Sheikh Mohammed's world giant Darley has no yearlings under its own banner booked into the Inglis Easter yearling sale to be conducted at the Newmarket stables, Randwick on April 5, 6 and 7, but makes a huge contribution through progeny of the sires they have made available to breeders at their Australian studs.

All told 13 Darley sires between them supply 116 of the 529 lots in the star studded catalogue with the biggest representations being that of visiting former world racing stars Bernardini (25), Street Sense (18) and Shamardal (9) and locals Exceed and Excel (17), Lonhro (16), Nadeem (11) and Commands (10).

Both represented by their first Australian crops, the visitors Bernardini and Street Sense are predicted to play a big role in the future in adding to the quality of the breed. Bernardini, in fact, appears one of the most valuable sires to appear in Australia in recent years, not only because of his magnificent racing ability, but also because of his superior outcross to Danehill, his proven siring ability and physique.

A son of American Horse of the Year A P Indy and Cara Rafaela, a Group1 winner by the Mr. Prospector grandson Quiet American, Bernardini only competed at three, appearing eight times in America for six wins. His efforts included wins in the classic Preakness Stakes-Gr.1 (by 5.5 lengths), Travers Stakes-Gr.1 (7.3 lengths), Jockey Club Gold Cup-Gr.1 (6.8 lengths), Jim Dandy Stakes-Gr.2, (9.0 lengths) and Withers Stakes-Gr.3 (3.8 lengths), and a second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic-Gr.1. He was named America’s best of his generation and World Co-Champion 3-year-old.

Bernardini boomed as a sire with his first crop in America last year, supplying more stakes winning juveniles than any other first season sire and having four in the American Free Handicap, including To Honor and Serve (second top male) and A Z Warrior (equal fourth best female).

Described in the current Blood-Horse American Stallion Register as ‘beautiful, brilliant and already among the elite sires,’ Bernardini has got off to a bold start with his 3-year-olds. Several are early fancies for the Kentucky Derby to be run early May.

Bernardini has had well over 100 mares in each of his three Australian seasons, including155 in 2008.The results of those matings are first crop yearlings, including those consigned to the Easter sale. Their dams include daughters of Danehill, Success Express, Royal Academy, Sadler’s Wells, Stravinsky, Barathea, Zeditave, Snippets, More Than Ready, Flying Spur, Made of Gold, Canny Lad and Lion Hunter.

A very interesting mating in America this year using Bernardini could be the most exciting one anywhere in the world in 2011. It has seen him put to Zenyatta, winner of all her first 19 starts, including 13 Group1s, and then rolled at her twentieth, a second, after being tardy early, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, her swansong. She shared the World Champion racemare title for 2010 with the Anabaa Ireland foaled Goldikova.

The mating of Bernardini and Zenyatta brings together two world class racehorses who have been made available by Darley in the Hunter Valley as she is by Street Cry, a Dubai World Cup winner by the Mr. Prospector sire Machiavellian. Street Cry has visited Darley, Hunter Valley six times, 2003, 04, 05, 06, 09 and 010 and includes among his progeny here multi millionaires Shocking and Whobegotyou. He has no 2011 yearlings.

Advertised in America as the ‘world’s exceptional young stallion,’ he is the source of the other visiting Darley newcomer with a strong representation of first crop Easter yearlings, his best son Street Sense. Winner of six of 13 starts, he was American champion at two and is the only horse to capture the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Kentucky Derby double.

Due to have his first 2-year-ods race in America this year, Street Sense includes among his Easter yearlings progeny of mares by Danehill, Zabeel, Encosta de Lago, Danehill Dancer, Giant’s Causeway, Success Express, Peintre Celebre, Marscay, Carnegie, Desert Prince and Best Western.

Widden stud is offering a three-quarter brother to Shocking by Street Sense as lot 341 at the Easter sale.The dam is by Danehill.