ELSEWHERE in this week’s paper you can read the sire review of Camelot. The triple classic, dual Derby and Group 1 juvenile winner is a son of Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells), and he is one of the stars among the stallion ranks at Coolmore.

In a time when stud fees are generally staying the same, or reducing, Camelot’s has jumped from €40,000 to €60,000 for the pending season. No wonder.

Last year was an annus horribilis for many, but Camelot had a 2020 to remember, getting four Group 1 winners and bringing his career total to seven. Even So won the Irish Oaks, another daughter Sunny Queen shone in Germany, while down under Russian Camelot and Sir Dragonet were stars.

Camelot’s first crop are six-year-olds and among that group is Miranda. That first crop also contained the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle winner Sir Erec. His loss at Cheltenham in 2019 robbed National Hunt racing of a major potential star – and possibly a most interesting future jumps stallion.

Miranda’s breeders are JK Thoroughbreds, the late Michel Henochsberg who bred Urban Sea, and Dominique Ades-Hazan. She was sold as a yearling at Arqana to Jean-Claude Rouget for €50,000 and, carrying the colours of Ecurie Antonio Caro, she won three of her eight starts at three, from 10 to 12 furlongs, and won her purchase price and an additional €10,000.

Shrewd Malone

Tom Malone picked her up for just €47,000 at the Arqana Autumn Sale in 2018 and she moved to Paul Nicholls. Miranda has won her purchase price and more again with five victories over hurdles, and she climbed new heights at the weekend when she landed the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

Malone’s interest in Miranda as a potential hurdler was helped by the fact that he once bought her half-brother Vercingetorix for just £12,000, after which he won three of his seven career successes. He did earn blacktype for bring third in a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle – but there were only three starters that day.

More significant blacktype was earned by another of Miranda’s six winning siblings, Martinvast (Hurricane Run). He won five times in France and Australia, and he was placed a couple of times in listed races when sent down under. They are all out of the winning two-year-old Great Artist (Desert Prince) and her tally of winners may yet grow, as she has a two-year-old daughter by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) to run for her in 2021.

Miranda traces her roots back to her fourth dam, the highly-influential Sunny Valley (Val De Loir). That great Ballymacoll Stud matron bred the Oaks, St Leger and Yorkshire Oaks winner Sun Princess (English Prince) and the Group 1 Coronation Cup winner Saddlers’ Hall (Sadler’s Wells).

Directly descending from Sunny Valley, I counted 14 Group 1 or major classic winners, while there were at least three Grade 1 National Hunt winners.

One of the latter is especially interesting. My Tent Or Yours (Desert Prince) shares the same sire as Miranda’s dam. Winner of both the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, My Tent Or Yours was runner-up in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on three occasions.

The Lion still roaring with The Cob

THE story of Miranda on this page deals with the Ballymacoll family that descends from Sunny Valley (Val De Loir). One of the ‘lesser-known’ members of that family is Let The Lion Roar.

I say ‘lesser-known’ only by way of comparison with his 14 Group 1-winning relations. Let The Lion Roar stands at Bridge House Stud near Mullingar and he was a smart racehorse. The son of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) won a couple of times at two and three, and was placed in a number of group races, the best of which was finishing third to North Light and the subsequent St Leger winner Rule Of Law in the Derby at Epsom.

At stud Let The Lion Roar was given few opportunities by thoroughbred breeders, yet his 16 lifetime winners includes three who have shown above average ability. Nautical Nitwit won seven times, a bumper in Ireland and six hurdle races that included the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby. Always Lion won a bumper, two hurdle races and a chase and he was third in a listed bumper at Cheltenham.

The Cob

Now Let The Lion Roar has a second Grade 2 hurdle winner, the improving Ben Pauling-trained The Cob running out a nine-length winner of the River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster. The seven-year-old has only had nine starts, has won three times over hurdles, and only been out of the first three once, including in bumpers.

A bargain purchase by Highflyer Bloodstock for €13,000 as a three-year-old in Fairyhouse when sold through Aughamore Stud, The Cob is one of three winners from the two-year-old winner Millenium Love (Great Commotion). This is a speedy flat family that goes back in the fourth generation to winners such as stakes-winning juvenile Afrique (African Sky) and the French 1000 Guineas runner-up Typhoon Polly (Lord Gayle).

Four major winners in Argentina appear under the fourth dam, while a horse I remember from my youth, Quizair (Quisling) is also recalled.

He won the Irish Sweeps Lincoln at Doncaster and finished second in the race. He was trained by Ryan Jarvis and ridden to his biggest success by Taffy Thomas. Quizair, on the back of his win, went to stud after a 53-race career that yielded 10 wins. From limited opportunities he sired a listed winner in France.

Takingrisks was well-named for purchaser Griffin

ANOTHER somewhat unheralded stallion was Golden Tornado. The unraced son of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) stood with Donal Brazil at Gurteen Stud in Co Offaly. Brazil saw him at the late Michael O’Brien’s stables when he was looking to acquire a stallion prospect.

The good-looking son of a champion sire was a half-brother to the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Fourstars Allstar (Compliance) but he was unraced due to injury. At stud his first crop included the Grade 2 novice chase winner Dancing Tornado, while his third crop had a star member in Berties Dream, winner of the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Spa Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

I am reminded of Golden Tornado after his 12-year-old son Takingrisks, bred by James Murray, won the Listed Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster. Two years ago the bay won the Grade 3 Scottish Grand National, while another big win was gained in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle. The gelding has winnings of almost £300,000.

Takingrisks was bought for trainer Nicky Richards by Gerry Griffin who died recently. He was bought after winning for the first time, a point-to-point at the age of six. Being a son of a generally unknown sire and from a female line that is undistinguished, his value was decided when the hammer fell at just €35,000. He has justified that investment and there is possibly another day or two to be enjoyed with him yet.