Djebel Explained

Horsename:Djebel
Sire:Tourbillon
Grandsire:Ksar
Dam:Loika
Damsire:Gay Crusader
Sex:Stallion
Foaled:1937
Country:France
Colour:Bay
Breeder:Marcel Boussac
Owner:Marcel Boussac. Racing colours: Orange, grey cap.
Trainer:Albert Swann
(Percy Carter) Charles Semblat
Record:22: 15-3-3
Earnings:3,253,760[1] & £6,115
Race:Middle Park Stakes (1939)
Prix Lagrange (1940)
Prix d'Essai (1940)
2,000 Guineas (1940)
Prix Boiard (1941 & 1942)
Prix d'Harcourt (1941 & 1942)
Prix d'Hédouville (1941 & 1942)
Prix des Sablons (1942)
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1942)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1942)
Awards:French Champion Two-Year-Old (1939)
Leading sire in France (1947; 1948; 1949; and 1956)
Honours:Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte
Updated:12 June 2017

For mountains or other uses, see: Jabal.Djebel (1937–1958) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse, who won 15 of 22 races during 1939–1942 including the Prix d'Essai, 2000 Guineas and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He was later a leading sire in France and is responsible for the survival of the Byerley Turk sire line into the 21st century.

Breeding

Djebel was a bay stallion owned and bred by renowned horseman Marcel Boussac. He was sired by Tourbillon, who had won the French Derby and the Prix Lupin, and went on to become a notable sire. Djebel's dam, Loika, was a minor winner by Gay Crusader and out of Coeur a Coeur. Gay Crusader was the 1917 U.K. Triple Crown winner, and by the influential Bayardo. Coeur a Coeur was by Teddy, whose grandsire was the 1899 English Triple Crown champion Flying Fox. Therefore, Djebel traced back to Bay Ronald twice through his dam (both Bayardo and Teddy's dam-sire were by Bay Ronald).[2]

Loika was originally not a success as a broodmare, producing just one foal, a minor winner, in her first five years. In 1936, she was bred to Tourbillion and Boussac offered her in foal at the Newmarket December Sales. She did not meet her reserve so she returned home to Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard, where she delivered Djebel in January 1937.[3] Loika went on to produce several other winners including Hierocles, two-time winner of the Prix d'Ispahan.[4]

Racing career

In his 22 starts, Djebel won 15, placed second in three, and finished third in one. His wins included the 1942 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes (GB), Prix des Sablons, Prix Boiard (twice), Prix d'Harcourt (twice), Prix d'Hédouville (twice), Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Prix d'Essai, Prix Lagrange and Middle Park Stakes. He finished second in the Prix Morny, Grand Prix de St. Cloud, and Prix de Chantilly, and third in the 1941 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Djebel was originally trained by Albert Swann at Chantilly. He started five times in 1939 at age two. In his debut at Chantilly, he finished second to the odds-on Lighthouse. He then won the Prix de Chatou at Longchamp by three lengths before finishing second to Lighthouse in the Prix d'Aumale and second to eventual champion filly Furane in the Prix Morny, with Lighthouse back in fourth. At this point, World War II broke out, stopping all racing in France. Djebel was shipped to England in November for the Middle Park Stakes, held later than usual that year on Newmarket's July Course. Djebel won easily by two lengths over the eventual English champion two-year-old Tant Mieux. Djebel was named the Champion two-year-old colt in France.

Djebel's three-year-old campaign of 1940 was interrupted due to the turbulence of the war. In March at Longchamp, he won his first start of the year, then followed up with a win on May 1 in the 2000 Guineas. He would have been the favorite for the Derby in June but was unable to travel due to the escalating war in France. He did not race again until late October when he won the Prix d'Essai, a substitute event that year for both the French 1000 and 2000 Guineas. He finished the year with a disappointing third-place finish in a replacement for the Prix du Jockey-Club, staged that year at Auteuil.

Djebel began 1941 with three wins then finished second to Maurepas in both the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Prix de Chantilly. He was the favorite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but finished third behind the then-unbeaten champion three-year-old Le Pacha.

For his five-year-old campaign in 1942, Djebel was trained by former jockey Charles Semblat, who stepped up the horse's training regimen. Djebel responded with a perfect season of seven wins, all at Longchamp. His wins included the Prix des Sablons and Prix Boïard in April, the Prix d'Harcourt in May, the Prix d'Hédouville in June and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July. In the latter, he ended Le Pacha's unbeaten streak. Djebel was given a short rest before returning in September to win the Prix de Chantilly. He then finished his career by winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe where he again beat Le Pacha.

Stud record

Djebel was retired to stud in 1943 and initially received limited support due to the war. At first, his international appeal was also limited by the fact that he and his progeny could not be included in the General Stud Book (GSB) under the terms of the Jersey Act. The Jersey Act prohibited horses with American blood from being registered as Thoroughbreds in England, and Djebel's sire Tourbillon had three American ancestors in the third generation of his pedigree. Thus Djebel and his get were originally considered half-bred horses in England. In part due to their success, the Jersey Act was amended in 1949 to allow their inclusion in the GSB.[5]

Djebel sired 36 stakes-winners which won 53 stakes-races. In France, he was the leading sire for four years (1947, 1948, 1949, and 1956), second in 1950, and in the top ten in 1952–54. In the twelve-year period from 1946 and 1958, his sons and daughters won 318 races, all together worth FF342,736,777.

