A son of one of Australia's hottest stallions, a representative of our most prominent sire line and a member of one our most prolific families – that is Primus, a young stallion with plenty going for him.

By Danehill's triple Gr.1 winning son Flying Spur from the Denise's Joy family that has produced the elite level winners Miss Danehill, Tuesday Joy, Joie Denise, Sunday Joy, Euphoria, Bentley Biscuit, Joe de Grise, Arlington Road and Thorn Park, Primus boasts a pedigree of considerable depth.

Primus' sire Flying Spur has excelled with a variety of mares although there are certain patterns worth taking heed of. Like Danehill and his other sons, he appreciates further Northern Dancer – picking up on the influence of that stallion's dam Natalma, also third dam of Danehill.

With Northern Dancer it seems the case of the more the better, Flying Spur's Gr.1 daughter Forensics boasting no less than five strains. It is also worth noting that a recent US stakes winner has six! Several Northern Dancer lines have fared well with Flying Spur – Vice Regent, The Minstrel, Grand Chaudiere, Try My Best (Last Tycoon), Nijinsky II, Nureyev and Storm Bird.

The Northern Dancer/Danehill family can be tapped into in other ways – via members of the Halo (Flying Spur's Gr.2 winner Shaft carries a strain as do the Listed winners Alverta and Tornado Valley – all via Rahy) or Machiavellian lines. Also of interest are daughters of El Moxie, Eagle Eyed, Shedad, Diatribe, Catrail and Youthful Legs.

Flying Spur has done very well when his own family members are duplicated (as has his close relation Encosta de Lago)... the speedy Gr.2 winner French Braids bred on a 5 X 4 cross of Flying Spur's third dam Fanfreluche and the Gr.2 galloper Krupt boasting a 4 X 4 cross of Flying Spur's grandam Grand Luxe.

Both of those horses are from mares from the Fanfreluche family but there are several broodmare sires who also hail from it – namely Family Ties, Hideyoshi, Encosta de Lago (in turn sire of Delago Brom, Lago Delight and Tuscanos), Van Nistelrooy, Night Shift and Snaadee. Also suitable from this perspective are daughters of Ne Coupez Pas.

Flying Spur (and Danehill was the same) has excelled with mares carrying a strain of Grey Sovereign and/or Star Kingdom. He has done particularly well with the latter via Biscay (Zephyr Bay, Bletchingly), Todman and Kaoru Star (Luskin Star). Of those Bletchingly (who hails from the same female line as Danzig) is the strongest link with five stakes winners by Flying Spur out of his daughters. Of course Primus carries a strain of Star Kingdom via Planet Kingdom and like Northern Dancer, Star Kingdom is an outstanding line-breeding subject.

The Flying Spur/Sir Tristram cross has also proven successful (Sleek Chassis, Juanmo, Dealer Principal, Flying Alpha, What's The Mail, November Flight, Rasmussen) and members of this line (especially Zabeel, Marauding and Kaapstad) are a particularly strong match for Primus as he carries a strain of Sir Tristram's influential third dam All Moonshine via Mossborough. She has been instrumental to the success of Sir Tristram – his Gr.1 descendants line-bred to her including Dr. Grace, Hula Flight, Kibbutz, Might And Power, Reset, Sarrera, Tributes, Unearthly, Viscount and Zagalia.

Another famed matriarch worthy of duplication is Somethingroyal, dam of Sir Gaylord – sire of Flying Spur's second dam sire Sir Ivor (himself an excellent line-breeding subject with Flying Spur's Gr.1 winners Juanmo, Sleek Chassis and Dealer Principal bred in that way).

Somethingroyal is also the dam of the legendary Secretariat, strains of whom are easily found. Flying Spur's wonderful daughter Forensics is one of many high class gallopers line-bred to her.

La Troienne is another noteworthy influence and Primus is line-bred to her via Woodman and Buckpasser. Seek strains of her other descendants Bimelech, Mr Busher, Busher, Boucher, Great Captain, Cohoes, Poker, Private Account, The Axe II, Caerleon, Noble Bijou and Pleasant Tap.

Broodmare sires such as Rhythm, More Than Ready, Polish Navy, Yonder, Air de France, Hula Chief, Hula Drum, Don't Say Halo and Chem are also of interest – all being members of the La Troienne clan.

The Marchetta family is another to have strongly influenced the success of Flying Spur and Primus is line-bred to one of its most prominent members in Lavendula II via Turn-To and My Babu. The more the better of this family so look for strains of Klarion, Irish River, Cagire II, Ambiorix, Agricola, Alycidon, Acropolis, Borealis, Marco Polo II, Sayani, Imperial Prince, Cheraw and Alvaro.

Entreaty, ancestress of the mighty Phar Lap and more recent stars Sunline and Research, is an interesting mare to duplicate and she appears in Primus' pedigree via Planet Kingdom. Not easy to find but she is in Blazing Saddles and Authentic Heir – and there are still quite a few broodmares from this family at stud.

Century is another horse to have crossed well with both Flying Spur (Amtrak, Spurcent, Espurante, Grand Cavalier, November Flight) and Danehill and members of his line look a very nice match for Primus who carries a strain of Rustom Pasha – son of Better Boy's ancestress Cos and an excellent influence for speed.

Danehill's dam sire His Majesty hails from a strong family, his dam Flower Bowl an influential line-breeding subject – Flying Spur's Gr.1 winner Dealer Principal and Gr.2 winner Trezevant two examples, both having Flower Bowl's grandson Whiskey Road as their second dam sire. Mares by Whiskey Road and his sons/grandsons (such as Strawberry Road, Sea Road, Admiralty, Civic Hope) are therefore nice matches for Primus as are mares carrying strains of Crowned Prince (dam sire of Zeditave – dam sire of Flying Spur's multiple stakes winner Brannigan), Graustark and Majestic Prince.

Blushing Groom is another line that has traditionally crossed well with Danzig and Rahy has already been mentioned as faring well with Flying Spur. Primus should really love him as his dam carries two strains of Blushing Groom's ancestress Black Ray via Khaled and Pipe Of Peace. Another member of this family is Mill Reef, another stallion with whom both Danehill and Flying Spur have fared well.

Primus is bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Mr Prospector who does very nicely when brought together with his relative Seattle Slew – both stallions descendants of the influential matriarch Myrtlewood. Lomond and Shecky Greene are also from this family as is Victorian broodmare sire Jugah and the NZ based Bahhare.

Kentucky Oaks heroine Lalun is a prominent line-breeding subject and her son Never Bend is the sire of Hector Protector's dam sire Riverman. Never Bend excels with his half brother Bold Reason – most easily found as the dam sire of Sadler's Wells and Fairy King.

Primus is line-bred to yet another outstanding mare in Sister Sarah, grandam of Northern Dancer's sire Nearctic and ancestress of Primus' third dam sire Seventh Hussar. Further strains are desirable (seek strains of Count Rendered, St Paddy and Great Nephew) and found in daughters of Beautiful Crown, Cape Cross, Blazing Reality, Irgun, Raveneaux, Bureaucracy, Toy Pindarri, Brigand, Zariz, River Rough, Fantastic Light, Ideal Planet, Eire, Saltgrass, Sir Tatton and Telesto.

Primus' family may also be worth line-breeding to – those able to experiment with this are owners of mares by Christmas Tree and in the future Thorn Park.

Also note that other broodmare sires to have done well with Flying Spur include Ahonoora, Northern Spring, Snippets and Zabeleta.