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Nearly 40 years ago English bloodstock agent Richard Galpin shipped a small number of mares of modest credentials to Australia where they were offered through an Inglis sale in Sydney.

One Hunter Valley stud to reap benefit from the experiment was Gyarran, a well known breeding operation at Muswellbrook operated by the late Jack Sheppard and his late son John.

At the sale they acquired what was to become their most successful broodmare Sheeaun, a winner of one minor race in England at nine furlongs by the provincial class sire Continuation.

Sheeaun is ancestress of two first class Danehill three-quarter brother grandsons in First Command, a Listed winner at Flemington on January 19, and One World, now at stud in Victoria.

Sheeaun became the foundation mare of a strong Australian family for the Sheppards.

All told she produced seven foals for six winners including Group winner Lauriat (Lunchtime) and stakeswinner Kilmarie (Bletchingly).

Kilmarie is the mainstay of the Sheeaun family, also having six winners from seven foals.

They include stakes winners Catchfire (Century), I Love Sydney (Century) and Ride The Rapids (River Rough).

Ride The Rapids supplied 10 winners from 11 foals, including good class Hurricane Sky sprinter River Dove, a winner of the G1 Oakleigh Plate and the dams of eight time winner Kulgrinda (Exceed and Excel) and Cross Current (Keltrice).

The brilliance of River Dove was not surprising as she is inbred 3x3 to Bletchingly and Hurricane Sky is a Blue Diamond winner by Golden Slipper winner Star Watch from a three-quarter sister to the dam of Redoute’s Choice.

Another foal from Ride The Rapids is River Dove’s sister River Serenade, a winner at Ballarat.

Owned by Gerry Harvey’s Baramul stud, all her first four foals have won races including First Command (Commands) and One World (Danehill Dancer).

When the Anthony Freedman trained gelding First Command won the $120,000 Kensington Stakes at Flemington last Saturday for the second time in succession it took his record to 12 wins, six seconds, two thirds and $930,000 from 31 starts.

One World was another Australian bred star in Hong Kong. He was in the first three 22 times, including eight wins, and earner of over HK$14.6million.