His progeny included:[6]

!Foaled!Name!Sex!Major Wins/Achievements
1944ArbarStallionAscot Gold Cup
1944ClarionStallionPrimary continuation of the Byerley Turk sire line (4 known lines exist)[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
1944Le LavandouStallion
1944MontenicaMarePrix de Diane
1945DjebeStallion
1945DjeddahStallionDamsire of Never Bend
1945My BabuStallionChampagne Stakes, Woodcote Stakes, 2000 Guineas Stakes, Secondary continuation of the Byerley Turk sire line (2 known lines exist)[12] [13] [14]
1946CoronationMare
1947GalcadorStallionEpsom Derby
1948DjelfaMarePoule d'Essai des Pouliches
1948DjebellicaMareIrish Oaks
1952Hugh LupusStallionIrish 2,000 Guineas
1953ApollinaMarePrix de Diane, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches
He had at least 35 sons at stud around the world, including Argentina, Brazil, France, Great Britain and Japan, plus sires, Emperor and Targui in Australia and New Zealand respectively.[15]

Djebel is responsible for the continuation of the Byerley Turk sire line into the 21st century. Through Clairon, his line includes notable winners such as Sagace, Dr Devious, Don't Forget Me, Indian Ridge, Domedriver, Notnowcato and Dunaden. Multiple Group 1 winner Cirrus des Aigles is another descendant through My Babu.[16]

Djebel was also fairly influential in the breeding of sport horses. My Babu's progeny include the eventer JJ Babu. Djebel is also seen in the pedigree of dressage horse Bolero. Also, the grand prix jumper Napur is related to him through his sire Damascus dam Kerala. My Babu was the sire of Kerala, and therefore one of Napur's grandsires.

In July 1958 Djebel died at Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard at the age of 21.

Sire line tree

References

  1. Birch, Franklin E., Pedigrees of Leading Winners 1912–1959, The Thoroughbred Breeders Assoc., London, 1960
  2. http://www.pedigreequery.com/djebel Djebel's pedigree and racing stats
  3. Web site: Morris. Tony. Tony Morris's 100 shapers of the breed: the story of Djebel . Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. 12 June 2017.
  4. Web site: Hunter. Avalyn. Schwester (horse). American Classic Pedigrees. 12 June 2017.
  5. Web site: Peters. Anne. Marcel Boussac. www.tbheritage.com. 12 June 2017.
  6. Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), Thoroughbred Breeding of the World, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
  7. https://paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/foundation-byerley-turk-sire-line-drying-up-in-australia-and-beyond/ Foundation Byerley Turk Sire Line Drying Up In Australia And Beyond
  8. http://werkhorse.com/whoshotwhosnot/index.php/2021/02/06/texas-breeder-responds-to-shrinking-man-o-war-line/ Texas breeder responds to shrinking Man o’ War line
  9. https://www.etalons-galop.com/en/etalons/captain-chop-thoroughbred-bay,27.html THE FRENCH STALLION BOOK: CAPTAIN CHOP
  10. https://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/pearl+secret Pearl Secret Progeny
  11. https://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/captain+chop Captain Chop Progeny
  12. Web site: トウカイテイオー後継種牡馬プロジェクト・クワイトファイン種牡馬入りへの道 . 2023-04-30 . camp-fire.jp . ja.
  13. Web site: トウカイテイオーの血を令和に繋ぎたい!ファンの支援が後継種牡馬を送り出す - スポニチ Sponichi Annex ギャンブル . 2023-04-30 . スポニチ Sponichi Annex . ja.
  14. https://www.pedigreequery.com/quite+fine Quite Fine Pedigree
  15. de Bourg, Ross, The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred, Nelson, West Melbourne, 1980,
  16. Web site: Byerley Turk Line. www.tbheritage.com. 12 June 2017.
  17. http://www.tbheritage.com/HistoricSires/SireLineschts/SireLineBT.html Byerley Turk Line
  18. https://tbheritage.com/HistoricSires/JumpSires/JumpsiresBT.html Bylerley Turk Jump Sires
  19. http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Sirelines/BayMiddleton.htm Bay Middleton Sire Line
  20. http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Tourbillon.html Portrait: Tourbillon
  21. http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/djebel-fr.html American Classic Pedigree: Djebel
  22. http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/djeddah-fr.html American Classic Pedigree: Djeddah
  23. http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/my-babu-fr.html American Classic Pedigree: My Babu
  24. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/176222/prominent-new-zealand-stallion-centaine-dead Prominent New Zealand Stallion Centaine Dead
  25. https://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/96852/Centaine-s-outstanding-record/ Centaine's outstanding record
  26. https://www.horsejournals.com/equinews/news/international/sympatico-inducted-show-jumping-hall-fame Sympatico inducted into Show Jumping Hall of Fame
  27. http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/precisionist.html American Classic Pedigree: Precisionist
  28. https://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/horse/precisionist-fl Hall of Fame: Precisionist