It's easy to see why the page of Danega caught Duncan McGregor's attention at the Goff's November Breeding Stock Sale in 2022 but purchasing her was a risk...
It's easy to see why the page of Danega caught Duncan McGregor's attention at the Goff's November Breeding Stock Sale in 2022 but purchasing her was a risk. A daughter of the Group 3 winning mare Danelissima, the mare had an impressive Black Type pedigree, yet her stud record did not live up to family expectations. McGregor could not have imagined how that page would have been boosted seven months later when Marhaba Ya Sanafi took the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp.
Danega's first dam, Danilissima (Danehill) was bred, owned, and trained by Jim Bolger and enjoyed a relatively successful career on the racetrack, winning the 1m4f Group 3 Noblesse Stakes at Naas before retiring to stud at the end of her three-year-old campaign. She was sent to some of the leading stallions during her early stud career, visiting Montjeu and Sadler's Wells in 2005 and 2006. The best of her offspring was Fergus McIver (Sadler's Wells), who was second in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes before winning over jumps in Australia for different connections.
It was probably a disappointment to the Bolger family that Danilissima's best progeny had been a jumps winner in Australia, because her full-sister Daneleta (Danehill) boasted a completely different stud record. Placed as a juvenile in Group company, Daneleta passed on her speed to her best foal, Intense Focus. Winner of the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes for Jim Bolger, Intense Focus spent his stallion career at Ballylinch Stud, siring Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Astaire in his debut book. Intense Focus was Daneleta's only Group winner, but her legacy continues with daughter Dane Street (Street Cry), who has produced three Black Type performers from four raced foals including Group 1 winner and Irish Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Skitter Skatter.
The family pedigree is also responsible for two other notable sires, Soldier of Fortune, and Sholokhov. Danega's third dam Le Meillure (Lord Gayle) produced Group 1 winning Gran Criterium winner Sholokhov (Sadler's Wells), who has enjoyed a successful National Hunt stud in Ireland and Germany. She also was responsible for Affiance (Erins Isle), dam of Group 1 Irish Derby winner Soldier of Fortune (Galileo).
It is a diverse and fruitful pedigree which has produced Champion Two-Year-Olds, Irish Derby winners and National Hunt sires but Marhaba Ya Sanafi's victory represents a first Guineas winner for the family. Danega was sold at the Goff's November Breeding Stock Sale for 11,000 guineas in-foal to Hello Youmzain but connections may feel Marhaba Ya Sanafi's exploits have now earnt her a place with one of the leading stallions in Europe.
