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Sons of Monsun on a charge
COOLMORE RECENTLY ACQUIRED the Group 1 Prix du Moulin winner Vadamos from Tally-Ho Stud for its NH division, and the son of Monsun, whose oldest crop is three, joins a strong line-up of fellow Monsun stallions, including a duo who celebrated landmark achievements in early February.
Getaway recorded his first Grade 1 winner over fences with the success of Sporting John in the Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown for Philip Hobbs, Richard Johnson and JP McManus.
The five-year-old gelding is the second Grade 1 winner by Getaway, winner of the Deutschland Preis and Grosser Preis von Baden-Baden (both G1), after Verdana Blue, who was successful in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle of 2018.
Sporting John was bred in Tipperary by Stephanie Hanly and hails from a hugely successful female line cultivated by the Hanlys at their Grange Hill Stud.
His dam Wild Spell is an Oscar three-parts sister to Oscar Whisky, also bred by the Hanlys. He also won the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase, as well as two renewals of the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.
Wild Spell is also a half-sister to My Baloo, the dam of Grade 2 winner My Kahuna, and Supreme Baloo, who has produced the Grade 2 winner Drumbaloo, both also bred by Stephanie Hanly. My Baloo is also a half-sister to Sky Baloo, who is the second dam of Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Seeyouatmidnight.
Grange Hill Stud sold Sporting John as a foal at the 2015 Goffs December NH Sale for €20,000 to Richard Frisby who, in turn, sold him at the Land Rover Sale of 2018.
Trained by Matthew Flynn O’Connor to win his four-year-old maiden point-topoint on debut at Borris, he made £160,000 to Kieran McManus at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale of 2019.
Wild Spell has produced three winners from three runners so far and has a five-yearold full-sister to Sporting John, who was bought by Gerry Hogan at the 2019 Goffs Land Rover Sale, a three-year-old gelding and yearling filly by Elusive Pimpernel. She returned to Getaway in 2020.
Maxios grabs Grade 1 success
In 2019, Coolmore also purchased the beautifully-bred Monsun stallion Maxios, a half-brother to Arc winner Bago, to stand at Castle Hyde Stud when his oldest crop was just three years old and contained the Group 1 Preis der Diana winner, Diamanta.
About to embark on his second season in Ireland, he displayed impeccable timing with his son Quilixios winning the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival for trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Cheveley Park Stud, a poignant success coming after January’s death of David Thompson.
Elliott is also responsible for Maxios’s first-crop Cheltenham Festival winner Aramax, who won last year’s Grade 3 Boodles Juvenile Hurdle in the colours of JP McManus.
Elliott believes that Quilixios has the potential to burn brightly over a number of seasons, not just for his juvenile year.
“I imagine he will have to go to the Triumph as well, unless he gets a very nice mark in the Fred Winter!” remarked Elliott.
On a weekend when the Mullins’ team dominated the Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 action, Elliott admitted that a lot had rested on the performance of Quilixios, for whom he had other Grade 1 targets in mind previously.
“It’s a bit of a relief because he’s the first one we fancied this weekend and if he got beat my head would be on the ground.
“In fairness to the horse, he missed everything since Down Royal and my plan was to go to Chepstow for the Grade 1, but that was called off.
“Tom Malone bought him for Cheveley Park and it’s our first Grade 1 winner for them since Mr Thompson, who was a great supporter of the yard, passed away.”
Quilixios was bred in Germany by Gestüt Farhof where Maxios also began his stallion career. He has sired eight Flat stakes winners from his time there, including the Group 2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club winner Walderbe, the Australian Group 3 winner Master Of Wine, as well as the Group 1 Prix du Cadran second Alkuin.
Maxios’s new Grade 1-winning hurdler is out of Quilita by Lomitas and was sold for €20,000 as a foal at Arqana’s December Sale by Haras d’Ombreville to Yan Durepaire.
He made a winning debut over hurdles at Compiegne last March for trainer Francois Nicolle and owner Patrice Détré from whom he was bought by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda and Tom Malone for Cheveley Park Stud.
Quilita has produced a three-year-old colt by Kingman, an Exceed And Excel two-yearold filly and a yearling daughter by Charm Spirit.
She was bought by Joseph Burke at the 2019 Arqana December Sale for €26,000 from Haras d’Ombreville carrying the Charm Spirit filly and was covered by Make Believe, sire of last year’s Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff, in 2020.
Chacun Pour Soi: the son of Policy Maker heads to the Cheltenham Festival at the top of the market for the Queen Mother Champion Chase (G1)
Blackrath Stud retains French links
The exploits of Chacun Pour Soi, who heads into the Cheltenham Festival as the favourite for the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase, have propelled Peter Maher’s Blackrath Stud into the spotlight once more.
