MONSUN (by Konigsstuhl) stallions are all the rage in National Hunt circles and their ranks include Arcadio, the eight and 11 furlong Group 2 scorer, who is on the roster at Arctic Tack Stud.

His early runners include the multiple graded winner The Game Changer, whom Arctic Tack Stud bred in partnership with Crossogue Stud and he is also responsible for Flying Angel, the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained gelding who won the Grade 3 Close Brothers Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle over two miles at Sandown on Saturday.

Also bred by the Co Wexford farm where his sire stands, Flying Angel began his career with a seven length success over two and a half miles at Worcester in October, was then placed twice at Aintree, and he was third in the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury a month before his latest success.

He is a €15,000 graduate of the foals section of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale, his siblings include the multiple hurdles and chase scorer Bhaltair (by Great Palm) and also that one’s chase-winning full-brother Mac’s Grey.

Their dam Gypsy Kelly (by Roselier) is an unraced full-sister to the triple chase scorer Kung Hei Fat Choi, who won at up to three miles, one furlong, and she is a half-sister to the talented mare Kelly’s Pearl (by Miner’s Lamp).

Winner once on the flat, a trio of bumpers, three times over hurdles and thrice over fences, Kelly’s Pearl earned her blacktype when chasing home Life Of A Lord in the 1995 edition of the Galway Plate.

Gallant Blade (by Fine Blade), the grandam of Flying Angel, was unplaced in bumpers and had only three winners among 13 siblings, but that trio won 24 races between them under National Hunt rules and two of them were blacktype horses.

Oakprime (by Master Owen), who was the eldest of the offspring of unraced Arctic Tack (by Arctic Slave), won three times over hurdles and four races over fences and he earned his blacktype placings in chases at Cheltenham and Ascot.

Half-brother Pond House (by Phardante) won seven times over fences, but the most prolific of the siblings was also the best of them as he was the high-class chaser Soft Day (by Strong Gale).

Winner of a bumper and three times over hurdles, Soft Day was runner-up in the BMW Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown but was even better over fences as his six wins over the larger obstacles featured the the Dennys Gold Medal Novice Chase and Arkle Challenge Cup Novice Chase at Leopardstown and also the Diners Club Chase at Punchestown.

His year-older half-sister Arctic Bavard (by Le Bavard) did not race, although her year-old full-brother Sharp Opinion won 10 point-to-points, but Arctic Bavard ensured her presence on catalogue pages as she became the dam of Call It A Day.

By the leading National Hunt sire Callernish (by Lord Gayle), who was a full-brother to the dual Oaks heroine Blue Wind, Call It A Day was twice successful over hurdles but became a top stayer over fences.

He won the Grade 3 Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown and his many honourable performances in defeat included his third place finish behind Bobbyjo in the Grade A Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, chasing home Young Kenny in the Grade 3 Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter, and then taking third behind Bobbyjo and Blue Charm in 1999’s edition of the Grade 3 Grand National at Aintree.

Five-year-old Flying Angel is a capable young hurdler, but with horses such as Kelly’s Pearl, Soft Day and Call It A Day in his family it is possible that his brightest future prospects may lie over fences.