A BIT of time and space away from the Cheltenham Festival has finally allowed some breathing space to have a look at the performances of sires at the meeting. One very notable milestone was reached, largely unnoticed I have to say.

When William Henry won the Grade 3 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle by a short head from Wicklow Brave (Beat Hollow), he recorded the 16th victory for a horse sired by King’s Theatre (Sadler’s Wells) at the Festival. These have come from 13 individual horses and the former Ballylinch Stud stallion joins the great Deep Run (Pampered King) at the head of affairs, with his total also coming from 13 different horses.

Given that Deep Run’s last Cheltenham Festival winner was 21 years ago, when Unguided Missile won the 1998 National Hunt Chase, and that King’s Theatre came close to toppling him when Champ finished second in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, it is odds-on that a new leader will emerge in the coming years.

It is worth noting that 405 races were run at the Festivals between the time of Deep Run’s first and last winners, while King’s Theatre has reached his total from 348 races.

There is no guarantee that it will be King’s Theatre who will set the new benchmark, as another son of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) is snapping at his heels. Paisley Park and Any Second Now were two winners this year for Oscar, putting him just behind Deep Run and King’s Theatre. He has got to his lofty position of 15 wins from 14 individual horses. Presenting (Mtoto) is also a contender and his 15 wins have been recorded by a dozen individuals.

Robin Des Champs is alone in fifth place with 14 wins, but these were achieved with just five individuals.

Winners are one thing, but what about the Grade 1 races or their equivalent back in time? Presenting was joined this year on nine wins at the highest level by Oscar, while King’s Theatre and Deep Run are just behind with eight wins each. A successful defence of his crown next year by Paisley Park would push Oscar out in front.

Oscar was ‘crowned’ leading sire at this year’s Festival as his two winners were joined on the podium by two placed runners, Lake View Lad and Not Many Left. Spare a thought though for Buck’s Boum (Cadoudal), the full-brother to Big Buck’s. He had two runners at the Cheltenham Festival, they both ran in Grade 1 races and they took home two of the most coveted races of the week, the Magners Gold Cup and the Racing Post Arkle Chase. They were Al Boum Photo and Duc Des Genievres.

No horse sired three winners at the 2019 Festival, a feat only achieved six times since the first Festival, as we know it today, was run in 1911. The six to have done this are Arkle’s sire Archive (Nearco) in 1965, Deep Run in 1986, Accordion (Sadler’s Wells) in 2008, King’s Theatre in 2012, Beneficial (Top Ville) in 2013 and Kayf Tara (Sadler’s Wells) three years ago. The latter’s treble was unique as the three winners all gained their success in Grade 1 races. They were Thistlecrack, Blaklion and Ballyandy.

I am indebted to Sue Russell (nee Montgomery) for much of this information, and she ended her correspondence to me with the following.

“There’s a whimsical connection between Deep Run and King’s Theatre. Deep Run’s first Festival winner Kilcoleman is out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells. No, not THE Sadler’s Wells but the 1941-foaled Sadler’s Wells (by Felicitation), whose chief claim to fame is that he once finished second in a wartime seller at Stockton!”