Research only gets you so far in understanding any subject; there is no replacement for firsthand experience, but the next best thing is to speak to those involved themselves.

I’m lucky that my job often involved picking the brains of those in the game - their experience often spanning decades - gleaning their knowledge to better my own. It’s particularly helpful when it comes to National Hunt bloodstock, of which I am only a keen observer, having only bought and sold flat horses myself.

Victor Connolly, the subject of last week’s Big Interview, is one of those keen to share his knowledge, without belittling the listener, and I learnt so much from our conversation. For instance, I thought that Burgage Stud’s exciting new recruit Silverwave had a pedigree not of obvious appeal to National Hunt breeders, but that’s not the case.

He is by Verglas – familiar to this flat-bred enthusiast – and while Connolly admitted he’s not known as a source of jumpers, he hasn’t been proven not to be one either, he simply hasn’t had the opportunities. More importantly though, Verglas is by Highest Honor, who also appears in the sire line of the top-class French stallion No Risk At All.

While those are promising credentials, they’re now outshone by the performance of Silverwave’s first runners. His oldest crop of 50 foals, 27 of which have run so far, are now five-year-olds and include the Gr1 AQPS winner Louisa Banbou. This smart statistic is no fluke, either, as his subsequent crop of 59 foals includes Grade 3 AQPS third Meleagrine and Willie Mullins’ impressive maiden hurdle winner Moulin Labbe.

The French system, and nurturing of talent at an earlier stage, has no doubt helped Silverwave make a bright start, and was presumably part of the appeal of Magic Dream when the Cashman family sourced the son of Saint Des Saints for their Glenview Stud for the 2026 season.

The Grade 2-winning chaser stood his first four seasons at Haras du Hoguenet for a fee of €3,500 and sired his first winner on Easter Monday at Compiegne. Dedel, who finished a promising fourth on debut at the same track last month, improved to score by a length, as a half-sister to Kalif Du Berlais took second, two lengths in front of the 12/5 favourite.

We won’t have long to wait to see Magic Dream’s progeny in the flesh ourselves, with Moanmore Stables having given €60,000 for a two-year-old gelding named Funny Dream at Arqana last July, presumably to reoffer at the 2026 Irish store sales.

At that same sale, Frannie Woods’ Abbeylands Stables gave €46,000 for another two-year-old gelding, the mysteriously-named WW Bloodstock paid €35,000 for a two-year-old filly and Peter Nolan secured another two-year-old filly for €26,000.

Magic Dream’s stock has also sold to the likes of Jerry McGrath, Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables and George Mullins.

Magic Dream raced over the obstacles he was bred for, but Silverwave’s syndicate must count themselves lucky that their recruit, who won a Group 1 and two Group 2s over a mile and a half, was never sold to Australia – the destination of many talented horses gifted with stamina.

It’s where Storm The Stars raced after finishing fourth in the St Leger, having previously won the Great Voltigeur Stakes and placed in the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris. After failing to reproduce the same form for Chris Waller, the son of Sea The Stars returned to Europe to stand his first five seasons in France, before transferring to David Stack’s Coolagown Stud.

His first crop conceived in Co Cork are now two-year-olds and patient National Hunt breeders will be buoyed by the success of his French crops, the oldest of which are seven-year-olds.

The recent Easter weekend, in particular, highlights what the beautifully-bred bay has managed to achieve with smaller numbers. His two runners in Ireland over the weekend both hailed from his second crop, and both finished in the money.

The lightly-raced Storm Heart, who has always been held in high regard by Willie Mullins, did well to finish third in the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle, having never travelled with his usual style. The French import had finished third on his previous at the Cheltenham Festival, won a Grade 3 prior to that and previously finished second and fourth in Grade 1s as a four-year-old.

Stablemate Funiculi Funicula landed Sunday’s beginners chase at Cork, having gone close on his two previous chase starts. He, too, has Grade 1 form, having finished third in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last season. He and Storm Heart are Storm The Stars’ only runners in Ireland this jumps season.