Foes join in Dissolved’s pedigree

Lonhro and Grand Armee fought many a good battle on the track – they were the weight-for-age stars of their time, and it was Grand Armee who rained on Lonhro’s send-off parade when the big gelding beat the black flash in the 2004 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (WFA 2000m) at Randwick.

Lonhro (br h 1998, Octagonal (NZ)–Shadea, by Straight Strike (USA)) retired to stud at Woodlands (now Darley), from where he has fashioned a new career as one of our most exciting young stallions. Grand Armee (b g 1998, Hennessy (USA)–Tambour, by Marauding (NZ)) retired because of injury in the early spring of 2005, and is now a promising three-day event horse for his handler Tim Boland.

It was probably fitting that breeder Michael Sissian, who bred Grand Armee, should send the big horse’s half-sister, Yarralumla (by Grand Lodge (USA)), to Lonhro. The result is a 3YO colt named Dissolved, who made his debut at Sale on Thursday and scored an easy win in the 1200m 3YO maiden. Co-trainer John Hawkes bought the colt at the 2008 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $300,000.

Dissolved, like most of this family, is a big, immature horse. He also is closely related to  Group 1 winners Dealer Principal (by Danzero) and Absolute Champion (by Marauding), whose dams come from the famed Belle family from New Zealand.

Look for Dissolved to be a big player in 2010.