SADLER'S WELLS' FESTIVAL INFLUENCE
From a breeding perspective, one horse had a greater influence on the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival than any other.
Coolmore Stud's dynasty-maker Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) appears in the pedigree chart of a dozen of the 15 winners, five through the male line and the rest via his female descendants.
Indeed, all seven winners on the first day of the Festival and six on the second descend in some way from his dam, Fairy Bridge (by Bold Reason) as his brother Tate Gallery got a look in too.
Both the Grade 1 Unibet Irish Gold Cup and Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle went to his grandsons.
Edwulf (by Kayf Tara), who nearly died at Cheltenham last year, made one of the great racing comebacks to spring a 33/1 surprise in the former, beating Outlander by a neck at the end of the three-mile trip.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained nine-year-old, who carries the famous J.P. McManus colours, was bred in England by Ivor Valentine and is out of the lightly raced staying hurdler Valentines Lady (by Zaffaran), who earned her blacktype when third in a listed bumper.
Her second living foal is the Lucinda Russell-trained six-year-old Grand Morning (by Midnight Legend), who is also owned by McManus and who got off the mark at the second attempt when taking a two-mile maiden hurdle at Ayr last month.
His grandam is the bumper and five-time hurdles scorer Jessica One (by Supreme Leader), a half-sister to the chase and four-time hurdles winner Chief Raider (by Strong Gale).
Hurdlers
Irish Champion Hurdle star Supasundae (by Galileo), a Newsells Park Stud-bred gelding running in the colours of the late Ann and Alan Potts, is trained by Jessica Harrington.
He is out of Distinctive Look (by Danehill), his grandam is the pattern scorer and outstanding broodmare Magnificient Style (by Silver Hawk), and so this eight-year-old Grade 1 star could be described as being a three-parts brother to the Group 1 aces Great Heavens and Nathaniel, both of whom are by Galileo.
The former won the Irish Oaks and the latter's first crop includes the brilliant Arc, King George and dual Oaks heroine Enable.
Tower Bridge (by High Chaparral) sprang a 25/1 surprise in the Grade 1 Nathanial Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained five-year-old was bred by Ballygallon Stud Ltd, he is out of Group 1-placed Group 3 winner Walkamia (by Linamix) and so the half-brother to pattern-placed French middle-distance horse War Is War (by Galileo) is out of a full-sister to Group 1-placed Group 2 Prix Noailles scorer Walk On Mix.
His grandam Walk On Air (by Cure The Blues) is a half-sister to Walensee (by Troy), the Group 1 Prix Vermeille heroine and dam of Arc-placed Group 1 star and leading National Hunt stallion Westerner (by Danehill).
Chasers
Brilliant young chaser Min is one of the star performers for Derby runner-up Walk In The Park (by Montjeu), who is at the start of his third season at Grange Stud.
Saturday's Grade 2 Coral Dublin Chase winner was bred in France by Marie-Therese Mimouni, he is the best of several winners out of Phemyka (by Saint Estephe) and so is a grandson of Stormyka (by Akarad), a winning half-sister to graded-winning hurdler and chaser Stormez (by Ezzoud).
This is also the immediate family of Grade 1-placed Italian blacktype-winning jumper Satwa Duke (by Munir) and of the notably constrasting Swedish Shave (by Midyan) and Headache (by Muhtathir), both of whom are pattern-winning sprinters.
The following afternoon it was the turn of the Henry de Bromhead-trained Monalee (by Milan) in the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase.
A seven-year-old who was bred by Aidan Aherne, he is out of Tempest Belle (by Glacial Storm), he is a half-brother to a couple of winners, and he is out of a half-sister to both Thyestes Chase heroine Be My Belle (by Be My Native) and Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle winner Rose Of Inchquin (by Roselier).
The latter is, of course, the dam of multiple graded-winning chaser Empire Of Dirt (by Westerner) and his ill-fated, blacktype-winning half-brother Panther Claw (by Old Vic).
Be My Belle, on the other hand, is the dam of listed hurdle winner Snake Eyes (by Oscar) and out of multiple blacktype scorer Boreen Belle (by Boreen).
From his female descendants
Sadler's Wells's daughter Willamina chipped in with her son Footpad (by Creachadoir) in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase and that exciting Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was bred in France by Louise and Camille Collet.
His siblings include the Grade 1-placed Organisateur (by Highest Honor) and listed hurdles winner Wanaba (by Anabaa), his grandam is the classic-placed Group 2 scorer Animatrice (by Alleged), and so his dam's full-siblings include Group 3 winner Sadler's Flag and also the late but leading National Hunt stallion Saddler Maker.
Brilliant young hurdler Samcro (by Germany) extended his unbeaten record in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle and Gigginstown House Stud's six-year-old is out of Dun Dun (by Saddlers' Hall).
He was bred by Douglas Taylor, his siblings include triple winner Cocacobana (by Snurge), and his four-year-old half-brother Think Positive (by Jeremy) finished fourth on his debut in a Towcester bumper in November, trained by Peter Hedger.
The pair are Goffs Land Rover Sale graduates, making €95,000 and €30,000 respectively.
