I HAVE to admit to being a fan of Maxios (Monsun), and breeders this year are using him at Castlehyde Stud, where he stands under the banner of the Coolmore National Hunt stallions.

Maxios moved to Ireland to stand as a jumps sire in 2020, and breeders liked what they saw, supporting him with large books of mares. He has every chance now to become a champion sire in this sphere, and is already making an impact with the likes of Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios and now the Grade 1 Punchestown winner, Gaelic Warrior.

Don’t forget too that he has sired a couple of Italian Grade 2 hurdle winners, the Cheltenham Festival winner Aramax, successful in the Grade 3 Fred Winter Hurdle, and more, while on the flat he can claim a Group 1 winner in Diamanta, winner of the Preis der Diana-German Oaks. All of this bodes well for the dual Group 1 winning miler.

Gaelic Warrior was bred by the Niarchos Family, and they bred and raced Maxios too. A private purchase at the BBAG September Yearling Sale for €9,000, Gaelic Warrior was unplaced on his debut in France before being placed twice there. Transferred to Willie Mullins, he was beaten a short-head by Brazil in the Grade 3 Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham last year on his debut for his new owners and stable, won three times in succession this season, starting at Tramore, was runner-up to Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham, and his now a Grade 1 winner.

Gaelic Warrior has a number of full-brothers following on, the now two-year-old costing Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk €46,000 as a foal, while at the most recent Goffs December National Hunt Sale the now yearling sold for €60,000.

Three Mysteries

Bred in the purple, Gaelic Warrior is out of a placed Hernando (Niniski) half-sister to four winners, including a stakes winner, and their dam Three Mysteries (Linamix) is a winning half-sister to the Group 2 Italian 1000 Guineas winner Erin Bird (Bluebird). That classic winner was sent to Japan where she bred the Group 1 Yushun Himba (Oaks) winner Erin Court (Durandal).

Ballymacoll connection

This is a great Ballymacoll Stud family, and the Group 1 winners under the fourth dam Dancing Shadow (Dancer’s Image) attest to the greatness it achieved. Few of the winners at the highest level need to have their race records added as they will all spring to mind, horses such as Spectrum (Rainbow Quest), Petrushka (Unfuwain), Conduit (Dalakhani), Blond Me (Tamayuz), and Millenary (Rainbow Quest).

Nestled among that group are also a number of runners who found their métier when faced with an obstacle, such as dual Grade 1 winning hurdler My Tent Or Yours (Desert Prince), Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle winner Parlour Games (Monsun), and even a winner of the great Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic, Theopjilos (Elusive City).