Dramatised’s Queen Mary win at Royal Ascot was no overnight success. The emergence of Steve Parkin’s Clipper Logistics as an owner-breeder to be reckoned with was inevitable.
20 years ago he assembled a shrewd and knowledgeable team and went to work with the aim of breaking through to the top. In the aftermath of Royal Ascot Karl Burke lauded her the fastest filly he has ever trained and given the quality he has had through his hands that’s enough to get the blood pumping ahead of her return.
A daughter of Showcasing, Dramatised’s dam Katie’s Diamond (Turtle Bowl) was one of Burke’s bargain buys for just €18,000 at the Osaraus yearling sale in France. From an unfashionable sale and by an unfashionable sire, Katie’s Diamond won the Listed Empress Stakes and was just two and a half lengths behind Ballydoyle in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac.
With her talent now proven, she returned to the sales ring, this time at Tattersalls, where Clipper Logistic’s bloodstock advisor Joe Foley picked her up for 190,000gns. Since joining Parkin’s broodmare band at Branton Court Stud, she has bred the winning three year old Public Opinion (Dark Angel) and Dramatised from just three foals. Reportedly back in foal to Showcasing, she’s already proven well worth the initial investment.
Descending from the ‘A’ family in Germany, things had gone quiet in Katie’s Diamond’s family until she emerged which goes some way to explaining her yearling price. Her sire Turtle Bowl was not the flavour of the month by any means, she was bred from his last crop in France for €6000 before his exportation to Japan. For reasons unknown to me, German families are consistently underestimated in the commercial market and time and time again they prove that is to our detriment.
In Germany, stringent requirements must be met for colts wishing to retire to stud to ensure the longevity and health of the breed. As a result, German bred fillies and mares consistently produce high class progeny.
Take Torquator Tasso (Adlerflug) for example, or this year’s German Derby winner Sammarco (Camelot). Katie’s Diamond might have a French suffix but her family is German through and through and it appears as though they have succeeded once again. The ‘A’ family is of course responsible for Urban Sea who is a granddaughter of Anatevka, the seventh dam of the Lowther favourite. Far be it from me to wholly credit such a distant ancestor but it is fascinating to see how far the influence of a blue hen like her can be felt. Add in two strains of Northern Dancer’s speedier lines (Danzig and Night Shift) with a proven sire (Showcasing) and connections have something quite special in Dramatised.
The rise of a budget stallion at Whitsbury Manor to the upper echelons of the British stallion scene is becoming a regular occurrence. A day rarely goes by without £6000 first crop sire Havana Grey banging in another winner and as the juvenile season steps up a notch, the stakes winners have begun to flow too. With a son of the hottest sire line on the block in Sergei Prokofiev (by Scat Daddy) waiting in the wings, breeders will await with intrigue to see who Ed Harper and his team deem their next star.
Showcasing was no exception, a Juddmonte castoff and opening his career at a basement fee of £5000. Having sired three Group 1 winners from 6f to a mile amongst sixty stakes winners to date, Dramatised is representative of his first £55,000 bred crop. G3 Prix du Bois winner Belbek is another star juvenile; whilst he has older stalwarts like Raasel and three year old filly Sense Of Duty, both G3 winners this term, ensuring he is not ready to relinquish the limelight.
His mettle as a sire of sires had it’s first test this season too and Tasleet has not let him down. With excellent winning statistics as well as G2 Coventry Stakes winner Bradsell, the prospect of Advertise, Mohaather and Soldier’s Call’s first runners will have speed demons foaming at the mouth. Showcasing’s own sire Oasis Dream has to date proven disappointing as a sire of sires with the likes of Muhaarar and Power falling short, but his legacy appears secure in the hands of Whitsbury Manor and Showcasing.
With a premium stud fee comes expectation and to date Showcasing is stepping up to the mark. Dramatised looks a cut above her class at the moment and her imminent return is one of the highlights of the Ebor Festival. The question over her ability to stay a mile next year will be on many observers’ lips, but for now lets enjoy a homegrown speedy juvenile filly representing likeable connections. Dramatised, the stage is yours.
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.