THE death of Many Clouds cast a shadow on the racing world last weekend. The great favourite was winning for the 12th time when beating Thistlecrack in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase, boosting his earnings to well over £900,000. The Aintree Grand National winner was a son of Cloudings, who stands at James Hannon’s The Old Road Stud in Tallow. A son of Sadler’s Wells, Cloudings won the Group 1 Prix Lupin.

Last Tuesday at Tattersalls Ireland a just turned yearling filly by Cloudings out of the unraced Deploy mare Deploythetank was sold for €8,500. This would look to have been a good buy as her dam is a half-sister to not only Many Clouds, but also to the two-time Grade 1 winning hurdler and Grade 1-placed chaser The Tullow Tank. He is a son of Oscar.

Bred by Aidan Aherne, Many Clouds was sold as a foal for €6,000 at Tattersalls Ireland. Highflyer Bloodstock purchased him and he must stand out as one the best purchases made by that esteemed agency.

The Tullow Tank and Many Clouds have lifted the family from being a regular winner-producing line, with few racing stars, to being a more sought after line now.

Their Bob Back dam Bobbing Back failed to reach the frame, whereas her full-sister Back On Line was a multiple winner over hurdles in addition to landing a bumper success and winning a point-to-point. She was placed in a listed chase at Newbury.

Another full-sister is Ballys Baby and this unraced mare is responsible for two winners already, the best of the pair being Forge Meadow, winner of the valuable George Mernagh Memorial Bumper and placed in a listed mares’ bumper at Punchestown to Augusta Kate. She won on her hurdling debut, beating Toe The Line, and is a very useful sort.

Breeders, stallion masters and readers are invited to contact Leo Powell at leopowell@theirishfield.ie with news and updates for the column, and to visit our website www.theirishfield.ie for daily breeding news