SHISHKIN’S impressive Grade 2 success in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton was a Christmas highlight for Glenview Stud’s Sholohkov (Sadler’s Wells), and one of the stallion’s sons, Timos, is the sire of another horse who made a jaw-dropping chasing debut at Leopardstown.

Galopin Des Champs looks like he will be a force to reckon with over the larger obstacles, and he ended his career over hurdles last spring with back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham Festival and in the Grade 1 War Of Attrition Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Now he has started a new chapter which could yet be the most exciting of his racing career.

Timos, bred in Germany, was a listed winner in France at three and four, but he actually put in his best career performances at five, and in defeat. He was beaten a length by Allied Powers in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly before running third to Duncan in the Group 2 Prix Foy at Longchamp. Timos failed to attract decent books of mares in France, and has had just a handful of winners from very limited numbers of runners.

However, the mating of Timos with the four-time winner Manon Des Champs, a daughter of Marchand De Sable (Theatrical), has been rewarding, first being responsible for the listed Auteuil chase winner Flute Des Champs.

She was born a year before her Grade 1 winning full-brother Galopin Des Champs. Both of these winners emerged many years after their dam’s first winner, Star Des Champs (Take Risks), and they are the only blacktype performers in four generations of the family.