TUESDAY

KLASSICAL DREAM (FR)

2014 gelding by Dream Well (Sadler’s Wells) ex Klassical Way (Septieme Ciel)

Bred by Hubert Honore and Laura Guillaume. Sourced by Harold Kirk he is the best winner to date for his listed chase-winning dam who was placed in the Grade 2 Prix Congress Chase. She has a pair of British graded hurdle winning siblings in Days Of Heaven (Saint Des Saints) and Diego Du Charmil (Ballingarry), the latter becoming a Grade 1 winning chaser at Aintree in 2018. His sire won the French and Irish Derbys.

DUC DES GENIEVRES (FR)

2013 gelding by Buck’s Boum (Cadoudal) ex Lobelie (Round Sovereign)

Bred by Colette Serre. By a brother to the great hurdler Big Buck’s, Duc Des Genievres is out of a mare who won six races in France and she is a sibling to four winners. Buck’s Boum stands for €5,000 this season after making a great start at stud, his early crops also featuring Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo and Dynamite Dollars among their numbers. Buck’s Boum was a winning hurdler and runner-up at Grade 1 level over obstacles in France.

BEWARE THE BEAR (IRE)

2010 gelding by Shantou (Alleged) ex Native Bid (Be My Native)

Bred by Marilyn Syme. Beware The Bear was sold as a foal from Borris House at Tattersalls Ireland for €18,000 to Goldford Stud. A son of Burgage Stud’s Shantou, he is one of four blacktype horse produced by the Nicky Henderson-trained Native Bid who made just three starts and won on each occasion, including a listed bumper at Kempton Park. Her five offspring to race are all winners, and Henderson also handled Mayfair Music (Presenting) who won a listed mares’ novice hurdle.

ESPOIR D’ALLEN (FR)

2014 gelding by Voix Du Nord (Valanour ) ex Quadanse (Maille Pistol)

Bred by Bruno Vagne. What a week for this family. The Champion Hurdle winner shares the same third dam as the Grade 1 bumper winner Envoi Allen (Muthathir), and this is a family that every generation throws up a good horse. Grade 2 chase winner Auvergnat (Della Francesco) and Eudipe (Useful) and other names that appear. Voix Du Nord is hugely familiar as his performers include Vroum Vroum Mag and Kemboy in Ireland.

ROKSANA (IRE)

2012 mare by Dubai Destination (Kingmambo) ex Talktothetail (Flemensfirth)

Bred by John O’Leary (see page 49). Easily the best runner in her family for four generations, Roksana is one of two racecourse winners for their dam who showed great versatility to win a point-to-point, a bumper and over fences. She was the only racecourse winner out of Glenview Lady (Cheval) and she had a similar race record to her daughter Talktothetail. The only other blacktype earner was Real Value (Matching Pair), runner-up at Cheltenham in the Foxhunters.

A PLUS TARD (FR)

2014 gelding by Kapgarde (Garde Royale) ex Turboka (Kahyasi)

Bred by Antonia Devin. Purchased privately by Alex Elliott for Cheveley Park Stud. A listed winner over hurdles in France, he is the best runner from his dam and she is also the grandam of a listed flat winner, Style Icon (Doctor Dino). Grandam Turbotiere (Turgeon) was a multiple listed winner in France and group-placed, and she is the dam of blacktype winners over jumps in Turbotin (Passing Sale) and Dottore (Doctor Dino).

LE BREUIL (FR)

2012 gelding by Anzillero (Law Society) ex Slew Dancer (Fabulous Dancer)

Bred by Claude-Yves Pelsy. The best of seven winners to date for his dam who also bred the French stakes winner Belfortain (Riche Mare) and the stakes-placed Rislew (Riche Mare). Their dam was placed and she is a half-sister to six winners. Another generation back and you have a female line that has really made its mark in Argentina, producing Group 1 winners Slew Of Reality (Political Ambition), Slew The Moon (Kitwood) and, in 2018, Sexy Reasons (Jump Start).

