Family links with brilliant winners

Press, 1 October 1983, Page 19

Family links with brilliant winners

By

J. J. BOYLE

Marche Noir and Pronto King, Riccarton-trained form runners in today's Dunedin Guineas, have family links to sharpen interest in their burgeoning three-year-old careers. Marche Noir is from the same family as Cadiz, winner of the John Grigg Stakes-Dunedin Guineas double for the Riccarton stable of Jim Tomkinson in 1959, and later an outstanding performer on Australian and American courses. Sired by Roi Lear, a French Derby winner whose stud career in New Zealand was tragically brief, Marche Noir descends from the Solicitor General mare, Litigate, whose half-sister, Pay Roll, was the grandam of Cadiz and Boundless, an-

other brilliant performer at three years. Pronto King is a direct descendant of the Hunting Song mare, Taupiri, dam of Tauloch, the best two and three year old of his time. Tauloch’s 10 wins at three years included the Great

Northern Derby, Great Northern, Wellington and Avondale Guineas, New Zealand St Leger, Great Northern St Leger, Gloaming Stakes. Auckland Christmas Handicap and the weight-for-age King's Plate in New Zealand record time for a mile.