Established in 1949 by Frank and Irish Latham, grandparents of Peter Maher, Blackrath pioneered the importation of French stallions into Ireland for NH breeding.
One of the earliest stallions to prove the success of crossing the French sires with stouter Irish mares was Vulgan, who was champion NH sire for 11 years. His most famous offspring is Foinavon, one of three Grand National winners sired by him.
He was also dam-sire of Corbiere and West Tip. Vulgan sired the Irish Grand National winners Vulpine and Colebridge and was responsible for Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup winners, including The Dikler.
L’Escargot, the first horse after Golden Miller to win both the Gold Cup and Grand National, is another star of the sport who was sired by a Blackrath French-bred stallion in Escart, while Bargello and Le Bavard also made their mark on the breed from Blackrath.
Maher, who is a trainer as well as running Blackrath Stud, has emulated his late grandfather’s policy of bringing well-bred stallions to Ireland from France and in 2016 Policy Maker, a son of Sadler’s Wells from a high-class Wildenstein pedigree, moved to Ireland from France where he had won four Group 2 contests and sired high-class racehorses, including the Grade 1 winners Chacun Pour Soi and Roll On.
Policy Maker’s oldest Irish-bred crop is just four, and he is one of four stallions at Blackrath Stud. He was joined at the farm by Saddex, another former French-based son of Sadler’s Wells last year.
Policy Maker covered 35 mares during his first season in Ireland, 25 mares in 2018, 48 the following year and 28 last year.
Chacun Pour Soi is very lightly raced for trainer Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci – his success in the Grade 1 Dublin Chase coming in just his
seventh start for the Closutton yard. He has won six of those contests, including back-toback runnings of the Dublin Chase, as well as the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase at the 2019 Punchestown Festival.
Reflecting on the performance, Mullins said: “The end result was much better, I couldn’t figure out if Paul was very confident jumping the fourth last, whether he was biding his time or the horse was taking a blow and just giving him a breather but the end result was very good.”
The nine-year-old was bred by Didier Berland and formerly trained by Emmanuel Clayeux, the initial trainer of Mullins’ dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo.
Chacun Pour Soi’s dam Kruscyna won the Grade 3 Prix Bournosienne at Auteuil as a three-year-old, trained by Guillaume Macaire. She has only four recorded foals and the youngest is a four-year-old Lauro filly named Historique Reconce, who is in training with Clayeux.
Her eight-year-old Kap Rock daughter Diva Reconce won a bumper on debut for Kim Bailey and produced her first foal last year, a Soldier Of Fortune filly. She returned to the Group 1 winner in 2020.
Kruscyna’s first foal is the ten-year-old Saint Des Saints mare Eau Perlee. She has a three-year-old Choeur Du Nord gelding named Choeur Perlee, a two-year-old No Risk At All filly called Sansrisk and Timich, a yearling daughter by Muhtathir.
More Grade 1 success for Saint Des Saints
Cheveley Park Stud’s Grade 1-winning juvenile hurdler Quilixios (Maxios)
The doyen of Haras d’Etreham’s NH ranks Saint Des Saints enjoyed another weekend in the sun as both the sire and broodmare sire of Grade 1 winners.
Gaillard Du Mesnil is Saint Des Saints’ newly minted Grade 1 winner following his impressive 5l success for the Al Boum Photo team of Willie Mullins, Paul Townend and Marie and Joe Donnelly in the 2m6f novices’ hurdle that opened the Dublin Racing Festival.
“It was the start we were hoping for, and hopefully we will keep it going. He went through the race very easily and was able to go through the gaps when I wanted him to and he had to be tough to go through with it. He did everything you want,” commented a delighted Townend to Katie Walsh afterwards on RTE Racing.
The Ballymore Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham next month looks to be the target for the five-year-old steel grey, who was having just his third start for Mullins.
Gaillard Du Mesnil became a new Grade 1 winner for sire Saint Des Saints, while Appreciate It added to the stallion’s Grade 1 record as a broodmare sire
He was second on his Irish debut at Punchestown in November and made the breakthrough at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.
“It was a tremendous staying performance,” said the delighted trainer. “I thought he was very keen with Paul and he had to sit further back than I was hoping he might, which left him a lot to do from the railway and he made it up nicely, which shows he has a fair engine.”
