BLOODSTOCK CORRESPONDENT	Tony Morris
"Few horses in history have displayed in such full measure the class, courage, stamina and durability that were his hallmarks"

Double Trigger

After Double Trigger's vistory in the 1995 Gold Cup, I reminisced in print about the halcyon days of Sagaro, Le Moss and Ardross, and ventured the thought that perhaps here was the horse who could capture the public imagination like no other stayer in recent years. My judgement has rarely proved so sound. Double Trigger was to spend four seasons at the top of the tree, becoming the most popular horse in training while, time and time again, proving himself the finest stayer of his era. His tally of seven Cup wins - one at Ascot, three at Goodwood and three at Doncaster - places

him securely among the all time greats of his field. Few horses in history have displayed in such full measure the class, courage, stamina and durability that were his hallmarks. And fewer still have inspired the affection of racegoers to the degree exhibited on the occasions of his last two races. On his own he made Goodwood glorious, when he retrieved an apparently lost cause against the gallant Canon Can; at Doncaster, when defeat loomed again, the insistent rhythm of his relentless, pounding stride forced Busy Flight into submission. And each time the conquering hero returned to a rousing reception that threatened to lift the roof off the stand. The

mishap that caused Double Trigger to forego his intended finale in the Prix du Cadran was to be regretted for several reasons, not least because victory at Longchamps would have enabled him to equal the record of 13 European Pattern race wins, held jointly by Brigadier Gerard, Acatenango and Ardross. While nobody can say for certain that he would have won the Cadran, it is worth noting Timeform's comments after his last Doncaster triumph: "racing with more zest and enthusiasm than for several seasons, and just about as good as ever". Not many horses sign off at the age of seven to that kind of accolade, but then, not many horses are unbeaten at two and go on to

win Pattern races in each of their next five seasons. Double Trigger is a rare creature, blessed with many fine and conspicuous qualities, and it is to be hoped that British breeders will recognise them by affording him the right opportunities to make a significant contribution to the breed. Double Trigger is an easy horse to mate, providing an excellent outcross for the many mares from a Northern Dancer or Native Dancer background. His pedigree is refreshingly different, while representing a fusion of some of the most influential factors in European breeding in recent times. He deserves the chance to extend those influences to the next generation.

PEDIGREE ASSESMENT

SIRE: ELA-MANA-MOU

Double Trigger came from the tenth crop of his sire Ela-Mana-Mou, who has long been regarded as one of the major sources of class and stamina in these islands. Ela-Mana-Mou was himself a tip-top performer, a Group 2 winner in the Royal Lodge Stakes at two and the King Edward VII Stakes at three, and a Group 1 winner in the Eclipse Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at four.
Also second, third or fourth in other Group 1 contests, including the Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he achieved a Timeform rating of 132 while carving a reputation as the toughest and most courageous battler of his day.
Ela-Mana-Mou was chiefly responsible for making Pitcairn the leading sire of 1980 and thus extending an unbroken male-line sequence of champion sires going back via Petingo, Petition, Fair Trial, Fairway, Phalaris and Polymelus to Cyllene, the last-named foaled over a century ago. Though never himself a champion at stud, Ela-Mana-Mou has proved a consistently successful sire, with winners of 50 Pattern or Graded races in Europe, North America and Austrailia. His Group 1/Grade 1 scorers include Sumayr (in the Grand Prix de Paris and Grosser Preis von Europa), Almaarad (Underwood Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and W.S. Cox Plate), Eurobird (Irish St Leger), Natski (Metropolitan Handicap), Emmson (Futurity Stakes), Snurge (St Leger, Gran Premio di Milano, Canadian International Championship Stakes) and, of course, Double Trigger (Gold Cup).

DAM: SOLAC

Double Trigger's dam, Solac, was lightly raced, placing second from only four efforts, but it was far from surprising that she should produce two such celebrities as him and his three-time Pattern-wining brother Double Eclipse; she owned plenty of pedigree credentials. Her sire Gay Lussac, who was closely inbred to Nasrullah through two of his fastest sons, Princely Gift and Red God, was a top-class racehorse on the continent, unbeaten in seven races there, including the Derby Italiano. The only defeat of his career came in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and he later confirmed his merit by becoming champion sire in Italy. Solac's dam, Soragna, won the Oaks d'Italia in 1968 and later excelled at stud by producing two top-class performers in Sirlad (by the American Bold Lad) and Sortingo (by Petingo).
Sirlad, unbeaten in his first two seasons in Italy, when his victories included the Gran Criterium, the Derby Italiano and the Gran Premio di Milano (all Group 1), was widely acclaimed as the best horse trained in Italy since Molvedo, hero of the 1961 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Like Solac, he sprang from the Nasrullah male line.
Sortingo could manage no better than second in his Derby Italiano, but he was a dual Group 1 winner, notching scores in the Gran Premio d'Italia at three and the Gran Premio di Milano at four. He was bred to the same pattern as Double Trigger, being by his great-gransire out of his grand-dam.
Soragna, who was also third in the Gran Premio d'Italia and fourth in the Gran Premio di Milano was out of a half-sister to such as Sir Orden (by Worden) and Serov (by Botticelli), who were both smart performers at two and who gained further distinction as durable and consistent top-level winners in their maturity.

The brothers DOUBLE TRIGGER and DOUBLE ECLIPSE create history by finishing first and second in the Gr.3 Goodwood Cup

CONCLUSIONS

"Double Trigger is a horse true to his heritage and the best product of both his male and female lines in recent years.
With his pedigree background, allied to superior physique, grand temperament and all his fine racing qualities, he has plenty to offer breeders in his new career."