Canny Lad - Damzelle
2008 Service Fee $3,300

Dodge

Dodge is Mr Versatility

It takes a pretty versatile horse to be able to win a classic at three and then train on the following season to win one of Australia's best races at a mile.

But Dodge was able to do just that, the son of Canny Lad saluting in the Queensland Derby-Gr.1 (2400m in 2:24.10), one of his six wins at three, and then winning the Epsom Handicap-Gr.1 over the tough Randwick mile at four. He started favourite in the Epsom and landed the money from Super Slew and Iron Horse and with the unplaced division including the likes of Champagne (NZ), Adam, Juggler, El Mirada and Northern Drake. Dodge put in a pretty good effort at his next run too when fourth behind Might and Power, Northern Drake and Tycoon Lil in the W.S. Cox Plate-Gr.1 (2400m).

But then Dodge has always shown talent on the track, just beaten when second over 1000m on debut at two and then second again at his next run over 1100m (at three). He then won three in succession in Sydney over 1350m and 1500m before a third in the MRC Autumn Stakes-Gr.3 (1400m).

On return to Sydney he was second in the Phar Lap Stakes-Gr.2 (1500m) and Tulloch Stakes-Gr.2 (2000m), beaten a half-length by Northern Drake on both occasions, before a two length win in the Frank Packer Plate-Gr.3 (2000m).

Heading north to Queensland, he won the Rough Habit Plate-LR (2020m) as odds-on favourite and was again favourite when he won the Queensland Derby.

Dodge's placings the following season included a narrow defeat in the Shannon Stakes-Gr.3 (1500m), the start before his Epsom success and a fourth in the Expressway Stakes-Gr.2 (1200m) behind Kidman's Cove, General Nediym and Tie the Knot. He retired as the winner of seven races and $998,714.

Dodge is a son of the Golden Slipper-Gr.1 winner Canny Lad (Bletchingly-Jesmond Lass by Lunchtime (GB)), a leading sire and broodmare sire (he is the damsire of Redoute's Choice). Canny Lad's best runners include Calveen, Accomplice, Republic Lass, Cannsea, He's No Pie Eater and Allez Suez and he is a representative of the Star Kingdom male line via the speedsters Bletchingly and Biscay.

Dodge is one of six winners produced by the South Australian Oaks-Gr.1 third Damzelle, a daughter of the Prix Jean Prat winner and successful sire Zamazaan (FR) (by Arc winner Exbury) and French Gown by Buoy (GB). Damzelle won four races from 1400m-2000m and her other runners include the Queensland Derby-Gr.1 winner Tenor (Star Watch), a three-quarter brother to Dodge.

French Gown, a city winner of seven races (1200m-1600m), is a daughter of Coronation Cup-Gr.1 winner Buoy (Aureole-Ripeck by Ribot), a half-brother to English Oaks winner Bireme and to the dam of successful sire Sea Anchor (GB). It is also the family of successful sire Hermes (GB). (Mares by Red Anchor, Sea Anchor or Hermes should suit Dodge).

Dodge's third dam Creation is by another good English performer in Gaul (GB) and she is a daughter of the VATC 1000 Guineas-Gr.1 winner Anna Rose (Coronation Boy (IRE)-Storm Gleam by Sun Storm (GB)), a sister to champion filly Storm Queen (Golden Slipper, Champagne Stakes), L'Orage Boy (25 wins) and Storm Ruler. This is the family of New Gleam (Blue Diamond), For All Seasons (Shannon Quality), Taj Rossi (Cox Plate), Dark Eclipse (Golden Slipper) and Western Pago (Marlboro Cup).

Dodge retired to stud in 1999 and had 88 winners of 212 races and $3.7m to early September 2008. His runners are tough and sound customers and are led by the BTC Sprint-Gr.3 hero Hard to Catch (dam by Celestial Bounty (IRE)) with 11 wins and $1m in earnings and also include stakes placed Dodgem (dam by Famous Star (GB)), Dodging (seven wins and $131,000), Stood Up (eight wins and $145,000), Narrabeen (12 wins), Lava Flow (nine wins) and Ebbets Field (six wins and $288,000 in Macau). Although he won over the classic distance, the average winning distance of Dodge's runners is just under 1300m.

Dodge has had winners out of mares from a variety of sirelines, but looks particularly appealing for those by Danehill and his sons (Danehill/Star Kingdom being a tried and true cross) and by Sir Tristram and his sons (Grosvenor (NZ) could be interesting as his dam is by Hermes). Mares by Snippets (to double Lunchtime), Vain and Centaine also appeal as do further returns of Star Kingdom (perhaps via Marscay or Semipalatinsk).

As a proven sire and dual Gr.1 winner, Dodge looks great value at Raheen in 2008 on a fee of $3300.

David Bay