WHAT a contrast in stories between those of recent winners Confucius and A Piece Of Heaven. Both would usually have separate columns, one as a horse to follow, and the other as the week’s bargain.

Last October, M.V. Magnier made his most expensive purchase in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on a colt offered from the Lloyd-Webber’s Watership Down Stud. A son of Coolmore’s No Nay Never (Scat Daddy), he was the second surviving offspring of Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle (Starspangledbanner).

Having won that illustrious race, Millisle was crowned the champion juvenile filly in Europe for her owner/breeder Stonethorn Stud Farms and Jessica Harrington. She remains in their ownership, and they grossed 3,300,000gns from the sales of two of her offspring. The first was Alfareqa (Frankel), and she cost Shadwell 1,600,000gns. Owen Burrows saddled her to win at three.

Millisle’s second produce, a Frankel (Galileo) colt, died as a yearling, while her third is Confucius, who cost 100,000gns more than his half-sister. Given what these two have made, and with the likelihood that Confucius can go on to earn blacktype, perhaps at Royal Ascot, it is a given that their yearling half-brother by Siyouni (Pivotal) will command a great interest if he is offered for sale this autumn.

Jennings family

This is a family synonymous with the Jennings family. Confucius’s third dam, a half-sister to Old Vic (Sadler’s Wells), was Green Lucia (Green Desert), acquired by Gerald Jennings from Stowell Hill Stud. Trained by John Oxx, she won a listed race at Gowran Park at three, one of a pair of wins from seven starts, and placed in Group 1 company, third in the Irish Oaks and runner-up in the Yorkshire Oaks.

At stud, Green Lucia was a prolific breeder and winner producer. All but one of her 14 foals raced, and 12 won. Her daughter Green Castle (Indian Ridge) raced twice at the age of four, and was runner-up on her second outing. She made amends at stud, with Millisle being the best of her nine winners. Her other successful offspring included the New Zealand Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Gino Severini (Fastnet Rock).

No Nay Never is certain to get his 250th juvenile winner in the coming months, and at the time of writing has four on the board this year, one of these being New Yorker who placed in the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh. His season has started well, with Group 1 1000 Guineas winner True Love adding to her win last year in the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Bargain accolade

This brings us to the bargain of the week winner, A Piece Of Heaven (Jukebox Jury). A €10,000 BBAG yearling buy, he deserves his bargain accolade, but his story is one of hope for owners, and shows the value of patience. Entrusted to Barry Fitzgerald to be trained, A Piece Of Heaven raced twice in bumpers at four and five, finishing fourth each time, the second occasion in a Punchestown Grade 1.

He made five more starts from Fitzgerald’s yard, winning three times, a 14-furlong maiden at Gowran Park, a two-mile handicap on the all-weather at Dundalk, and a 12-furlong Leopardstown handicap. He changed ownership and trainer before his next run, at Royal Ascot in 2024, and while he did not deliver, he placed on both his final starts that year, third in a Group 3 but beaten just half a length by Euphrates in the Friends of the Curragh Irish Cesarewitch, earning €114,000.

He has had an unconventional career since. Last year he ran once, placed at Leopardstown, and this year has made four starts. He was practically pulled-up in a Thurles maiden hurdle, finished runner-up at Dundalk and the Curragh over 10 and a half and 14 furlongs, and then headed to Chester where he bagged almost £88,000 when winning the Chester Cup, run over an extended two and a quarter miles.

Most talented

Bred in Germany by Sheila Audoersch, A Piece Of Heaven is one of seven winners from his placed dam Activa (Sendawar). They include winners on the flat and over jumps, and the Chester winner is the most talented of them. That said, none of his wins have been in a blacktype race, and therefore he is listed after his half-sister Audientia (Samum) on a catalogue page. Her eight wins included a listed chase in Germany.

Showing the versatility of the family, Audientia’s full-brother Arjen (Samum) won on the flat in France and Italy, and was successful seven times over jumps in Italy where he placed in a Grade 1 hurdle in Pisa. Activa is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Axxos (Monsun).

The word versatility has been used a few times, and it is also apt when it comes to the ability of the late Jukebox Jury (Montjeu) as a stallion. An outstanding National Hunt sire, and a Group 1 flat sire too, he will be a force to reckon with for the next decade or so. A Piece of Heaven has run 15 times, and still has lots of miles on the clock, in spite of being an eight-year-old.