AT Goffs this week, as was the case at Tattersalls Ireland last month, buyers were bemoaning the death of Jukebox Jury, and clambering to buy members of his penultimate crop. The son of Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells) was responsible for one of the four six-figure foals at Goffs, sold by Stephen Lanigan O’Keeffe who paid tribute to the sire in the most eloquent terms.
Norman Williamson referenced the fact that It Etait Temps would continue to fly the flag for Jukebox Jury at the highest level, and this was in the immediate aftermath of the seven-year-old taking his tally of wins to nine with his defeat of Jonbon in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase, his second top-flight victory at the course. Who can forget the gelding’s win back in April in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase after being off the track for just short of a year.
It Etait Temps first hit the big time when he tackled the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival two years ago. Billed in advance as a test for Facile Vega, many believed that the Willie Mullins-trained gelding had little to fear. They were wrong, and instead Il Etait Temps (which translates as About Time), gained his first blacktype success, going one better than the runner-up spot he filled behind Facile Vega in a Grade 1 that Christmas.
Il Etait Temps had gone under the radar before that, and has since proved that he was well able for Grade 1 company. Bred by French trainer Emmanuel Clayeaux and Ecurie Couderc, he comes from a branch of one of France’s best female families. Clayeaux started the career of Il Etait Temps, and the gelding was runner-up on his second start for the trainer. Moved to Willie Mullins, he was thrown in at the deep end for his first start from Closutton, Leopardstown’s Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
No disgrace
One of four runners for Mullins that day, Il Etait Temps was third to Vauban and Fil Dor, while the Mullins-trained Icare Allen was fifth. There was no disgrace in later running fifth and fourth in a pair of Grade 1 races at Cheltenham and Punchestown, though well-beaten, and a look at the races show they were packed with quality. Finally, at Thurles, Il Etait Temps landed a maiden success. Part-owned by Barnane Stud with Hollywood Racing, he made two further starts over hurdles.
Willie Mullins chose Thurles again for Il Etai Temps’ successful chasing debut, and with one exception he has contested only Grade 1 races since. He made four starts in 2024, winning at the Dublin Racing Festival, Aintree’s Manifesto Novices’ Chase, and avenging defeat in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham by Gaelic Warrior when beating his stablemate in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at Punchestown.
A small knee problem kept Il Etait Temps off the track for 359 days, and he was produced at Sandown for the last major race of their season in April. If some felt that he was there to pick up place money, they don’t know his trainer, and Il Etait Temps slammed Jonbon to take home the winners’ pot of £100,000. He was immediately installed as one of the leading fancies for the 2026 Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
Now, with victories in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase and the Tingle Creek, he is a clear favourite for the Prestbury Park feature.
Elite sire
Sire of Princess Zoe, a Group 1 winner on the flat, Jukebox Jury is now established among the elite of National Hunt sires, and Il Etait Temps will not be the only runner to fly the flag this season and in the future.
The brilliant Bambino Fever ended her first season with wins in both the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and followed up in its equivalent at Punchestown. Honesty Policy won a Grade 1 at Aintree, while in the past Jukebox Jury also got the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle winner Farclas.
One of a pair of winners from his dam, Une Des Sources (Dom Alco), Il Est Temps is the best of her three foals. The aptly-named First Foal (Sinndar) took until the age of six, and his eleventh start, to win a cross-country race, though he was consistent and placed eight times from 13 career outings.
The other foal out of Une Des Sources is Jourdefete (Free Port Lux). He placed on his only start in France, sold for €180,000 to join Willie Mullins, and was hugely disappointing apart from getting minor blacktype on his only placed run in Ireland.
Une Des Sources is among seven winners from Nouvelle Recrue (Ragmar), and they include listed chase winner Concerto D’Allen (Coastal Path), and Arbre De Vie (Antarctique), a multiple winner for Willie Mullins who was beaten less than a length by Woodland Opera in a Grade A chase at the Punchestown Festival, and finished fourth to Martello Tower in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen (Voix Du Nord) appears in the third remove of the family, while appearing under the fourth dam are the likes of star performers Envoi Allen (Muhtathir), Eldorado Allen (Khalkevi) and Auvergnat (Della Francesca).