THE Grade 2 victory of Jason The Militant in the Paddy Power Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas was noteworthy for many reasons. Gaining most coverage was the refusal of Peter Michael, the owner, to accept the winning trophy from the sponsors. The 25/1 longshot had been touted as a potential winner by his owner on social media before the race and duly delivered.

Peter Michael has an added vested interest in the six-year-old’s success as he bred the gelding in partnership with his brother Martin. Jason The Militant is from the first crop of the classic-winning sire Sans Frontieres (Galileo), the first Group 1 winner on the flat owned by Sir Robert Ogden. That win came on what was to prove to be his final outing, in the 2010 The Irish Field St Leger.

Trained by Jeremy Noseda and ridden by Olivier Peslier, Sans Frontieres held Profound Beauty by less than a length to add to his victories in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket and the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury. Sans Frontieres retired to The Beeches Stud in Co Waterford, under the Coolmore banner, and was there up until this season when he has moved to Vauterhill Stud in England. What a boost for them that he has now had his first blacktype winner, and how timely.

On his dam side, Jason The Militant is the first racecourse winner from his dam Rock Angel (Desert King), and he is trained by Henry de Bromhead. He also trains his half-brother Chef Afef (Ask) who has been placed a number of times, mostly over hurdles. Another sibling is the five-year-old Will Carver and he sold last week at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale to Highflyer Bloodstock for £60,000 in the aftermath of winning a point-to-point at Kirkistown for Warren Ewing at his third attempt.

This is a family that the Michael family has had for some time. Jason The Militant’s dam Rock Angel was bred by Peter’s uncle John Michael and won over hurdles when trained by Paul Nolan. She was one of five winners from Ramich John (Kampala). She won four times when trained by Liam Browne, including at the Phoenix Park, and twice was placed in decent Group 3 company in England, being runner-up in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and the Westbury Stakes at Sandown Park.