WEDNESDAY

CITY ISLAND (IRE)

2013 gelding by Court Cave (Sadler’s Wells) ex Victorine (Un Desperado)

Bred by Ken Parkhill in Co Meath. Sold for €31,000 at the 2016 Derby Sale to Martin Brassil, this is yet another Grade 1 Cheltenham winner for Boardsmill Stud’s impeccably-bred Court Cave and for one of the most successful National Hunt female lines. City Island is out of a half-sister to two Champion Hurdle winners in Morley Street (Deep Run) and Granville Again (Deep Run) and their full-sister bred the Grade 1 Ascot Chase winner Hand Inn Hand (Alflora).

TOPOFTHEGAME (IRE)

2012 gelding by Flemensfirth (Alleged) ex Derry Vale (Mister Lord)

Bred by Patrick Kavanagh. Twice sold in the sales ring, firstly by Con Hickey to Donnchadh Doyle’s Monbeg Stables for €26,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale and then for €120,000 at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in 2016 to Highflyer Bloodstock. Best offspring of his unraced dam but she comes from a female line that has produced endless blacktype winners, and one of the most recent and noteworthy is the ill-fated dual Grade 1 hurdle winner Identity Thief (Kayf Tara).

WILLIAM HENRY (IRE)

2010 gelding by King’s Theatre (Sadler’s Wells) ex Cincuenta (Bob Back)

Bred by Michael Carroll. Retained as a foal for €27,000, the decision was rewarded 12 months later at the same Tattersalls Ireland November Sale when he sold for €60,000 through Ballincurrig House Stud to Highflyer Bloodstock. Full-brother to Grade 2 hurdle winner Sesenta (King’s Theatre) out of a mare who won five times on the flat. She is a half-sister to Grade 1 French Hurdle winner Strangely Brown (Second Empire). Top-class Aga Khan family.

ALTIOR (IRE)

2010 gelding by High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) ex Monte Solaro (Key of Luck)

Bred by Paddy Behan in Co Laois. Sold at the Goffs Land Rover Sale in 2013 for €60,000 from Michael Carty’s Kilmoney Cottage Stud to Highflyer Bloodstock. One of a pair of blacktype winners for his Grade 3 hurdle-winning dam who raced successfully for Paddy and Rose Behan. The other was Princess Leya (Old Vic), a Grade 2 hurdle winner. Altior is now unbeaten in 18 starts over hurdles and fences, a record-equalling performance.

TIGER ROLL (IRE)

2010 gelding by Authorized (Montjeu) ex Swiss Roll (Entrepreneur)

Bred by Gerry O’Brien in Co Cork. Tiger Roll sold for 70,000gns as a foal at Tattersalls to John Ferguson, as a three-year-old at Doncaster to Nigel Hawke for £10,000, and to Mags O’Toole for £80,000 at Brightwells. Half-brother to Group 2 winner Ahzeemah (Dubawi) who was runner-up in the Group 1 Irish St Leger. Dam is stakes-placed full-sister to Berenson who finished second to in the Group 1 National Stakes. Derby winner Authorized is also sire of Nichols Canyon.

BAND OF OUTLAWS (IRE)

2015 gelding by Fast Company (Danehill Dancer) ex Band Of Colour (Spectrum)

Bred by Jim Browne’s Kilnamoragh Stud in Co Kildare and sold as a yearling at Tattersalls Ireland September Sale for €11,000 to part-owner Sarah O’Brien. The best of four winners from a daughter of a Group 2 winning juvenile in France. Otherwise he comes from a solid blacktype flat family and is by a Darley stallion who previously stood at Rathasker Stud and for a season at Overbury Stud.

ENVOI ALLEN (FR)

2014 gelding by Muhtathir (Elmaamul) ex Reaction (Saint Des Saints)

Bred by Bruno Vagne, breeder of the Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen who is from this family. Trained by Colin Bowe for Walter Connors, Envoi Allen was successful in a point-to-point before selling for £400,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Sale to Tom Malone. He is the first foal for Reaction who won over jumps and is out of Hesmeralda (Royal Charter) who won nine times. She bred six winners, including Enda Bolger’s Auvergnat (Della Francesca).

