australasian Two-Year-Old.

Their dam, the stakes-placed Trim Girl (Sir Tristram (IRE)-Savora by Sovereign Edition (IRE)), produced just three live foals (all winners) and is from a family that is often hailed as the fastest in the Stud Book.

Shovhog’s ninth dam is Lady Josephine (Sundridge), winner of the Coventry Stakes and dam of Lady Juror and Mumtaz Mahal.

Shovhog descends from Joyous (Gay Crusader), a half-sister to these flying fillies via her imported daughter First Cast (GB) (Salmon-Trout) whose descendants also include star NZ fillies in Yahabeebe and Taj Beebe.

The close relationship between First Cast (by a son of The Tetrarch and from a grandaughter of Lady Josephine) and Mumtaz Mahal (by The Tetrarch and from Lady Josephine) is worth remembering when planning matings from Shovhog. Mares by Octagonal (by a son of Sir Tristram and a descendant on Mumtaz Mahal) could work well as could mares by Kenmare (FR) (by a horse inbred to Mumtaz Mahal’s family) and his Queensland-based son Kenfair.

Shovhog has also worked with mares carrying further strains of Luskin Star and Star Kingdom; ditto Sir Tristram; and with mares carrying a strain of Bold Bidder (including by Spectacular Spy (USA), Wallenda (USA)). This family has also worked with Red Ransom (USA), Bluebird (USA) and Carnegie (IRE). Mares by Yeats (USA), Canadian Silver (CAN) and Latarmiss (IRE) also appeal, as do mares carrying the blood of another great Queensland-based sire in Smokey Eyes (IRE).

A fast and very attractive son of Danehill, Shovhog stands 16.2 hands and has the runs on the board as a proven sire of stakes performers. He is from a family blessed with incredible speed, something he ably demonstrated on the track and stands at $8800 at Raheen.

David Bay