CHAMPAGNE Classic won the Listed Bettyville Chase at Wexford, the race being run in honour of Michael Hickey of Garryrichard Stud fame. This was just the fourth outing over fences for the eight-year-old son of Stowaway (Slip Anchor) who was bred by Ronnie O’Neill and sold from his Whytemount Stud at the Goffs Land Rover Sale for €20,000 to Kilronan Stud.

After winning his only start in a point-to-point, Champagne Classic sold for €100,000 at the Goffs Punchestown Sale to Gordon Elliott. In 13 starts in the colours of Gigginstown House the gelding has never been out of the first three, winning the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in 2017, his first start after landing the Martin Pipe Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival

His unraced dam Classical Rachel is a daughter of Shahanndeh (Assert) and all her winning offspring are by Stowaway. She is a full-sister to Fade To Black (Shahanndeh), winner of a Naas bumper on his only start. Champagne Classic’s grandam is a half-sister to the dual Grade 3-winning juvenile hurdler Majestic Man (Mister Majestic).

Stowaway died in 2015 and is the sire of Grade 1 National Hunt winners Champagne Classic, Outlander (Lexus Chase, Scalp Novice Chase and jnwine.com Champion Chase), The World’s End (Sefton Novices Hurdle), and Champagne Fever (Supreme Novices Hurdle, Weatherbys Champion Bumper, Punchestown Champion Bumper and Deloitte Novice Hurdle)

His son Hidden Cyclone, a multiple graded winner over hurdles and fences, was also out of a mare by Shahanndeh. Stowaway stood at Whytemount Stud.