THURSDAY

DEFI DU SEUIL (FR)

2013 gelding by Voix Du Nord (Valanour) ex Quarvine Du Seuil (Lavirco)

Bred by Catherine Doudot. Son of a two-time winner on the flat, his grandam Fleur Du Tennis won six times on the flat and is dam of four winners. A daughter of Video Rock, she is a full-sister to the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase winner Jimmy Tennis and from the immediate family of Coo Star Sivola, a listed hurdle winner at Cheltenham in 2017. Dual Group 1 winner Voix Du Nord died in 2013 and is also sire of the Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen.

SIRE DU BERLAIS (FR)

2012 gelding by Poliglote (Sadler’s Wells) ex Royal Athenia (Garde Royale)

Bred by Jean-Marc Lucas and partners. One of a pair of blacktype winners out of the excellent racemare Royal Athenia whose 10 victories over jumps were headed by the Grade 1 Prix Renaud du Vivier. She in turn is a full-sister to the Grade 1 winning bumper horse Royal Rosa (Garde Royale) and a half-sister to the Grade 1 Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle winner Royal Paradise (Cadoudal), as well as being a sibling to three other blacktype winners over jumps in France.

FRODON (FR)

2012 gelding by Nickname (Lost World) ex Miss Country (Country Reel)

Bred by Philippe Gasdoue. Sold as a foal for €18,000 at Arqana to Agence Fips. Son of Nickname who became a household name over jumps in France and Ireland, winning at Grade 1 level in both countries and is a leading sire. First foal of Miss Country, a winner over jumps in France and dam of three winners with her first three foals. Her half-brother Medermit (Medaaly) won the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and was runner-up in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

PAISLEY PARK (IRE)

2012 gelding by Oscar (Sadler’s Wells) ex Presenting Shares (Presenting)

Bred by Mike Conaghan in Co Limerick. Sold as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland for €12,500 to Richard Rohan and Gerry Hogan paid €60,000 for him as a three-year-old at the Goffs Land Rover Sale from Ballincurrig House Stud. Paisley Park is the best of the six winning offspring from his dam who did not race and changed hands as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland in 1999 for only IR£550. Presenting Shares is a half-sister to Preists Leap (Luso), winner of the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park twice.

SIRUH DU LAC (FR)

2013 gelding by Turgeon (Caro) ex Margerie (Le Balafre)

Bred by Louis Fagalde. Sold as a foal to Nick Williams for €32,000 at Arqana. By the Irish St Leger winner and successful sire of such as Exotic Dancer, Siruh Du Lac is the best winner in his family for some time. His dam won four times over jumps in France and she is one of an unbroken line of winning mares going back at least five generations. Margerie’s grandam bred the leading French hurdler Matchou (Matahawk), a star in the 1990s.

EGLANTINE DU SEUIL (FR)

2014 mare by Saddler Maker (Sadler’s Wells) ex Rixia Du Seuil (Ultimately Lucky)

Bred by Catherine Boudot and sold as a three-year-old at Arqana to Harold Kirk for €85,000 after winning her first start. She is the first animal in her family to earn blacktype. Her dam won three small races on the flat and was placed over hurdles, her grandam won twice on the flat, once over hurdles and bred three winners, all her foals. She was one of two winners from a mare who was successful twice on the flat and twice over jumps.

ANY SECOND NOW (IRE)

2012 gelding by Oscar (Sadler’s Wells) ex Pretty Neat (Topanoora)

Bred by Noreen McManus. Full-brother to recent chase winner Roxboro Road, also trained by Ted Walsh. Dam was placed in a bumper and she is out of an unraced own-sister to Aunt Aggie (Be My Native), a Grade 3 hurdle winner, and a half-sister to the McManus’ Time For A Run (Deep Run), winner of the Grade 3 Coral Cup at Cheltenham, a Grade 2 winner over fences and placed at Grade 1 level over hurdles and fences.

