Xmas stars

CAST your mind back to Boxing Day 2003 and the field for the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

While you may well remember the winner, Edredon Bleu, or the fate of the favourite, Jair Du Cochet (pulled up), do you recall a certain Valley Henry who was up with the leaders for much of the contest before exiting at the 13th fence?

Peer even closer at the ghosts of Christmas past and you may recall the same gelding also falling at Kempton on Boxing Day 2001, when parting company with Timmy Murphy at the 14th fence in the Feltham Novices’ Chase (G1), the race won by Maximize.

But why these recollections of a performer who endured a couple of his worst days at Kempton (though let’s not forget, he was a five-time Group 2 winner over fences and hurdles)?

Simply because, 21 years after Valley Henry crashed out in the King George, 
his equine family finally celebrated success in the same contest as Banbridge powered home to land his third victory at the highest level.

Bred by Danielle McSorley,
Joseph O’Brien’s charge is a son of Doyen, out of the Presenting mare Old Carton Lass, who failed to trouble the judge in a handful of point-to-point starts.

A half-sister to the Listed Midlands Grand National runner-up Major Malarkey (Supreme Leader), they are out of the unraced Valley (Flemensfirth), a half-sister to Valley Henry.

Sold privately as a foal by McSorley’s Bregarry House Stud – home to only a handful of broodmares – Banbridge did not make his reserve at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Online Sale in 2020, following three point-to-point starts.

He was bought privately by Ronnie Bartlett.

Old Carton Lass’s Poet’s Word filly foal also had a fruitless trip through the sale ring at the Goffs December NH Sale, just 15 days before her older half-brother’s outstanding win. She was bought back for €20,000.

A day later, another inmate of Joseph O’Brien punctured some big reputations at Leopardstown in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase (G1) when Solness (Konig Turf) made all to defeat last season’s Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior (Maxios) by nearly 4l, with the 2023 Supreme Novices’ (G1) victor Marine Nationale (French Navy) in third.

Solness’s previous biggest victory came in Listed company and he was beaten 25l when fourth in the Tingle Creek (G1) on his start prior to Leopardstown.

Bred by Vincent Barrett’s M L Bloodstock, he is a half-brother to the French Listed hurdle winner Solway (Califet), out of the unraced Tiger Hill mare Solveigh, who hails from the good German family of Sommerabend, which also includes dual Group 1 winner Spillane’s Tower (Walk In The Park).

The victor is also a first winner at the highest level for his sire Konig Turf, also sire of the multiple Grade 2 winner Darasso.

Jukebox Man calls the tune

Just over an hour before the King George, The Jukebox Man made his Grade 1 breakthrough when skipping clear of his rivals in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase to win by two and a half lengths.

He is a Goffs graduate on both sides of the 
Irish Sea, and the son of Ask is the only winner to date out of the unraced Flemensfirth mare My Twist. She is a half-sister to Sunami Storm (Glacial Storm), 
who was Grade 3-placed over fences, and
out of a half-sister to the Scottish Grand National runner-up Merry Master (Le Coq D’Or).

Bred by Paul Cunningham, The Jukebox Man gave a posthumous first top-level winner to his sire, who died in June 2024 at the age of 21.

The Coronation Cup (G1) and Prix Royal-Oak (G1) victor spent a number of years under the Coolmore NH banner at The Beeches before relocating to Dunraven Stud in Wales.

His last two seasons at stud were spent at Willow Wood Farm in Cheshire.

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Notable double for Valirann

There have only been two runnings to date of the Formby Novices’ Hurdle (G1) at Aintree since its reincarnation from Sandown’s Tolworth Hurdle, but the Boxing Day contest on Merseyside saw Potters Charm extend his unbeaten record under Rules in style.

Bred by Gerard Flynn out of the Shantou mare Autumn In New York, and while the now six-year-old was led out unsold as 
a foal at Goffs in December 2019, 
Willy Twiston-Davies had to go to £105,000 to secure him at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale in 2023, just after the 
gelding had finished runner-up on his 
sole point-to-point start at Boulta.

Unbeaten in a bumper last season and a Grade 2 winner at Cheltenham in November, Potters Charm, a son of Valirann, is from the family of the smart chasers Lord Who and Measureofmydreams.

A day later, Whytemount Stud’s Valirann was represented by another significant winner when Val Dancer stayed on best of all at a fog-bound Chepstow to land the Grade 3 Welsh National, a career-high to date for the now eight-year-old.

Another winner to take the eye through the fog at Chepstow was Nietzsche Has (Zarak), who triumphed by 8l in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle (G2).

But before anyone weighs up his merits for the Triumph Hurdle in March, remove his name from the list. The now four-year-old will already be plying his new trade by then having been retired after his victory to take up stud duties at Haras de Montaigu, where his fee has been set at €7,000.

And he’s back!

While Constitution Hill’s easy comeback victory in the Christmas Hurdle (G1) at Kempton on Boxing Day will have been an undoubted seasonal high for trainer Nicky Henderson, the yard celebrated another eye-catching success at the same venue a day later.

Sir Gino (It’s Gino) took his unbeaten record to six when handing out a seven and a half-length beating to Ballyburn in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase (G2), cruising home in his first start over fences, less than a month after landing the Fighting Fifth Hurdle (G1) at Newcastle when subbed in for his high-profile stablemate.

