Definitely the right cross

Definitely Ready’s record breaking 1000m win (55.07 secs) at Sandown on Wednesday was helped by a fast surface and a gently pushing tail wind, but also he was aided by a pedigree that boasts a cross that is really proving hard to fault.

Definitely Ready is yet another fine produce from the mating of a Danehill mare to star young sire More Than Ready (by Southern Halo (USA)).

So far three of More Than Ready’s five Group 1 winners  – Benicio, Sebring and Perfectly Ready – are from Danehill or Danzig-line mares. The brilliant Group 2 winner More Joyous is from a mare whose dam is by Danehill, while the dual Magic Millions winner Augusta Proud is from a mare by a son of Danzig, Danehill’s sire.

In Definitely Ready’s case, he is from the one race winner Defiant, a Danehill mare who is from the 1997 Newmarket Handicap winner Ruffles (ch m 1992, Zeditave–Paris Miss, by Opera Prince).

There are solid genetic reasons why More Than Ready nicks so well with Danehill – MTR’s grandsire Halo (by Hail To Reason) is closely related to Danehill. Halo’s dam Cosmah (by Cosmic Bomb) is a half-sister to Danehill’s great granddam, the wonderful Natalma (by Native Dancer), who also is the dam of the breed-shaper Northern Dancer.

Definitely Ready cost trainer Mark Kavanagh $140,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Premier Yearling Sale.