GLOBAL Citizen sidesteps Cheltenham this week and instead will be pointed at Aintree and the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle. This is follows his emphatic recent success in the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton, a victory that so impressed the English handicapper that the gelding was raised a whopping 19lbs.

This was not the first time that Global Citizen was making a name for himself. The son of Alkaadhem (Green Desert) really caught the eye when he was a four-length winner of a five-year-old maiden point-to-point at Bellurgan Park last April. He then was sent by his handler, William Murphy of Ballycurragh Stud where his sire stands, to the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Sale that same month – and he topped proceedings. At the time the gelding was owned by his breeder Martin Byrne.

Bloodstock agent Matt Coleman made a single purchase that day and it was Global Citizen. His final bid of £275,000 was enough to secure him for an owner with Jonjo O’Neill. Ironically, it was Coleman who was responsible for the purchase of Group 2 winner Alkaadhem to stand at stud.

MOVED

Global Citizen won a Worcester bumper on his first start for his new connections but then suffered two defeats over hurdles and was moved to Ben Pauling. He has now won both his starts from his present yard and he could be a horse to watch for at Aintree and beyond. He is a full-brother to A Hare Breath, and he won the Listed December Hurdle at Sandown Park last year.

A Hare Breath and Global Citizen are two of the three winners from the placed Lady Willmurt (Mandalus) and the other member of that trio is also a smart runner. De Plotting Shed (Beneficial) was runner-up in both the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle and Lismullen Hurdle at Navan. Lady Willmurt has regenerated a family that had gone a little quiet in recent years, and her crossing with Alkaadhem has proven to be very fruitful.

Lady Willmurt is one of just five foals from Lancastrians Wine (Lancastrian), one of which won on the racecourse and another was successful between the flags. The latter was Roses And Wine (Roselier) and she is the dam of the useful blacktype earner Monbeg Rose (Beneficial). Lancastrians Wine was the only named offspring of her bumper winning dam Wine Shipper (Bonne Noel) and she, in turn, was a half-sister to a smart chaser in Garryduff Mover (Rarity).

If you dig far enough back in a pedigree you will almost certainly strike oil and Troubled Sole (Turmoil II), born 60 years ago and the fifth dam of Global Citizen, was a five-time winner and bred three winners from five foals. Among them was Troubled Times (Prefairy) who was a very good chaser in the seventies, winning the Power Gold Cup and the Arkle Chase at Leopardstown.

Also worth mentioning is a daughter of Troubled Sole and she is Troubled Times’ full-sister Fair Trouble. She met with an accident while racing and had her career on the track curtailed. However, she is grandam of Super Franky (Lanfranco) who won the Munster National in 2000, and Always In Trouble (Furry Glen), successful in the Tipperkevin Hurdle at Punchestown.