Gaillard Du Mesnil is an AQPS horse and was bred by Hubert Cerruti’s Ecurie Cerdeval and trained by Isabelle Gallorini for whom he was second in the Grade 2 Prix du Bourbonnais and Grade 3 Prix de l’Avenir, both 1m4f contests restricted to AQPS horses. He was sold at Arqana’s November 2019 Sale to Pierre Boulard on behalf of Willie Mullins for €250,000.
He is the second foal out of Athena Du Mesnil, a winning Al Namix half-sister to Calie Du Mesnil, who was Listed-placed over hurdles for Willie Mullins.
It is also the family of Soldatino, who won the 2010 Triumph Hurdle for Nicky Henderson.
Hardi Du Mesnil, his four-year-old halfbrother by Masterstroke, made €32,000 to Matthieu Palussiere at Osarus’s MaisonsLafitte Sale in 2019 and won on his hurdling debut at Pau last month. Athena Du Mesnil has a three-year-old colt by Great Pretender named Il Pretend and Jerhena, a Castle Du Berlais yearling filly.
Gaillard Du Mesnil’s stable companion Appreciate It won the 2m Grade 1 novice hurdle on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival, his second Grade 1 of the season and his second successive graded success at the February meeting having won the Grade 2 Goffs bumper at last year’s meeting.
The son of Jeremy’s pedigree was covered in the last edition of International Thoroughbred, and he is the sixth individual Grade 1 winner out of a daughter of Saint Des Saints.
Connections are to aim him at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after his victory over the Gordon Elliott-trained Ballyadam (Fame And Glory) at Leopardstown.
“He was very good,” said Mullins. “I thought he put it to bed straight away after the second last, there looked to be a gang of horses queuing up behind him to challenge him but, when he changed gear, it was just a one-horse race with Ballyadam, who just got tired going to the last and fluffed it He has a huge engine.
“I’d like him to jump better than he did, I thought he was a little careless down the back and I think he has a better jump in him.”
The best yet from Honeysuckle
British breeding and point-to-pointing enjoyed significant success at the Dublin Racing Festival with unbeaten Grade 1 winner Honeysuckle flying the flag for breeding, while the breathtaking Enurgemene showcased the British point-topoint field.
Honeysuckle maintained her unbeaten record with an authoritative success in the Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle under Rachael Blackmore and for trainer Henry De Bromhead and owner Kenny Alexander.
The first ladies of NH racing have struck up a sensational partnership with Blackmore partnering the seven-year-old daughter of Sulamani in all ten of her track outings – the pair has never returned to any place other than the winners’ spot after each race.
Her second Irish Champion Hurdle triumph was an incredible display, the mare easily putting 10l between herself and second-placed Abacadabras. It was nine further lengths back to Sharjah, a Grade 1 winner who was 3l second to Epatante in last year’s Cheltenham Champion Hurdle (G1).
Speaking afterwards to RTE’s Brian Gleeson, Peter Molony, who bought Honeysuckle for €110,000 at the Goffs Punchestown Sale of 2018 for Alexander, told him that a mouth-watering clash between the two brilliant mares was now on the cards for the opening day of next month’s Cheltenham extravaganza.
“I think that was her best performance ever, she went to the front with Rachael before two out, she was travelling so easily, he said, adding: “She’s very special. She is going to get beaten some day and I don’t know what that is going to feel like, but we’ll enjoy this winning feeling for now.
“It’s phenomenal, I do think she probably would have won by further last year if she hadn’t made a little bit of a haimes at the last, but today was definitely her best performance yet,” smiled the Rathmore Stud man, agent and racing advisor.
“We are all getting a kick out of it, we look after her here at Rathmore in the summer and the lads in the yard love her, everyone behind it is delighted.
Honeysuckle was bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy out of First Royal, a daughter of Lando who was twice Listed-placed over hurdles in Germany.
Unfortunately, First Royal died at a young age and produced just one other filly foal, a Shirocco mare named Roc Royal who was bought back by Doug Proctor of The Glanvilles Stud, the Dorset farm where Honeysuckle was born and raised, prior to Honeysuckle’s first Grade 1 triumph in 2019.
Roc Royal has a yearling filly by Motivator and was sent to Linda’s Lad in 2020.
First Royal has a year-younger fullbrother to Honeysuckle, retained by Guy and Proctor. He has made two starts for Keiran Burke, winning his bumper on debut and finishing second on his first start over hurdles.
They are two of the four winners produced by First Royal, who also foaled Colorado Doc (Dr Massini), successful over fences for David Brace, and the point-to-point winner Dunraven Royal (Black Sam Bellamy).
“We are all getting a kick out of it, we look after her here at Rathmore in the summer and the lads in the yard love her
Sulamani, sire of Honeysuckle, spent his final seven years at Yorton Farm Stud after starting his career at Darley’s Dalham Hall before transferring to the operation’s French base at Haras du Logis.
