Snow Fairy bowed out on a high winning the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last September. Although no one had anticipated that it would become the star mares last race. Connections were hoping to let the mare race in 2013, but recurring injuries to her tendons forced connections to retire her.
Snow Fairy is a true rags to riches story bought back by her owner and breeder Christina Patino at the 2008 Tattersalls Ireland September Sale for a mere €1,800. The daughter of Intikhab failed to impress any potential buyers. Snow Fairy is out of Woodland Dream, she herself was unsuccessful on the track winning a handicap at Leopardstown. Woodland Dream is a half sister to Stakes producing sire Big Bad Bob (Bob Back). He now stands at the Irish National Stud having previously stood at Mrs Patino's Islanmore Stud in Limerick. This is the new farm where Snow Fairy will take up her new career as a broodmare.
Snow Fairy's first three dams were all relatively unsuccessful race mares, but her 1st and 2nd dams have gone on to become stakes producers. However their family line were waiting a while to produce a Stakes producing broodmare. The racing talent in her family skipped a few generations. Snow Fairy is probably the best race mare to come from her family tree.
Like all top class race mares that retire to stud, it was expected Snow Fairy would be bred to a top class stallion like Galileo, Dubawi, Dansili, Oasis Dream etc. Being a daughter of Intikhab. She would of been a nice cross to Sadler's Wells and Danehill sire lines. The sire Line that currently dominates the European Stallion ranks. Galileo would be the obvious choice. One of the World's best stallions. Galileo has sired stakes winner Magical Dream from Red Evie, who like Snow Fairy is a daughter of Intikhab. However Mrs Patino always intended that Snow Fairy would Instead visit Group 3 winner Elusive Pimpernel. This young sire son of Elusive Quality stands at Mrs Patino's Islanmore Stud. He is also a homebred of hers. He won the Group 3 Craven stakes as a 3yo in her colours.
This choice of mating is quite interesting. Elusive Pimpernel's 2nd dam Gay Fantasy is the 4th dam of Snow Fairy. Their offspring will be inbred 3mx5f to Gay Fantasy. Snow Fairy herself is inbred 3x5 to Roberto, 5x5 to Northern Dancer and 5x5 to In Reality. Elusive pimpernel is also inbred 4x3 to Northern Dancer and 5x5 to Native Dancer.
The decision to go to a relatively unknown sire has left many racing fans surprised yet excited as to what they can produce. Elusive Pimpernel has a huge advantage with this illustrious mare.
There's not many stallions standing at €1,000 that have a 6x Group 1 winning mare added to their book. A lot of stallions that started out like Elusive Pimpernel have done it the hard way like Danehill Dancer and Dansili both sons of Danehill had the ability to upgrade their mares. Even Elusive Pimpernel's relative Big Bad Bob had to prove himself first.
But neither of them had the opportunity to cover such an illustrious mare. Snow Fairy will probably be the only mare of that class in Elusive Pimpernels book for some time. Unless he proves himself a hit at stud.
But for now the racing world get over the "surprise" mating choice and eagerly anticipate the first foal of these two horses.
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