THE KING AND QUEEN

Few on the Indian Turf today remember the late Maj.Gen. M.S. Wadalia, KCIO, founder and managing partner of the Qutab Stud in suburban New Delhi. Following his retirement as Deputy Chief of Army Staff in 1964, he was rewarded by a grateful government with import licences to acquire broodmares. Uncle Wad, as he was affectionately known, had a keen eye and although pedigree aficionados found little to enthuse about in the choice of some of his mares (imported through the B.B.A.), after 4 decades he has had the last laugh!

The Poonawalla Breeders Multi-Million winner, the Poonawalla-bred Bourbon King (by Diffident) is a son of Queen Ann, a direct descendant of Stumped. A daughter of Malvado, Queen Ann was able to score only once, yet earned over a million rupees largely by virtue of placing in events such as the President Of India Gold Cup and the Castrol Bangalore St. Leger. Retired to the place of her birth, she had already hinted at Classic success through her earlier offspring like Self Appointed (by Placerville), third in The Hindu Deccan Derby, and Star Chieftan (also by Placerville), 4th in the Golconda 2000 Guineas. All being well, Bourbon King is sure to join the ranks of Classic winners later this year.

Queen Ann herself was an own-sister to Desert Warrior, the best performer from the crop of 1986, and winner of the McDowell Indian Derby and Classic Indian Turf Invitation Cup, to Turf Ruler, one of the best juveniles of his year, to Moonlight Magic, dam of Bangalore Oaks heroine Society Dream (by Diffident) and leading sprinter Star Magic (by Alnasr Alwasheek), to Feelings, dam of Graded Stakes winner Arsenal (by Riyahi) and to the unraced Tight Fit, whose son, the durable Olympic Flame (by Right Ahead) took the Golconda 2000 Guineas along with a dozen other races.

Queen Ann was also half-sister to La Bonne Vie (by Riyahi), winner of the A.C. Ardeshir Trophy and beaten a whisker by Astonish in the McDowell Indian Derby of 1992, and herself dam of Graded winners Ciel Fleuri (by Alnasr Alwasheek) and La Unique (by Placerville).

Dam of this illustrious bunch was the Classic-placed Maandavi, herself a full-sister to South India 2000 Guineas victor Enter The Red and Queen Of Seer (all three being by Red Rufus). The last-named gained fame as the dam of O.K. Sir (by T.V. Sunday) whose 15 wins included the South India 2000 Guineas.

The next dam, the interestingly-named Enter And Canter, raced for the late Mr. Jayant M. Shah (her stablemate being his “Try And Triumph”!) and won three minor events. Although she was by Qutab Stud's stalwart, Asopo, winner of the Premio Parioli-Italian 2000 Guineas, and a successful broodmare sire in India, out of Stumped, there was really little in the pedigree that hinted at the magnificent edifice that was destined to be erected on that foundation. The multiple Classic successes for members of this family are a tribute both to the innate strength in the bloodlines, and to all the breeders who have dealt with it and lifted it from relative obscurity to the highest pinnacle by judicious use of stallions.