Dun Dun is a full-sister to Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices Chase winner Master Of The Hall and to Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle third Featherbed Lane, and she is a half-sister to Grade B Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase winner Pairofbrowneyes (by Luso).
Their dam, Frankly Native (by Be My Native), is a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 star Sound Man (by Kemal).
Grade 2 Goffs Future Stars INH Flat Race winner Blackbow (by Stowaway) is trained by Willie Mullins, was bred by Bill Hutchinson, and he is out of the unraced Rinnce Moll (by Accordion).
She, in turn, is out of Ballymaguirelass (by Phardante), a full-sister to the listed-placed 11-time scorer Dante's Battle and from the family of Grade 1 ace Apache Stronghold (by Milan).
Grade B Coral Hurdle winner Off You Go (by Presenting) was bred by P Collier, is trained by Charles Byrnes, and out of Ozzy Oscar (by Oscar) who is a half-sister to Grade A Irish Grand National hero Shutthefrontdoor (by Accordion) and to listed chase winner Strong Project (by Project Manager).
Total Recall (by Westerner) was also among the winners, taking the Grade B William Fry Handicap Hurdle over three miles.
Successful in the Grade 3 Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbuy on his previous start, this John Connolly-bred nine-year-old is trained by Willie Mullins and he is out of August Weekend (by Dr Massini).
That makes him a full-brother to the Tom Donohue-trained mare Rock On Lilly who won over hurdles at Clonmel and Limerick in December. Their dam is an unraced half-sister to the talented Bimsey (by Horage).
Mares
Alletrix (by Flemensfirth) won the Grade B Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle and the Bobby McCarthy-bred five-year-old is out of Miracle Trix (by Old Vic).
That mare is a full-sister to the listed-placed hurdler Ocras Mor and half-sister to Aces Four (by Fourstars Allstar) who won a Grade 2 novice chase at Aintree by eight lengths.
Special Trix (by Peacock), the grandam of Alletrix, is a full-sister to Grade A Ladbroke Hurdle and Grade 2 chase winner Atone and also to Black Trix, the blacktype-placed prolific hurdler whose offspring feature Grade 3 chase scorer Splendour (by Broken Hearted).
Like the Jessica Harrington-trained Alletrix, Relegate, a member of the Willie Mullins team, is both a daughter of Beeches Stud veteran Flemensfirth (by Alleged) and bred by McCarthy.
The Grade 2 Coolmore NH Sires Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race heroine is unbeaten in two starts, she is the first foal out of bumper and hurdle winner Last Of The Bunch (by Silver Patriarch) and her siblings include Funny Times, a listed bumper-winning full-sister and dam of blacktype-placed hurdler Flementine (by Flemensfirth).
Relegate's grandam Elegant City (by Scallywag) was a full-sister to Better Times Ahead who won 14 times over fences and nine over the smaller obstacles including the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Haydock.
Such is the breadth of the dynasty that Sadler's Wells created, his impact on the major National Hunt and flat racing festivals looks assured for some time to come.
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PATRICKS' MILLIONAIRE RELATION
The seven Dublin Racing Festival winners for Willie Mullins included Patricks Park who won the Grade B Coral Sandyford Handicap Chase over two miles and a furlong, ridden by Rachael Blackmore.
The son of Insatiable (by Don't Forget Me) was bred by Kilnamoragh Stud, he is the second foal of an unraced mare called Rose Gallery (by Gallery Of Zurich), and that granddaughter of Sadler's Wells's full-brother Tate Gallery (by Northern Dancer) is a half-sister to Remember Rose.
That Grade 1 Grande Steeplechase de Paris star earned around €1.8 million and as he and his listed chase-winning full-brother Roi De Rose are also sons of Insatiable, they can be described as being three-parts brothers to Saturday's Leopardstown scorer.
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GRADE 1 WINNER FOR CAMACHO
Yeomanstown Stud sire Camacho (by Danehill) has a double-digit tally of stakes winners on the flat but, like all good stallions, he has also got winners under National Hunt rules.
They are headed by Mr Adjudicator, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding who won the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Previously a dual winner on the flat when trained by Joe Murphy, the four-year-old is unbeaten over obstacles.
He was bred by Mrs L N Harmes, he is out of Attlongglast (by Groom Dancer) and so is a half-brother to Multitask, Multi Bene and Multigifted, a trio by the Danehill (by Danzig) horse Multiplex and winners of a total of 19 flat races between them.
His grandam My Way (by Marju) is half-brother to Group 2 winner Strategic Prince (by Dansili; sire of Group 1 star La Collina) and she is out of Ausherra (by Diesis), the stakes-winning full-sister to Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Ramruma.
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GRADE A FOR MILLENARY SON
The Millenary (by Rainbow Quest) gelding Last Goodbye put trainer Liz Doyle among the Dublin Racing Festival winners when taking the Grade A Chanelle Pharma Handicap Chase on Sunday.
The seven-year-old, who was bred by Ian Williams, is a half-brother to Grade 2-winning hurdler and Grade 3 chase scorer Sher Beau (by Beau Sher) and he is out of Welsh Ana (by Welsh Term), a mare from the immediate family of Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase winner Givus A Buck (by Buckskin).