Last year’s Wayward Lad third Soul Icon (Sixties Icon) went a couple of places better in the Desert Orchid Handicap Chase (G2) on the same card 12 months later to land his biggest success to date. It was also his first success since October 2023.

Bred by Honeysuckle’s breeder Guy Bloodstock, he is out of the Loup Solitaire mare Solitairy Girl, who won once over hurdles at Stratford from 10 starts, and hails from family of the smart French chaser Matinee Lover (Double Bed).

Others to make an impressive switch from one discipline to another included Impaire Et Passe (Diamond Boy), a three-time Grade1 winner over hurdles, who triumphed in the Faugheen Novice Chase (G1) at Limerick on 28 December.

Another star for Matnie

There can scarcely have been a more impressive winner over the festive period than the 30l victory romp by Brighterdaysahead (Kapgarde) in the Neville Hotels Hurdle (G1) at Leopardstown, on the final day of the track’s Christmas festival.

Bred by Francois-Marie Cottin and snapped up by trainer Gordon Elliott for €310,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in 2022, the six-year-old mare had landed the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April and is now unbeaten in three starts this season.

She is just the latest feather in the cap of the Laveron mare Matnie, who has already produced the outstanding ill-fated Mighty Potter(Martaline), the Grade 1 winner Caldwell Potter (Martaline), and the Grade 3 winners French Dynamite (Kentucky Dynamite) and Indiana Jones (Blue Bresil). Matnie is now owned by Walter Connors, and her most recent reported foal at present is the No Risk At All two-year-old colt Recognition.

Elliott is reportedly targeting The Festival mares’ hurdle with Brighterdaysahead.

Gigginstown House Stud and Elliott enjoyed another Grade 1 success at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day when Croke Park (Walk In The Park) held on to defeat stablemate Better Days Ahead (Milan) in the Long Distance Novice Chase (G1).

Successful in the Drinmore Novice Chase (G1) at Fairyhouse earlier in December, Croke Park was purchased for his trainer for £400,000 at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in 2022, four days after winning his point-to-point.

Bred by A V Bloodstock, he is a half-brother to the 2023 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (G1) victor Farren Glory (Fame And Glory), out of the AQPS and chase winner Toledana (Protektor), herself a half-sister to some smart jumpers, including the Grand Annual (G3) winner Oiseau De Nuit (Evening World).

Posthumous double for perennial champ

A day later, Elliott sent out Romeo Coolio to land his debut top-level success, staying on well to land the Future Champions Novice Hurdle (G1) at Leopardstown by 9l from stablemate Bleu De Vassy (Cokoriko).

A son of Kayf Tara, the winner was bred by Will Kinsey out of the Kapgarde mare Miss Bailly and cost his trainer £420,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale in 2023, just after his point-to-point success.

Runner-up in the Champion Bumper (G1) at The Festival a year later, the gelding’s dam is a full-sister to the Listed winner and 
Grade 2-placed Cap Soleil, from a family of classy French jumpers.

The perennial British champion jumps sire Kayf Tara may have retired in 2020, two years prior to his death at the age of 28, but the Overbury Stud resident’s legacy lives on.

The late sire celebrated a second top-level success only a day after Romeo Coolio’s win when The New Lion skipped clear in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

The now six-year-old – who has subsequently bought privately by JP McManus – took his unbeaten tally to four in the process, adding to a bumper success in April and easy hurdle wins at Chepstow and Newbury this term.

Bred by Jackie Chugg and her late husband Robert, The New Lion hails from the penultimate crop of Kayf Tara, as does Romeo Coolio, and was purchased for €45,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale as a foal in 2019.

He is a full-brother to Kateira, a Grade 3 winner over hurdles at Aintree’s Grand National meeting in 2024 having been Grade 1-placed at the same meeting a year earlier, and a half-brother to the useful El Presente (Presenting), out of the unraced Raitera (Astarabad), a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1-winning chaser Golden Silver (Mansonnien), as well as Or Ou Argent (Mansonnien), who won a Grade 1 contest over hurdles in Italy.

However, more noteworthy perhaps is that Raitera is also a half-sister to the Grade 1-producing sire Diamond Boy, also a son of Mansonnien, a Listed winner on the Flat and now sire of such as the Christmas Grade 1 winner Impaire Et Passe and dual G1 winner L’Homme Presse, 
who was third to Banbridge in the King George.

Honourable retirement

In the cavalcade of top-class action over Christmas and New Year, it is all too easy to focus solely on the Grade 1 winners.

However a small mention in dispatches must go to the The Big Westerner, 
who landed a Grade 2 novice hurdle with ease at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day.

Winner of her point-to-point in March, it was just the mare’s second start over hurdles having been purchased for £120,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale  by Peter Molony’s Rathmore Stud on behalf of the Mariga family.

But while her win is to be celebrated, it also gives an opportunity to once again applaud her sire Westerner, whose retirement from stud duties at 26 has been confirmed by Coolmore.

A five-time G1 winner himself, Westerner is responsible for a slew of top performers, and his daughters are also making their mark at stud.

The son of Danehill will remain at Castlehyde Stud in retirement, having stood there for 18 consecutive breeding seasons.  

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