THE Dunlop family has enjoyed many great racing moments over the years, most notably winning the 2011 Irish Grand National with Organisdconfusion. The gelding raced in the colours of the late Grace Dunlop but the day was a great family affair, Grace’s husband Alan and sons Bill and Alan ensuring that the party went on for some time.

I am reminded of that marvellous occasion following the victory of the Jeremy four-year-old filly Cote de Grace in the feature chase at Pau at the weekend, the Listed Prix Antoine de Palaminy worth €33,600 to the winner. This was victory number three for the filly, once over hurdles and twice over fences, and she is a rising star on the jumping scene in France. She is trained, and part-owned, by Richard Chotard.

The Dunlops acquired Fantasy World, a three-time winning hurdler by Kemal (Armistice) for 17,000gns at Doncaster 15 years ago through Michael McNeilly. It was an opportune purchase as the mare’s then six-year-old Central House (Alflora), her second produce, had shown himself to be above average as a hurdler and was embarking on a chasing career. Within weeks of the purchase the Dessie Hughes-trained gelding won the Grade 1 Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase at Leopardstown and he went on to have a fine career as a chaser.

Central House won 11 times in all, eight of them over fences, and he added a second Grade 1 success to his curriculum vitae and was runner-up in two more races at the highest level, all his Grade 1 performances of note coming at Leopardstown.

Prior to the emergence of Cote De Grace as yet another notable National Hunt performer in the immediate removes of the family, Central House’s half-sister Central Arch (Dilum), a hurdle and bumper winner, had thrown the smart Spring Heeled (Old Vic), a four-time winner who was twice runner-up in the Munster National, in 2013 and 2015.

Cote De Grace is the first foal of her unraced dam Inishanier, the last of Fantasy World’s nine offspring. She is followed by a pair of fillies by sires standing or who stood at the Irish National Stud, a three-year-old daughter of Elusive Pimpernel (Elusive Quality) and a two-year-old by Famous Name (Dansili).

Inishanier is a daughter of Jimble, a stallion that the Dunlops acquired and stood for a number of years. A son of Double Bed (Be My Guest), he was a full-brother to the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup winner Jim And Tonic trained by Francois Doumen.

Fantasy World has established her own successful branch of a family that has made its mark on the jumping scene with lots of force. She was one of a pair of minor winners, from just four foals, out of the Walshford (I Say) mare Rockford Lass who showed no form on the flat, over hurdles or in point-to-points. Rockford Lass is a full-sister to the smart Carrigeensharragh, a mare who was very at home in Kerry where she won a couple of listed chases at Tralee and was placed in the Kerry National at Listowel.

Carrigeensharragh has established her own dynasty and descending from her are such household names as Carrigeen Victor (Old Vic), winner of the Grade 1 Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase, Carrigeen Kalmia (Norwich), Caduceus (Luso) who won the Grade 2 Pat Taaffe Chase at Punchestown, the Grade 1 Irish Grand National winner Rogue Angel (Presenting), Benatar (Beneficial) who defeated Finian’s Oscar in a Grade 2 at Ascot in December, and the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase winner Chicago Grey (Luso).

Rogue Angel is not the only Irish Grand National winner in the family. Rockford Lass’s unraced half-sister Pine Forest (Diritto) is the grandam of the 2002 winner The Bunny Boiler (Tremblant) and he also won the Midlands Grand National.

Cote De Grace is by the much-lamented Jeremy (Danehill Dancer) who started his stud career at the Irish National Stud, transferred to Denis Hickey’s Garryrichard Stud but sadly died at the age of 11 in 2014. He was set fair at the time for a stellar career as a jumps sire, his son Our Conor having been a spectacular winner of the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. His daughter Jer’s Girl has since emphasised what a loss he was to the stallion ranks, while on the flat horses such as Success Days, Kool Kompany and Yellow Rosebud have demonstrated his versatility.