FRIDAY

PENTLAND HILLS (IRE)

2015 gelding by Motivator (Montjeu) ex Elle Galante (Galileo)

Bred by Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd. Sold as a yearling in book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale for 40,000gns to Chris Wall. Sold through The Castlebridge Consignment. Half-brother to the Group 2 Royal Ascot winner Balios (Shamardal). Elle Galante is a stakes-placed daughter of the champion German filly Elle Danzig (Roi Danzig) who won three Group 1 races – two in Italy – as well as the German Oaks and 1000 Guineas. More than half her 11 winners earned blacktype.

CH’TIBELLO (FR)

2011 gelding by Sageburg (Johannesburg) ex Neicha (Neverneyev)

Bred by Elizabeth Cucheval. By the Garryrichard Stud-based, leading dual-purpose sire Sageburg and the best runner for his dam who was placed on the flat. She also bred the group-placed flat winner Ch’tio Bilote (Ultimately Lucky). Neicha is a half-sister to three winners and their dam is from a family that has blacktype winners on the flat and over jumps, including full-brothers, Group 3 winner Chicbury (Exbury) and Chexbury, winner of Grande Course de Haies des 4 Ans Hurdle.

MINELLA INDO (IRE)

2013 gelding by Beat Hollow (Sadler’s Wells) ex Carrigeen Lily (Supreme Leader)

Bred by Mrs R H Lalor. Sold from the breeder’s Rathkenty Stud to John Nallen for €24,000 as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland. Half-brother to the Grade 2 chase winner Benatar (Beneficial), out of a tough racemare who was placed in the Grade 2 Leopardstown Chase. Grandam Carrigeensharragh (Walshford) won 10 races, including a number of listed chases, and she is grandam and ancestress of many blacktype winning National Hunt horses, including Rogue Angel (Presenting).

AL BOUM PHOTO (FR)

2012 gelding by Buck’s Boum (Cadoudal) ex Al Gane (Dom Alco)

Bred by Emmanuel Clayeux and Jacky Rauch. Failed to sell at €70,000 when offered as a three-year-old at Arqana. Yet another big race winner at this year’s Cheltenham Festival for Buck’s Boum. Al Boum Photo is the first foal of his unraced dam but he is far from being the only star in the family. This is the family also of Le Richebourg (Network) and his sibling, the Grade 1 Feltham Novices’ Chase winner Grands Crus (Dom Alco).

HAZEL HILL (IRE)

2008 gelding by Milan (Sadler’s Wells) ex Resenting (Presenting)

Bred by Patrick Moakley. Did not sell at €10,000 when offered for sale as a four-year-old at Tattersalls Ireland. Second foal of an unplaced point-to-point mare whose own dam won a point-to-point. Third dam Distant Castle (Deep Run) won seven times, a point-to-point, a bumper, three hurdle races and two chases. She is a half-sister to the dam of the Welsh Grand National winner Run And Skip (Deep Run) back in the 1980s.

CROCO BAY (IRE)

2007 gelding by Croco Rouge (Rainbow Quest) ex April Thistle (Alphabatim)

Bred by Dan Caverley. Sold three times, as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland for €4,200, by Simon Donnelly as a four-year-old at the Goffs Land Rover Sale for €6,000 and by Peter Atkinson to Kevin Ross Bloodstock for £70,000 at the Cheltenham Premier Sale as a seven-year-old. Best of two winners for his unraced dam. Croco Bay’s third dam was Tarthistle (Tarqogan), a good racemare who won the Thyestes Chase for Edward O’Grady 40 years ago.

EARLY DOORS (FR)

2013 gelding by Soldier Of Fortune (Galileo) ex Ymlaen (Desert Prince)

Bred by Derek Clee. Sold as a yearling at Arqana for €6,000 and resold from Shanaville Stables as a three-year-old at the Goffs Land Rover Sale for €36,000 to Joseph O’Brien. Half-brother to a listed winner and now the best of five winning offspring from juvenile winning dam. Third dam Smaoineamh (Tap On Wood) was a dual listed winner and Group 1 placed and she is also third dam of 2017 Group 1 winner Verbal Dexterity (Vocalised).