The son of Hernando won six Group 1 contests, including the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, which was his only top level success in the colours of his breeders, the Niarchos family.
Honeysuckle enjoys a well-deserved drink after her scintillating second-year success in the Irish Champion Hurdle. She heads next to the Champion Hurdle – will it be a mares’ duel with Epatante?
He passed away at the relatively young age of 18 and his final crop turned four this year. Honeysuckle is by far the best of his NH performers, who also include 2016 Grand National winner Rule The World.
British point-to-point graduate looking good
The 10l triumph of Energumene in the Grade 1 Irish Arkle rivalled Honeysuckle’s for the title of most impressive success of the Dublin Racing Festival and the margin of victory wasn’t the only aspect of the win he had in common with the brilliant mare, as Energumene also spent part of his formative years in the UK.
Bred in the west of France by Christophe Dubourg, Energumene was acquired privately and sold at the Tattersalls Ireland 2017 Derby Sale by Moanmore Stables for €50,000 to Tom Lacey.
From his and wife Sophie’s Cottage Field Stables in Herefordshire, Energumene was sent out to win his four-year-old maiden on debut in January 2018 at Larkhill point-topoint. He caught the eye of the Mullins-team scouts and made his way to Closutton. His only defeat to date came in his debut for new owner Tony Bloom, who also owned Mullins’ Stayers’ Hurdle winner Penhill, when third in a Navan bumper in November 2019.
Mullins, a man not given to hyperbole, could not hide his enthusiasm for Energumene’s scintillating success.
“I thought that was a hell of a performance from a novice to jump and gallop, take no quarter from any horse, you couldn’t ask for anything more,” he said.
The time backed up the visual impression as the race was run two seconds faster than that recorded by Chacun Pour Soi over course and distance earlier in the afternoon.
“Without a doubt he’s a better chaser than a hurdler, he looks every inch a chaser to look at, if you were going to draw a picture of a chaser he’s the horse you’d draw,” enthused Mullins.
The manner of his victory was reminiscent of another recent two-mile chaser trained by Mullins, who set pulses quickening with his flying successes, and Energumene is bred on the same cross as Un De Sceaux, whose six Grade 1 victories included the Ryanair Chase.
Another AQPS horse, Energumene is by the late Denham Red and out of a daughter of Kaldoun sire April Night - the dual winner Olinight. He was bred by Christophe Dubourg, who trained Olinight for the latter part of her career.
Energumene’s victory has set up a potential clash for the ages with the unbeaten chaser Shishkin in the Arkle at Cheltenham after Nicky Henderson’s son of Sholokhov added the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase to his success in the Wayward Lad over Christmas.
Mullins would rather his star did not have to take on last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, who races in the colours of his dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo, but, as a racing fan, he acknowledged the magnetic pull of the possible clash.
“I’d rather not have to run against Shishkin but it does look like it is going to be a race to look forward to from both sides. Shishkin is a hell of a horse and it’s great that there is one from each side of the Irish Sea going there,” he added.
Energumene
RIP Pat Buckley 1944-2021
THE GRAND NATIONAL-winning jockey Pat Buckley, has died aged 77.
As a 19-year-old Buckley rode Ayala to win the 1963 Grand National for trainer Keith Piggott, father of Lester.
Buckley also won back to back renewals of the Whitbread Gold Cup in 1963 and 1964 on Hoodwinked and Dormant, and the 1968 Scottish Grand National on Arcturus.
After retiring from riding, Buckley spent ten years helping the Oman Jockey Club establish a racecourse and equestrian facility. He was then asked to help in the creation of a racing industry in Abu Dhabi, and oversaw the country’s first meeting in 1991. He remained a prominent figure in the UAE for the next three decades and played a key part in the first running of the Dubai World Cup in 1996.
His brother Seamus Buckley, a former jockey and clerk of the course at Goodwood, remembered his older brother as a fearless rider with a huge passion for the sport.
He said to the Racing Post: “Pat was a great brother and he helped me so much to get on my way in the sport. In some ways it was quite daunting given how successful he was and he was such a brave jockey, too. He would ride anything and was one of the proper old school jockeys.
Pat Buckley returns after winning the Grand National on Ayala in 1963
“He was very close to his family and loved nothing more than being with them. He was liked by everyone, I can’t think of ever hearing a bad word being said about him by anyone.
“I think what I remember most about him is that he was always there for all of us. He was a good guy, he was fair to everyone, he was a wonderful horseman and he adored racing so much.”
Buckley is survived by his wife Sarah and children Helen and Kevin.
