Why Messara sees Danehill echoes in Arrowfield newcomer Lead Artist

Much of Arrowfield principal John Messara’s success as a studmaster can be attributed to his conviction in going after the horses he has absolute faith, and almost at all costs.

It’s a mantra that has served him well, starting with Danehill, his son Redoute’s Choice and grandson The Autumn Sun, among others, and Messara is adamant Arrowfield’s latest recruit, European Lockinge Stakes winner Lead Artist, deserves to be in the same category.

By the stallion-producing Dubawi, whose sire sons include the dominant Too Darn Hot and the suddenly influential Ghaiyyath, Lead Artist was confirmed by Arrowfield late on Thursday as its new recruit for 2026.

Lead Artist, who was trained by John and Thady Gosden to win four races in 11 starts at three and four including his career-defining victory in last year’s Lockinge over a mile at Newbury, is out of the Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed Frankel mare Obligate.

Messara, who has secured southern hemisphere standing rights in a deal with Juddmonte, believes Lead Artist “has what I call pre-potency, which is the ability to pass on your genes”.

It led him to compare the “tick over 16 hands” Lead Artist to Danehill, whose pedigree possessed a double cross of Natalma, the dam of Northern Dancer.

“He’s got that on both sides of the family, because the sire is a great sire, and he’s now leaving sons, and we’ve had a couple of good ones in Australia, and he’s developing them all around the world,” Messara told The Straight. 

“And the dam, well, she comes from Hasili’s family, and that’s an extraordinary family whose genes have been passed on through stallions and what have you.

“She’s thrown three, four stallions that have produced Group 1 winners, so he’s an extraordinarily bred horse for a stallion, you know? He’s what you dream of breeding with, in my opinion.”

Lead Artist’s third dam, Hasili produced champion European three-year-old filly Banks Hill, Group 1 winners Intercontinental, Cacique and Champs Elysees, who were all by Danehill.

Juddmonte chief executive Douglas Erskine Crum expects southern hemisphere broodmare owners to be suitably impressed when they inspect Lead Artist.

“Australian breeders should expect a strong, well-balanced horse with a wonderful outlook, physically very difficult to fault with a good, easy action,” Erskine said. 

“In terms of pedigree, this regally bred Group 1-winning miler comes from the family of outstanding blue hen mare Hasili, whose descendants are responsible for a staggering 59 Group 1 performances.  

“Lead Artist possesses all the credentials to continue the significant influence of the Dubawi line in Australia.”

Arrowfield’s bloodstock manager Jon Freyer flew to the UK to inspect Lead Artist and on his approval, Messara set about reaching a suitable agreement with Juddmonte.

A winner from 1600m to 1800m, Lead Artist was retired to Juddmonte’s Barnstead Manor Stud last September and is about to start his first season at a fee of £12,500 (A$24,400).

A southern hemisphere fee will be set after the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in late March.

Arrowfield also shuttles Cheveley Park Stud’s sprinter Vandeek, a son of Havana Grey, who covered 151 mares at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST) in 2025, his first season in the Hunter Valley.