Chocolat Sucre

Courtesy Carrot Club

Now this one is interesting, and with only a few shares left and notification she will be running in Minami-Kanto NAR races straight away rather than taking on a Hokkaido campaign beforehand, I couldn't resist giving her a go - not least because I always thought Quick Bread was shortchanged in JRA. Yes, Chocolat Sucre's dam is the same as Quick Bread's, who promptly became very successful as soon as he was given an NAR trainer, confirming my original thoughts on him.

Born in February 2013, Chocolat Sucre's sire is Casino Drive - a horse we have avoided so far, but I can't readily explain why! He won four races from eight starts, and was a favourite to win the Belmont Stakes until he was withdrawn with a sore hoof. His sire was the hugely successful Mineshaft, who brought together the DNA of Seattle Slew (via A.P. Indy) and Mr Prospector, while his dam, Better Than Honour, was sired by Deputy Minister and can boast Blushing Groom as her damsire. The Deputy Minister blood means Northern Dancer shows up three times in the family tree.

The Sweet Muffin element means she's a Nijinsky cross (4Dx4D), with his DNA passed on Dance In The Dark as the damsire, and by Caerleon (winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and one of Nijinsky's finest son's), who fathered the Irish-registered broodmare Welsh Muffin, who in turn gave birth to Sweet Muffin. By mixing her bloodlines, with proven dirt results, with those of a dirt specialist, this could be an exciting prospect. If nothing else, she looks gorgeous...