BRED by the Wildenstein’s Dayton Investments, Newness (Simply Great) was foaled in 1988 and raced in the colours of Daniel Wildenstein once, on her debut, when she was second over hurdles at Auteuil.

After that, Newness carried the silks of Wildenstein’s second wife, Sylvia, and went on to win four times, once over hurdles and three times over fences, her last win coming in a listed chase at Auteuil. She had been placed a number of times in blacktype races, and victory in one was deserved. Her breeding career has proven to be remarkable, measured by the influence exerted by a couple of her sons, No Risk At All (My Risk) and Nickname (Lost World).

The latter was the older of the two who are among nine winning offspring of Newness. All but one of those nine earned blacktype, and six won listed, graded or group contests. Nickname is a horse who is remembered well for his exploits in both France and Ireland. He began his racing career in France and was an outstanding young hurdler there.

Nickname won six graded races in his native country, including two Grade 1s, and was successful in nine of his 16 French starts. In spite of his outstanding record over the smaller obstacles, Nickname’s pedigree suggested he could improve over fences. His dam, after all, was a chaser, and all the other four foals she produced before Nickname went chasing and did well early on. Two won on their chase debut, one ran second first time out over the bigger jumps, and the other won second time out over fences.

Nickname joined Martin Brassil and kept up the family tradition by going in at the first time of asking over the bigger jumps, and next time out he won the Grade 2 Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase at Leopardstown. He went on to add the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, also run at Leopardstown, the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan, the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown, the Grade 2 Newlands Chase at Naas, and the Grade 2 Normans Grove Chase, once at Fairyhouse and the following year at Gowran Park.

Retired to stud in France, Nickname died after three years. In those small crops he sired Grade 1 Ascot Chase winner Cyrname, Grade 1 King George VI Chase and Grade 1 Ryanair Chase winner Frodon, and Grade 1 Prix Maurice Gillois 4yo Grand Chase winner Royale Flag. Eight years after the birth of Nickname, Newness foaled No Risk At All.

Unlike most of his siblings, his racing career was on the flat where his five victories consisted of two Group 3 wins and three successes in listed races. Towards the end of his career, he was placed behind Golden Lilac and Planteur in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan.

Exceptional

No Risk At All retired to stud in 2013 and has gone on to become an exceptional National Hunt sire. His daughter Epatante, winner of the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle and two editions of the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle, and his sons Allaho, a four-time Grade 1 winner including the Ryanair Chase twice, and the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase winner Esprit Du Large, are all from his first crop. The Haras de Montaigu stallion, set to cover at €20,000 for a second time this year, has amassed a total of 38 blacktype winners.

The nine winners out of Newness also included Grade 1 winning hurdler N’Avoue Jamais (Marignan), and Grade 3 hurdle winner and Grade 1 runner-up Nom D’Une Pipe (Linamix).

The first-named mare had four winning progeny, and three of these won listed races. Of that trio, Nickelle (Sagamix) is the one I will focus on. She won a listed hurdle race at Auteuil, and the following year followed up by winning at the same level on the flat.

Nickelle bred a pair of winners, neither of which managed any blacktype, but she is grandam of three graded National Hunt winners, two of which are out of three-time winner No News (Gentlewave). That mare’s year older half-sister Natsuke (Chichicastenango) did not race, but she is dam of the Grade 2 Thurles chase winner on Sunday, Nara (Jeu St Eloi). She won a listed hurdle race for fillies in France, and is now beginning to show some of that ability over fences.

A bonus

Nara is a five-year-old only, and whatever she achieves on the racecourse from now on will be a bonus, and her eventual future as a broodmare will be exciting. One man who will be extra happy with Nara’s win will be Foxwood Stud’s Donal White. Last November he bought her dam, Natsuke, in foal to Zaskar (Sea The Stars) at Arqana for just €3,000!

The first crop by Glenview Stud’s Jeu St Eloi (Saint Des Saints) included a pair of blacktype winners, and that number has now grown to seven. Nara is from his fourth crop, one that also includes the dual Grade 1 hurdle winner Kargese and another Grade 2 chase winner, Krokodile Dundee. Placed on four of his six starts over jumps, Jeu St Eloi a half-brother to dual Grade 1 winning chaser Oculi (Denham Red).

From the immediate family of leading French sire Balko (Pistolet Bleu), sire of 150-plus rated runners Balko Des Flos, Vision Des Flos, Fago, Gitane Du Berlais and Le Patron, Jeu St Eloi offers Irish breeders a fantastic outcross, as well as a chance to access the exceptional sire line of champion French sire Saint Des Saints and his hugely influential sire Cadoudal (Green Dancer).