SONS of Sadler’s Wells (by Northern Dancer) supplied three of the four graded winners at Cheltenham last Saturday and the first leg of the treble was provided by Blaklion, a Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained five-year-old with the potential to succeed at the highest level.
A point-to-point scorer who won both of his bumpers last season, he made a winning debut over hurdles at Perth in September, followed-up in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle over two and a half miles at Chepstow a month later, and then failed by four and a half lengths to maintain that unbeaten record when runner-up in a Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham in November.
Saturday’s race was the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (registered as the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle) over three miles, which he won by 11 lengths on ground described as good to soft.
Blaklion was bred by Mary Morrison, he is a son of the Group 1 star and Overbury Stud stallion Kayf Tara, and he is one of three blacktype earners for his dam Franciscaine (by Legend Of France).
She won once on the flat in France, and although her strike-rate of winners to foals born is only 33%, each of the trio is an above average racehorse, and they are related to a variety of other blacktype horses, including a four-time flat Group 1 star and several talented jumpers.
The oldest of them is Francis Du Mesnil (by Saint Preuil), a bumper and chase scorer who was placed in a Grade C chase at Killarney in 2011, and who won a point-to-point this year at the age of 12.
His half-sister Francesa (by Silver Patriarch) won twice over hurdles and was placed in bumpers and over fences, and she earned her blacktype when taking the runner-up spot in the Listed OLBG.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Her first foal is a Beat Hollow (by Sadler’s Wells) filly who made €12,500 last month at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale.
The youngest of Francesa’s progeny to race is Max The Minister (by Pastoral Pursuits), a Hughie Morrison-trained four-year-old who was runner-up in a Warwick bumper on his debut in March, and then finished fourth in a similar contest at Fontwell the following month, his only outings to date.
Success
It is hardly a surprise that Francesa has enjoyed this type of success at stud as she is one of seven winners, from 10 foals, out of The Fun (by Funny Hobby), and she is a half-sister to four blacktype earners.
The Knight (by Kenmare) won a listed chase at Auteuil, and The Nabab (by Nebos) was listed-placed over hurdles, as was The Dream (by Deep Roots) who also won seven times on the flat.
The best of the quartet, however, was Indian River (by Cadoudal), a Grade 3-winning chaser in France and later a successful sire whose best representatives include the prolific graded winner, and Hennessy Gold Cup hero Madison Du Berlais, and the Grade 1 placed, Grade 2 winning French hurdler Shinco Du Berlais.
Vison De Ville (by Comrade In Arms), who is a half-sister to Franciscaine, won three times on the flat as a two-year-old, and later twice over hurdles, and she is the dam of the listed-placed multiple French National Hunt scorer Semiramiss (by Pennekamp).
The third dam of Blaklion is The Lark (by Lanark), and although only four of her 10 foals became winners, one of the quartet was The Wonder (by Wittgenstein), winner of the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois and Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan in France, and both the Grade 1 Californian Stakes and the Grade 1 Century Handicap at Hollywood Park.
His half-sister Leah The Lark (by Lear Fan) also achieved prominence on the family’s page as, although unraced, her progeny included the Group 2 South African Oaks winner Cyber Cento (by Centenary), and the Group 1-placed South African Group 3 scorer Oratory (by Centenary).
Recent years have seen this family develop a strong National Hunt branch, and in Blaklion it has come up with its brightest jumping star to date.