With Australia having access to the best bloodlines from around the world, it has been difficult to promote a stallion that has not excelled at the highest level on the racetrack.
Yet stallions that have not achieved the holy grail of a Group 1 win often defy the odds.
Try getting a nomination to Not a Single Doubt, Written Tycoon or I Am Invincible this spring.
Not a Single Doubt has four Group 1 winners, Written Tycoon has two and the young gun I Am Invincible 1.
When the Kris Lees-trained Danish Twist (photo Steve Hart) lines up for Saturday's $500,000 Tattersalls Club Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm she will be vying to become the fifth Group 1 winner for Dane Shadow following dual Group 1 winner Red Tracer, South Australian Derby winner Shadows in the Sun, VRC Myer Classic winner Hurtle Myrtle and AJC The Galaxy winner Shellscrape.
In a light career on the track, Dane Shadow only had one stakes win to his credit, the Group III Ming Dynasty Stakes at Randwick.
But as a son of Danehill out of the great racemare Slight Chance he had undoubted stallion appeal.
Slight Chance won 10 stakes races including six at the highest level. Her sire Centaine also did not win past Group III level before becoming the cornerstone of success at Waikato Stud.
Danish Twist's dam Madame Flurry won a maiden at Naracoorte from six starts. That's one more win than her dam Flurry whose track career read last of 13 at Kilmore, 13th of 14 at Mornington, 14th of 15 at Moonee Valley and last of six at Morphettville. She did earn $300 for a third placing in a 2yo maiden at Werribee.
Flurry was however, a half-sister to the top-class Valley Of Georgia whose wins included the Group 1 AJC Oaks and Group 1 Underwood Stakes.
Flurry's sire Warmington (IRE), a son of the Forli stallion Home Guard, was imported to Australia by Tony Freedman, the father of the Freedman brothers.
The intention was to aim Warmington at the WS Cox Plate, Caulfield and Melbourne Cup before heading to stud.
By modern day standards, Warmington had some solid form to back him up. At two he won a Listed race at Ayr defeating the future 2000 Guineas hero Tap On Wood by three lengths. That was his second start.
His first came at Newmarket where he finished second behind the magnificent Troy who would go on to win the English and Irish Derbies.
Warmington also placed in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes and Group 1 Futurity Stakes at two so there were reasons for optimism when he entered the stables of Bart Cummings.
But he failed to win in five starts, with his best results coming when placed in the Group II Theo Marks Stakes and Group II Hill Stakes, both won by Silver Wraith.
Warmington did not cover himself in glory at stud. His best performer was the stakes-placed
Despite her less than distinguished career on the track, Flurry proved to be very successful at stud.
All ten of her foals reached the track and eight won, including the stakes-winner Lake Vila and the stakes-placed Flurry's Autumn the dam of Group III Mannerism Stakes winner Royal Sash who in turn is the dam of Group II Angus Armansco Stakes winner and Group 1 Caulfield 1000 Guineas third Sabatini (Street Cry) as well as Group III winner Viva Veloce (More Than Ready).
When mated with Perugino, Flurry produced Flurry's Gem.
Perugino was also a non-stakes winner. He did win his one and only start at Leopardstown under the guidance of Lester Piggott defeating the filly Market Slide by a head.
Market Slide would later find fame as the dam of 2,000 Guineas and Eclipse winner Refuse To Bend and of the memorable 2002 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle.
Initially trading off the fame of his half-brothers Sadler's Wells and Fairy King, Perugino proved successful in both hemispheres.
Undoubtedly the best south of the equator was his first crop son Testa Rossa. The 6-time Group 1 winner is now a highly successful stallion at Vinery Stud.
Also in that first crop was the hugely popular filly Tickle My, a 5-time stakes winner who earned a legion of fans with her never say die attitude.
That pair were largely responsible for Perugino earning a return to Australia. He had been missing for four years after his first season.
Flurry was among the mares to visit Perugino when he returned in 1999.
While her daughter Madame Flurry failed on the track she has more than made up for it is the breeding barn.
Her second foal Happy Trails has been mixing it with the best for the last six years.
The son of Good Journey has banked over $3.2 million in his 61 starts including Group 1 wins in the Turnbull Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes and Emirates Stakes.
Also the dam of the stakes-placed Heart Of A Lion (Lion Heart), Madame Flurry made it two stakes winners with Danish Twist who has been unstoppable since winning the $400,000 Provincial Championship Final (1400) at Royal Randwick back on April 9.
She came with barnstorming finished in the Group III Dark Jewel Classic at Scone and the Listed June Stakes at Randwick to earn a shot in the final Group 1 race of the season.
