We noticed today that young Coolmore stallion Footstepsinthesand had his second winner in the shape of Steinbeck, a smooth winner on debut at Naas. Steinbeck followed his sires debut winner Walkingonthemoon who made all in a strong maiden at Newbury and most likely heads to the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. A promising start indeed.

Is it a case of “like father like son”?

Both Steinbeck and Walkingonthemoon are out of mares by Danehill. Anyone reading the blog posts on this site would have heard us at least more than once decry that Giant’s Causeway, sire of Footstepsinthesand, did not get more Danehill mares in his brief time in Europe and more importantly his time at Coolmore Australia. For whatever reason, despite being out of a mare by Rahy and having a pedigree that lends itself to the ancestry found in Danehill, mares by the latter were sent elsewhere. What looked a natural nick before the horse retired and one that we recommended to clients with success, just did not get the play that it should have. It is a TrueNicks “A++” rating and has the gr. I winners Intense Focus and Juste Momente to show for it.

Maybe Footstepsinthesand is the beneficiary. Obviously he was not going to be sent off to America to stand and with a broodmare population in Europe increasingly, at least in a commerical sense, saturated with mares by Danehill and his sons, and with breeders now acutely aware of the potency of the mix of Giant’s Causeway and Danehill, he may just find himself in the right spot at the right time. We hope so.

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