NORTHERN GUEST (USA) 1977, a bay colt by NORTHERN DANCER (CAN) out of SEX APPEAL (USA) by BUCKPASSER (USA), was bred by EP Taylor, who also bred his father, NORTHERN DANCER (CAN) 1961.

His older full brother, TRY MY BEST (USA) 1975, was sold as a yearling for $185,000 to Robert Sangster and sent to Ireland.  He was the Champion 2yo in England & Ireland, the Champion miler in Ireland, and the leading sire in Italy twice.  Two of his sons, BEL BYOU (IRE) 1984 and I TRY (IRE) 1984, stood at stud in South Africa.

His younger full brother, EL GRAN SENOR (USA) 1981, also purchased by Robert Sangster, was the Champion 3yo colt in England & Ireland and a very successful sire of International repute.  He had the one son stand at stud in South Africa, CORDOBA (USA) 1987, who produced the very talented sprinter that was trained by Chris Snaith in the 1990s, CORDOCELLI (SAF) 1992, who won 16 races, including the 1996 Diadem Stakes (1200m) Group 2, 1996 Concord Stakes (1000m) Group 3, 1997 Cape Flying Championship (1000m) Group 1, 1997 Chairman’s Stakes (1200m) Group 3 and the1998 Cape Flying Championship (WFA) (1000m) Group 1.

NORTHERN GUEST was originally purchased by the team from COOLMORE STUD for $1m as a 5 week old foal.  He was put into training with Vincent O’Brien as a 2yo.  Unfortunately the unraced NORTHERN GUEST collided with a fence while at work one morning and seriously injured his off fore foot.  The injury was so severe that it resulted in the colt never being raced and he was retired to stud at Coolmore’s Longfields Farm.  He produced three small crops of foals in Ireland before being spotted by Pat & Mick Goss while on a visit to the stud in Ireland.  A deal to purchase him was concluded and NORTHERN GUEST was brought to South Africa as a 6yo in 1983 to stand at stud at the Goss brothers’ fledgling, SUMMERHILL STUD, in Natal.  He produced his first crop of foals in South Africa in 1984.

NORTHERN GUEST was one of 13 sons of NORTHERN DANCER to stand at stud in South Africa and he was the only one to win a CHAMPION SIRE OF SOUTH AFRICA title, which he did in the 1989/90 racing season.

His principal winners were as follows:

(COLTS)

• NAVAL GUEST 9 wins, 1989 Christmas Handicap (Turffontein), 1990 Computaform Champion Stakes, 1991 Christmas Handicap (Turffontein).
• SENOR SANTA 15 wins, 1987 Gold Medallion (Smirnoff), 1989 Joseph Dorfman Memorial Handicap, 1989 Computaform Sprint (WFA), 1989 Star Sprint, 1989 Chairman’s Stakes, 1990 Natal Flying Championship, 1990 First National Bank 1600, 1990 Computaform Sprint (WFA), 1991 Keith Hepburn Champion Stakes, 1992 Star Sprint.
• GUN DRIFT 8 wins, 1989 Computaform Derby, 1990 OK Trial, 1990 TAB (OFS) Handicap.
• SPOOK AND DIESEL 8 wins, 1989 Gold Medallion (Smirnoff), 1990 Chris Smith Super Series.
• UNAWARE 10 wins, 1991 Natal Breeders Challenge, 1991 Administrator’s Challenge Cup, 1992 Germiston November Handicap.
• TRAVEL NORTH 10 wins, 1994 Natal Breeders Challenge, 1994 The Dingaans, 1994 1st SA Derby, 1995 Caradoc Gold Cup, 1995 IGN Gold Plate, 1996 Caradoc Gold Cup, 1997 Vaal Stayers Handicap.
• CARTEL 11 wins, 2000 Spring Sprint (Durbanville), 2001 Hawaii Stakes.
• NORTHERN DIGNITY 10 wins, 2001 Settlers Trophy, 2002 Woolavington Handicap, 2003 Woolavington Handicap.
• ANGUS 8 wins, 2001 Clover / Shackleton Milers Stakes, 2002 Premier’s Trophy, 2002 J&B Metropolitan.

(FILLIES)

• NORTHERN PRINCESS 9 wins, 1988 Flamboyant Stakes, 1988 Poinsettia Stakes, 1989 Germiston November Handicap, 1989 Winning Form Challenge, 1989 Drill Hall Stakes, 1990 Frank Lambert Stakes.
• MYSTERY GUEST 3 wins, 1989 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas.
• SPRINGING GUEST 4 wins, 1991 SUMMER FLYING HANDICAP.
• PERFECT GUEST 5 wins, 1993 2nd Bloodline Juvenile Sprint, 1993 3rd Allan Robertson Fillies Futurity Scottsville, 1995 3rd Issie Shenker Memorial Handicap, 1995 3rd John Breval Memorial Handicap, 1995 4th Ascot On Vaal Fillies Sprint.
• DANCE EVERY DANCE 5 wins, 1994 Debutante Stakes, 1995 Post Natal Golden Slipper, 1995 Cape Of Good Hope (Fillies Guineas Futurity), 1995 2nd SA Fillies Guineas.
• IMPERIOUS SUE 6 wins, 1995 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas, 1997 Natalia Stakes, 1997 J&B Metropolitan, 1996 2nd John Lindebergh Memorial, 1997 2nd Arc-En-Ciel Paddock Stakes (WFA).
• GOLDEN APPLE 4 wins, 1998 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas, 1997 2nd Debutante Stakes, 1998 2nd Woolavington Stakes, 1997 3rd JB Mc Intosh Fillies Classic. The dam of POMODORO (SAF) 2008 (Sire).

NORTHERN GUEST produced 19 crops of foals while at stud in South Africa from 1984 to 2002.  He remained fertile throughout his lengthy stud career until his death in 2002 aged 25 years old.

His daughters proved to be wonderful broodmares.  Their contribution to the South African Stud Book is exemplary to say the least, and it is no wonder that NORTHERN GUEST was the CHAMPION BROODMARE SIRE OF SOUTH AFRICA on 10 occasions.

He is on record as having 5 of his sons stand at stud and he is also the broodmare sire of a further 3 stallions at stud here including POMODORO and SKITT SKIZZLE (both by JET MASTER, who clicked so well with NORTHERN GUEST mares).