A mare perhaps more famous for being kidnapped is responsible for two feature winners in Australia this weekend.
Saturday's Group I Oakleigh Plate winner Russian Revolution (Snitzel) and Friday night's Group III Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Tulip (Pierro) descend from Fanfreluche, Canadian Horse Of The Year in 1970.
Fanfreluche (Northern Dancer) won Grade I races in Canada and North America but made headlines in June 1977 when she was taken from her paddock at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky.
Fanfreluche was recovered in December that year after being in the care of a local farmer who had found her walking on a local road and been using her as a riding horse. The Secretariat foal she was carrying was later named Sain et Sauf - Safe And Sound.
Subsequently sold for a record $US1.3 million at auction to Bert Firestone, Fanfreluche died aged 32 in 1999.
Her first foal L'Enjoleur was named Canadian Horse Of The Year in 1978 and she later produced Medaille D'Or (Secretariat), winner of the Coronation Futurity and 1978 Champion two-year-old filly in Canada while La Voyageuse (Tentam) won the Canadian Oaks and was named 1978 Champion three-year-old filly in Canada.
La Voyageuse is the
Fanfreluche also produced L'Extravagante (Le Fabuleux), third in the Canadian Oaks, and Grand Luxe (Sir Ivor), winner of the Fury Stakes.
L'Extravagante is the third dam of Russian Revolution while Grand Luxe is the
