THE big racing weekend at Auteuil featured an Irish success, from a somewhat unlikely source. Veterinary surgeon Walter Connors of Sluggara Farm in Cappoquin breeds, buys and sells, but only occasionally races, and then with a sale in mind.

On this occasion, he is the successful co-owner of the leading four-year-old chaser in France, Leader Sport (Nirvana Du Berlais).

Winning the Grade 1 Prix Maurice Gillois – Grand Steeple-Chase des 4 Ans has catapulted Leader Sport to the head of that division, though he went into the race as hot favourite, following his victory four weeks earlier in the Grade 3 Prix Orcada Chase. The gelding, bred by Haras de l’Etoile and Philippe Matzinger, won the first two of his three starts over hurdles in the spring.

Beaten into second on his chase debut in mid-September, he won his two outings since, and is the best of his generation now. His trainer and co-owner Daniela Mele holds the four-year-old in the highest regard, while Walter Connors was enjoying his first Grade 1 win as an owner, though he has had no end of winners at that level through his hands.

Connections had one heart-stopping moment during the race, when Leader Sport made a mistake at the rivière des tribunes, the water jump, but after that he showed his true worth and went on to record a decisive victory by four lengths, with the third a further 12 lengths in arrears.

Incredible

Clearly moved by the win, Connors laughed: “It’s a good thing we didn’t sell this one. It’s incredible. What a race! He really stayed on so well and he has a big heart! You know, it’s just unbelievable to be here on this podium. It’s a great day for us.

“The fantastic thing with horses is that everyone has an opinion, including vets! It’s tempting to have more horses in France. My daughter keeps telling me I should have a few fillies in training to make broodmares. Winning a Grade 1, for me, is unlikely. It’s the very top. We’re not used, as owners, to shining at this level.

“Normally, we have point-to-point horses for sale. He could be a Gold Cup horse, you know. He’s only four, and he’s big. If he has luck going forward anything is possible. Today he was fantastic. His career is certainly ahead of him. He has great stamina and a big engine.”

Mele added: “Leader Sport has unbelievable energy, as we saw again today! Having this horse is a real privilege: when you sit on him, it’s a pleasure. He jumps beautifully. His mind will improve as he matures.”

Lulamba

Six years ago, at this same Auteuil meeting, Nirvana Du Berlais (Martaline), won the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres. He went to stud the following spring at Haras de la Hetraie, and has commanded a fee of €6,500 each year.

That will not continue into 2026, given that his first crop includes not only Leader Sport, but also the Nicky Henderson-trained Grade 1 Punchestown Festival winner Lulamba, whose sole defeat in four starts over the smaller obstacles was when beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle. He easily won on his chasing debut this week. Another of the sire’s son, Nirvalla, was third on Sunday behind Leader Sport.

The success of Nirvana Du Berlais’ family, and its huge influence, is impossible to stress enough. Indeed, two races after the win for Leader Sport, a half-brother to Nirvana Du Berlais, the Shantou (Alleged) seven-year-old Toscana Du Berlais, won his first Grade 1 when beating the hot favourite Kolokico in the Grade 1 Prix la Haye Jousselin.

They are two of the four graded jumps winners out of Katioucha (Mansonnien), and she is also grandam of Grade 2 hurdle winner Nietzsche Has (Zarak) who has just completed his first season at Haras de Montaigu.

Bleahen brothers

Back to Leader Sport, and his Grade 1 win will be welcomed by the Bleahen Brothers. Last year, they paid €40,000 for a yearling filly, Noosa Sport (No Risk At All), in Arqana, no doubt with a view to reoffering as a store next spring. The filly was a full-sister to a Grade 3 winner, Geelong Sport (No Risk At All) at the time of purchase, and now she has a Grade 1-winning sibling. That’s how to do pedigree updates!

Not only that, but Australia Sport (Ultimately Lucky), dam of Leader Sport, will have lots of chances to add to her tally of winners, currently standing at three, in the future.

Immediate interest will centre on her three-year-old gelding Monzon Sport (Goliath Du Berlais), sold for €67,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale this year to Highflyer Bloodstock and Jet Bloodstock. There is a yearling full-sister to Leader Sport named Oklahoma Sport (Nirvana Du Berlais).

Australia Sport is lifting this family to heights it has not experienced for half a century. While there are winners in the family, Geelong Sport and Leader Sport are the first two horses to provide any blacktype in four generations.

FORMER Burgage Stud resident Shantou (Alleged) had weekend stars at Cheltenham and Auteuil.

Wade Out is covered elsewhere, while Toscana Du Berlais won the Grade 1 Prix La Haye Jousselin at Auteuil for co-trainers Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and François Pamart.

The seven-year-old Toscana Du Berlais finally secured a first Grade 1 success, and did so in style in France’s best autumn chase. He left his rivals standing on the run-in with a devastating turn of foot, winning by six lengths from Kolokico.

Prior to the weekend, the Lucas family’s Haras du Berlais had won almost everything at Auteuil, apart from the Prix La Haye Jousselin and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. The former can now be crossed off that list.

Marc-Antoine Lucas, co-breeder with his father Jean-Marc of Toscana Du Berlais, said: “Toscana [Du Berlais] is a warrior. There were so many champions in the race. Jump racing can bring wonderful surprises. Winning the Prix La Haye Jousselin is incredible. It’s the first one for Haras du Berlais. We still have the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris to go.

Extraordinary day

“That’s exactly why we started breeding horses for this type of race. For Berlais, this will remain an extraordinary day, especially when you add victory [for Leopard Du Berlais] in the [Grade 1 Prix] Cambacérès.”

As referenced in the piece on Leader Sport, Toscana Du Berlais is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and sire, Nirvana Du Berlais (Martaline), Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed Aubusson (Ballingarry), and dual Grade 3 winner Triana Du Berlais (Presenting).

Another sibling, the placed Nice To Meet You (Martaline), bred the Grade 2 winner and Grade 1 runner-up Nietzsche Has (Zarak).

This is a pedigree packed to the rafters with blacktype jumps winners. The dam of Toscana Du Berlais, Katoucha (Mansonnien), was listed-placed and is a half-sister to Ma Filleule (Turgeon).

A Grade 2 winner over hurdles, Ma Filleule won the Grade 3 Topham Trophy at Aintree, and was runner-up in both the Grade 1 Ascot Chase and Cheltenham’s Ryanair Chase.

Their dam Kadaina (Kadalko) won a listed hurdle race at Auteuil, and is one of no fewer than five blacktype winners from dual jumps winner Kogina (Lyfko).