Pretty unusual: the unlikely lineage of Curragh Group 1 heroine Urban Fox

Urban Fox sprang something of a surprise to land the Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, and in turn supplied her sire, former Whitsbury Manor Stud reverse shuttler Foxwedge, with his first northern hemisphere Group 1 winner.

The son of Fastnet Rock had already supplied two top-flight winners in the southern hemisphere, one in his native Australia in Coolmore Legacy Stakes scorer Foxplay as well as Volpe Veloce, who landed the Sistema Railway Stakes at Ellerslie in New Zealand.

Urban Fox has now won two of her three starts for William Haggas since she was recruited by owner Barnane Stud for 425,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale, a sum that looks entirely justified now that she has landed a major Group 1.

View full Pretty Polly Stakes result and replay

The four-year-old, who was formerly raced by James Tate and Saeed Manana, was signed for by Rabbah Bloodstock at just 10,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Her best effort for her previous connections came when a fine third behind Rhododendron in the Fillies' Mile.

Barnane Stud in County Tipperary operates as an Irish satellite farm for the South African-based Highlands Stud, which is run by the Kieswetter family.

Despite having landed one of the most prestigious Flat Group 1s of the year, Urban Fox boasts a pedigree that is likely to be more familiar to fans of jumps racing, although the strong stamina influences in her family do, at least in part, explain where she found the requisite improvement to land a race at elite level.

Bred by Mascalls Stud, she is out of the Nashwan mare Lomapamar, a winner over 1m2f herself who has produced five winners since retiring to the paddocks with a peak Racing Post Rating of 73.

Besides Urban Fox, her only other progeny to earn black type is Hollow Penny, a useful chaser by Beat Hollow who finished a distant second to Irish Saint in the 2015 Pendil Novices' Chase.

Other progeny of Lomapamar include Getaway Car, a son of Medicean who won upto 1m6f, and Mister Fantastic, whose three career successes include a pair of wins over hurdles at around two miles.

There are more jumping talents through Urban Fox's pedigree, as Lomapamar is a half-sister to Nigel Twiston-Davies' talented jumper Pigeon Island, who landed the 2008 Dovecote Novices' Hurdle and the Grand Annual Chase at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

Lomapamar is also a half-sister to 1995 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Mons, and is out of a daughter of Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes winner Arewehavingfunyet.

Urban Fox also has a three-year-old Bated Breath half-brother named Boing, in training with Richard Hannon, a two-year-old half-brother by Garswood called Garryowen, in training with Charlie Fellowes, and a yearling half-brother by Hot Streak.

Lomapamar was bought for her owner Mascalls Stud by Geoffrey Howson for 48,000gns at the 2005 December Mares Sale.

Foxwedge, a high-class Australian sprinter who now stands solely at Newgate Farm in the Hunter Valley, shuttled to Whitsbury Manor Stud for four seasons from 2013 to 2016, and has sired eight stakes winners, including Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Hertford Dancer.

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