By Cape Cross out of Joyfulness by Bletchingly out of the outstanding racemare and influential broodmare Denise's Joy, Joyful Life has been to the trials twice for 2 wins. He ran 47.22 over 800m on the 29th October and followed it up with a win over 800m on the 19th November, running a time of 46.70.

His half sister Carlucci (by Stravinsky) won by 2 lengths at the Randwick trials in September.

Joyfulness was unraced but has bred to date 11 foals, 7 have raced for 3 winners including the G3 VRC Standish Handicap placed Sandridge Bay (by Zabeel). A full brother to Sandridge Bay fetched top price of NZ$700,000 at the Karaka 2001 Premier Sale.

Denise's Joy was an absolute cracker, securing the title of top filly on the 1975-76 Aust. 3YO Free Handicap. A winner of 13 races from 1000m to 2500m, 3 as a 2yo, she won the G1 VRC Oaks, Underwood Stakes, Queensland Oaks and the Australian Derby. At stud, she passed on many powerful genes to her daughters. Her daughter Joie Denise (by Danehill) won 4 races from 1400m to 2400m including the G1 Queensland Oaks. She became the dam of G1 Australian Oaks winner Sunday Joy.

Another daughter Clifton Gardens was placed over 1400m but bred the Listed winner Miss Minden who became dam of the G1 Queensland Oaks winner Miss Danehill (by Danehill) and G2 winner Pentastic.

Joyfulness' daughter Joie De Vivre raced once but bred the outstanding South African 3yo filly Joie de Grise and G1 winner Arlington Road.

Yet another unraced daughter Joy And Fun was dam of G1 winner Euphoria and sire Christmas Tree. Joy And Fun was also 3rd dam of sire Thorn Park.

The bringing together of Cape Cross and Joyfulness produced a sex balancing of Petition 6x6, Tudor Minstrel 6x5 and Fair Trial 6x5x6. Tudor Minstrel is out of Sansonnet, a greater than half sister to Fair Trial. Petition is of course a son of Fair Trial! This brings together many lines of the all conquering 9C Lady Josephine family and also injects a powerful background of Sainfoin and full sister Sierra into the mix. There are a total of 11 sex balanced lines of Fair Trial within 8 generations, the key being Denise's Joy who carries Fair Trial 5sx5dx5dx4s.

Tudor Minstrel is by Hyperion's son Owen Tudor, a further line carried in the dam. Tudor Minstrel's dam Sansonnet is by Sansovino, a close relation to Selene. Selene is by Chaucer out of a daughter of Gondolette. Sansovino is Chaucer's 5/8 brother Swynford out of Gondolette. Hyperion appears in Cape Cross as the sire of Nearctic's dam Lady Angela who is from the 14c family of Pretty Polly. Cape Cross also descends from The Veil, a greater than half sister to Lady Angela. Denise's Joy further reinforces this Pretty Polly line, carrying the mares Marita and Forecourt 4x4. Both these mares contribute multiple lines of Sainfoin and Sierra.

Joyfulness' female line descends from the 16c family of Miss Agnes via daughter Lily Agnes. Further lines of this family are mirrored in Cape Cross, in particular The Phoenix (carried twice), Herbager and of course Petition who descends from Lily Agnes's full sister Polly Agnes.

Joyful Life starts in race 2, the Wattyl Paints "1100" Treble over 1100m. He will be ridden by trial's day rider Lee Rutherford and jumps from barrier 2. Has to beat the promising Volace, Sandspirit and Cullcha who are already placed on raceday but might be worth a dollar or two.

UPDATE:
Joyful Life runs 3rd at $1.65. Sandspirit pays a surprising $14.70 for the win, Volace runs 2nd and Cullcha 4th. Trifecta pays $341.10; Quinella $23.95

UPDATE 2nd December 2005:
Joyful Life ran a 4.8 length 7th after being tightened at the start after his bold first up 3rd. Since then, he has a formline of 4-2-2-1-4, the latest start a 1.6 length 4th in the $200,000 G1 Levin Classic after an interrupted run in the straight. Starts tomorrow (Dec 3) in the G2 Avondale Guineas and looks a top hope.