THERE were two graded races at Warwick last weekend, both won by Irish-breds. First up was the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and victory went to Paul and Clare Rooney’s Willoughby Court, trained by Ben Pauling and bred by J.H. ‘Jack’ Kidd. This was another big-race victory in recent weeks for a Boardsmill Stud sire. Kalanisi and Califet have already featured prominently in this column and now Court Cave, another of the quartet of stallions at the Co Meath stud, gets his opportunity to grab the headlines.

Court Cave has enjoyed plenty of success but he had to do it the hard way. Unraced due to injury, this impeccably-bred son of Sadler’s Wells is already the sire of Champion Court and Court Minstrel, and now adds another quality son to that roll of honour in Willoughby Court.

Purchased by William Flood in the January of his yearling year at Tattersalls Ireland for €3,800, he left a small profit when sold on that November to Timmy Hillman for €6,000. His next appearance was as a three-year-old at the Goffs Land Rover Sale and this time Highflyer Bloodstock splashed out €48,000 to buy him.

A pair of bumper wins from four starts, and a pair of hurdle wins from three starts makes him look to be a bargain and we will hear a lot more about him.

The best offspring of his Dabali (by Doyoun) dam Willoughby Sue, his dam is a half-sister to the Un Desperado gelding Nil Desperandum, winner of the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase and placed at that level over hurdles. Un Desperado is best remembered as the sire of Best Mate. It is highly likely that the next time we see Willoughby Court will be at the Cheltenham Festival.

Thirty-five minutes after Willoughby Court handed out an eight-length beating to his rivals, fellow Irish-bred One For Arthur won the Grade 3 Betfred Classic Handicap Chase over three miles and six furlongs by half a dozen lengths and in the process became a leading hope for the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree in April. The eight-year-old son of Milan was bred by John Dwan at his Ballyreddin Stud.

One For Arthur visited the sales on three occasions. Sold as a yearling to John Dineen for €14,000 at Tattersalls Ireland, he was back two years later at the Derby Sale where Patrick Redmond gave €34,000 for him. Having won a point-to-point at Lingstown on his fifth outing, he was despatched to the Brightwell Sale and Tom Malone, with trainer Linda Russell, secured him for £60,000. He has now won more than £77,000 from six wins over hurdles and fences.

One For Arthur is the best offspring of the Trempolino mare Nonnetia and he is her second foal. The first was the winning point-to-pointer Camille Montes (by Oscar), while Saturday’s winner is a full-brother to Ritual Of Senses, a dual winner in the colours of Lady Lloyd Webber. An unraced Kalanisi mare followed, while Nonnetia’s fifth produce was another son of Milan, Forza Milan, and he has twice been runner-up from three starts for Jonjo O’Neill and looks a sure-fire winner.

Jeremy Brummitt gave €75,000 at last year’s Derby Sale for a now four-year-old Getaway gelding out of Nonnetia, and he is followed by a three-year-old son of Arakan and a yearling filly by Yeats.

The Kalanisi half-sister to One For Arthur was offered for sale last November, in foal to Kayf Tara, and retained by her vendor for €15,000. That looks to have been an astute move now!