IF I were to ask readers to estimate how many blacktype winners there have been by Doctor Dino (Muhtathir), born in 2002, out of mares by Martaline (Linamix), foaled three years earlier, I imagine that most would guess between four and eight. Both sires have been among the most successful in French National Hunt breeding, and their influence will be felt for many years to come.
The answer is, in fact, just one, and he is Steel Ally. Bred by Pierre and Philippe Morruzzi, the eight-year-old was a pricey yearling, costing Highflyer Bloodstock €85,000 at Arqana when sold from La Frenee. Trained by Sam Thomas for Dai Walters, Steel Ally was a useful hurdler when he won twice and was beaten a neck in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell. He is now a hugely exciting young chaser, undefeated in three starts this season.
Before Christmas, Steel Ally announced himself when winning the Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot by nine lengths from Kingston Hill’s son Push The Button, and scored a bloodless victory last weekend against two others in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick. This was his third win in as many starts over fences, and he could appear next at Cheltenham in the Arkle Chase. This Warwick contest has been won in the past three years by L’Eau Du Sud, Jonbon and Edwardstone.
Steel Ally continues a fine run of success for Doctor Dino, and has put his dam’s name in lights. She is Poprock Du Berlais (Martaline), a winner at three over hurdles and placed in a listed race at Auteuil. Steel Ally is one of three runners and three winners from her first four foals, while the fifth is a three-year-old, Rockson Piel (Goliath Du Berlais). He was one of a handful of two-year-olds sold at last year’s Goffs Arkle Sale, making €65,000 when acquired by agent Ed Bailey and trainer Harry Derham.
Poprock Du Berlais is out of a flat-bred winner in France, Populonia (Polish Precedent). Two of her four winners won blacktype races over jumps, Briac D’Echal (Masked Marvel) in a listed chase at Craon, and Pop Art Du Berlais (Poliglote). Two of the latter’s three wins were in listed hurdle races, but this was scant enough reward for racing 40 times, though he was runner-up in a Grade 1 four-year-old hurdle race, beaten 10 lengths by the winner.
BACK in 2024, Staffordshire Knot (Shantou) sold as part of the Andy and Gemma Brown dispersal at Tattersalls Ireland. At the time he had won two of his three starts, a Fairyhouse bumper and Down Royal maiden hurdle.
Purchased as a newly-turned yearling at Fairyhouse for €60,000 by Joey Logan from his breeders David Laverty and Alaistair Kingham, the third-best price of the sale, his value soared to €510,000 in February 2024, five years and a few days later. He was one of four lots in the dispersal sale to realise half a million euros or more, bettered only by Caldwell Potter, Fil Dor and Pied Piper. Staffordshire Knot returned to Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables to carry the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House.
Beaten at Thurles first time out for his new owner, Staffordshire Knot was more than seven lengths behind O’Leary’s Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree before running abysmally at Punchestown. It was to take eight more runs before the gelding visited the winners’ circle again, in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown in late November on heavy ground. That ground seems to suit him, and he has since beaten French Dynamite by 10 lengths at Clonmel, finished half a length behind Home By The Lee in a Grade 2 at Gowran Park, and beat stablemates Better Days Ahead and Maxxum in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle on Sunday.
Gerry Hogan
Back in November, Gerry Hogan bought a colt foal by Jeu St Eloi (Saint Des Saints) for €16,000, and he is a half-brother to Staffordshire Knot. The agent will be hoping that the Elliott runner will not stop at winning one Grade 2, and it will be interesting to see if the gelding heads now to Cheltenham for the Pertemps Final. Given his family, a chasing career cannot be ruled out in the future.
Staffordshire Knot is the best runner for the unraced Ned’s Joy (Oscar), a cross also responsible for Grade 1 Cheltenham hero Stay Away Fay, the Grade 3 Swinton Hurdle winner Pickanumber and Grade 2-winning chaser Allart.
Ned’s Joy is a full-sister to the dual Grade 1 winner The Tullow Tank (Oscar), successful in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse and the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown. Over fences he was runner-up in the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup Chase. As good as he was, he was overshadowed by his half-brother Many Clouds (Cloudings).
It is hard to believe that it is nine years ago that Many Clouds died after winning at Cheltenham, on what was the 10-year-old’s 27th start. The great favourite was winning for the twelfth time when beating Thistlecrack in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase, boosting his earnings to well over £900,000. Bred by Aidan Aherne, Many Clouds was sold as a foal for €6,000 at Tattersalls Ireland. Highflyer Bloodstock purchased him and he must rate as one the best value purchases made by that agency.
Sought after
The Tullow Tank and Many Clouds lifted the family from being a regular winner-producing line, with few racing stars, to being a more sought-after line, though a few more names have come to the fore since.
Their dam Bobbing Back (Bob Back) had an interesting racing career, running over jumps in France at four, and three years later lining up in a pair of bumpers and a hurdle race. She did not win or place.
Bobbing Back’s full-sister Back On Line (Bob Back) was a multiple winner over fences in addition to landing a hurdle success and winning a point-to-point. She was placed in a listed chase at Newbury. Back On Line is the grandam of Chapeau De Soleil (Soldier Of Fortune). Two years ago this Ricci-owned gelding was one of Willie Mullins’ many winners at the Punchestown Festival, beating 22 others to land a listed handicap hurdle by a short head.
Another full-sister to Bobbing Back is Ballys Baby (Bob Back) and this unraced mare is responsible for a couple of winners, the best of them being Forge Meadow (Beneficial). She won the George Mernagh Memorial Bumper, while three of her four wins over hurdles came at Grade 2, Grade 3 and listed level.