Mr Prospector (turfbrasil)With Danehill and his super star progeny in the spotlight on pretty much a continual basis, some of the other well known sires have tended to be somewhat overshadowed.
One of these is champion sire Machiavellian, who was euthanized in 2004 following a bout of laminitis. This Kentucky born son of the great Mr. Prospector, (whose son Muhtafal stands at Summerhill), stood for his entire career at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud. Winning all of his three starts in France as a two year old, including the Prix Morny Agence Francaise and Prix de la Salamandre. If that were not enough he was also crowned France’s Champion Juvenile Male. As a three year old, he won the Prix Djebel, and was second in the General Accident Two Thousand Guineas in England. He retired with four wins from seven starts and earnings of $355.790. At one stage he had a Timeform rating of 123 and was known as the “sire of sires”.
His legacy lives on in his offspring, three of which are based here at Summerhill. The imposing and majestic Kahal, who from two until his retirement at six, won eight races. His most impressive performances however came as a four year old, when he came second in the Listed Dubai Duty Free and third in a Group Two challenge. At that stage his Timeform rating was 120. When Kahal was five he went on to win the Group Three Morvich Handicap and managed a respectable third in the Presidents Cup Listed race at Nad al Sheba. The best though was yet to come, when as a six year old he won the Group Two Nearctic Handicap coming up in the last few hundred metres to win in impressive style. In the words of his Hall of Fame trainer, Neil Drysdale, he was on the brink of Grade One glory, when his retirement was announced and he was sent to Summerhill, where he has stood ever since, garnering much admiration and attention through the success of his offspring.
Kahal’s sons and daughters have certainly left their mark on the South African racing scene. His Group winning progeny include Emperor Napoleon (MR 110), Bhekinkhosi, Majestic Sun, Desert Links, and the now deceased vanquisher of Pick Six, Khebraat, who was showing immense promise. His daughters have excelled, with the highly talented and multiple Group winner, Bold Ellinore, whose victories include the KZN Fillies Guineas, (where she accounted for six Grade One winners) the Listed Flamboyant Stakes, the Grade Two Tibouchina Stakes, and finally the cherry on top, the Grade One Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom July day in 2007, (the latter race secured her the title of Filly of the Year). Not to be outdone, Evening Attire showed her talent with a win in the Listed Bauhinia Handicap in 2007.
Now one of the nation’s hottest young sires, Kahal heads an auspicious trio of Machiavellian’s sons, Sheikh Mohammed’s well-performed and highly popular, Hobb Alwahtan, and our greatly vaunted and much-admired “newey”, Mullins Bay.
The term “sire of sires” doesn’t accrue lightly. Forty eight of Machiavellian’s offspring are Stakes winners and they include Dubai World Cup winners Street Cry and Almutawakel, major European champions; Titus Livius and Whitewater Affair, to name a few. His other English based son, Storming Home, was a two-time Grade 1 turf winner in the US. That said, between Street Cry (USA), Medicean (UK) and Kahal, Machiavellian has arrived in no lightweight fashion as a mega producer of world class stallions and Summerhill counts itself lucky to have spotted the gap.
Posted by Megan Romeyn
Friday, February 1, 2008 
Mullins BayWith the arrival of Mullins Bay at Summerhill life has certainly become more interesting for the staff here in the Admin offices at Hartford House. Mullins Bay is in a paddock just opposite the offices, and we can sit (when we’re supposed to be working, just don’t tell the boss!), and watch one of the best performed sons of the great Machiavellian grazing away contentedly in his paddock. Certainly one of life’s greatest pleasures!!
