GRANGE Stud’s classic star Milan (by Sadler’s Wells) added to his growing tally of blacktype winners when Ttebbob easily beat two rivals to take the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Klairon Davis Novice Chase over two miles, one furlong at Navan on Sunday.
The six-year-old won twice over hurdles, was last seen over the smaller obstacles when finishing fifth behind Jezki in the Grade 1 World Series Hurdle at Punchestown in April, and he made a winning debut over fences at Thurles last month, beating All Hell Let Loose by six lengths over two and a quarter miles.
He was bred by Neil Tyrrell, and given his pedigree and what he has achieved on the track, it seems a surprise now that he was led out unsold at just €18,000 when offered at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in Fairyhouse three years ago.
Like the star cross-country chase horse Josies Orders, this son of Milan is out of a daughter of the late Burgage Stud stallion Bob Back (by Roberto) and he is also bred on a similar cross to Catching On, this year’s Devon National winner, who is out of a Bob’s Return (by Bob Back) mare.
STAMINA
Multiple chase scorer Down Under and the triple hurdles winner Minnie Milan are also out of Bob Back mares, and what each of these horses also has in common is stamina; they all stay at least three miles.
Ttebbob’s hurdles form included a four-length win over three miles at Navan, and although his first two starts over fences have been over much shorter trips, and he was entered in next week’s Grade 1 Racing Post Chase over two miles, one furlong at Leopardstown, he could excel over further in time.
He is the fourth foal of his dam, Our Dream, and, remarkably given that her first three are sons of leading sire Oscar (by Sadler’s Wells), he is her first one even to make the frame under National Hunt rules.
She won a two miles, three and a half furlong novice hurdle on the last of her five starts, and her only time out of the frame was when finishing fifth in a Huntingdon bumper on her debut.
Several of her siblings were successful, including the seven-times chase scorer Strong Magic (by Strong Gale) who won at up to three miles, one furlong, but the best of them was Sparky Gale (by Strong Gale).
He too won at that distance although his best wins came in a two and a half mile Grade 2 novice chase at Ayr and in the Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase over a furlong further at the Cheltenham Festival.
GRADE 1 STARS
The grandam of Ttebbob is the one-time hurdles scorer Baybush (by Boreen) and as she was out of the point-to-point winner Freezeaway (by Vulgan), that made her a half-sister to the Nas Na Riogh Chase winner Golden Freeze (by Golden Love), to the Troytown Chase runner-up Tom Miller (by Menelek), and to two mares who were only placed on the track but became the ancestors of Grade 1 stars.
Geeaway (by Gala Performance) was the third dam of the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup Chase and Grade A Thyestes Chase winner Jadanli (by Saddlers’ Hall), but Chillaway’s (by Arctic Slave) record is more impressive.
She is the dam of the Reynoldstown Novice Chase winner and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Danny Harrold (by Deep Run), grandam of Grade 3-winning hurdler Glazeaway (by Glacial Storm) and of the prolific Grade 1 star Boston Bob (by Bob Back), and she is also the mare from whom the Grade 1 bumper and hurdles scorer Briar Hill (by Shantou) and the Grade A Dan Moore Handicap Chase winner Mallowney (by Oscar) descend.
Right now Ttebbob is just a novice who has won both his starts over fences, but with the combination of his pedigree and overall racing record, his is a name that could become very well known on the chasing scene before too long.