SADDLER MAKER should probably, in the normal run of events, never have gone to stud. He did manage to be placed from a handful of starts and he was a son of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer). Though he was from a good Wertheimer family, he would have more likely been gelded and sent hurdling had he been owned by anyone else.
He died two years ago at the age of 18 and he has left behind a pretty smart record with his winners over jumps. At the weekend his son Bristol De Mai won a second Grade 1 Betfair Lancashire Chase, adding to other Grade 1 wins over hurdles and fences. He has now won 10 times and his connections have pocketed well over £550,000 to date. He is also on course, again, for a £1 million bonus.
Other good winners by Saddler Maker include Grade 1 winning hurdlers Apple’s Jade and Messire Des Obeaux, Grade 2 winning chasers Dinaria Des Obeaux and Alpha Des Obeaux, Grade 2 winning hurdlers Apple’s Shakira, Chef Des Obeaux and Label Des Obeaux, and more.
On pedigree Saddler Maker was a full-brother to the Group 3 winner Sadler’s Flag (Sadler’s Wells) and to the minor winner Willamina. The latter has become the dam of Willie Mullins’ smart Grade 1 winner, Cheltenham and Punchestown Festival hero Footpad (Creachadoir) who carries the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede colours.
Bristol De Mai was bred and originally raced by Jean-Yves Touzaint. Guillaume Macaire trained him to win in France and then he moved to Nigel Twiston-Davies to also sport the colours of Munir and Souede. He is the best runner for his dam La Bole Night, a daughter of April Night (Kaldoun). The latter sire has crossed well with this family.
La Bole Night is a full-brother to a couple of winners and their unraced dam Grageline (Hellios) is a half-sister to some winners by April Night and to a mare Vousseliere (Tourangeau) whose best runner was sired by April Night, namely the Grade 1 Gras Savoye Grand Steeplechase de Paris runner-up Ilare.
Breeders, stallion masters and readers are invited to contact Leo Powell at leopowell@theirishfield.ie with news and updates for the column, and to visit our website www.theirishfield.ie for daily breeding news