AL Namix has just turned 20 years of age and he will cover mares in France this year at a bargain €2,500. I say bargain because he is a stallion who keeps knocking in winners, and last Sunday his son Petit Mouchoir (French for small handkerchief) added a second Grade 1 victory to his CV when he landed the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle.

A €100,000 purchase at the Goffs Land Rover Sale, Petit Mouchoir made a serious dent in that price when, having won his only point-to-point, he made a winning debut in the valuable Goffs Land Rover Bumper. Now his three hurdle wins include a pair of Grade 1s and his winnings are approaching €250,000. Bred in France by Philip Gueret, Petit Mouchoir is the first foal of the Denham Red (by Pampabird) mare Arnette, a three-time winner over jumps.

The second produce of that mare is the Great Pretender filly Pravalaguna, winner of her only start on the flat in France and of her only start over hurdles in Ireland. She is with Willie Mullins and won at Navan in December. Petit Mouchoir and Pravalaguna are the only offspring of their dam.

They are from a former top-class flat family, but a branch that has had its attention switched to jump racing. Arnette’s dam Gashaka bred two winners and a placed horse from three foals. Gashaka, by Cariellor (by Fabulous Dancer), won on the flat and twice over jumps in France and she and the dual jumps winner Christe Marine were the only successful offspring of the Riverman mare Ironique.

Ironique was the only produce of her dam not to win. The others included three stakes winners, one of which was Ironique’s own-sister Rivermaid. She was a dual listed winner on the flat, bred a couple of group winners in France and is third dam of Royal Exchange (by Royal Applause) who was a stakes winner for Queen Elizabeth a few years ago.

Al Namix is no one-horse wonder as a sire and his other good National Hunt performers include Saphir Du Rheu, Grandouet, Solix and Street Name. A son of Linamix, Al Namix ran 49 times, won eight races, was placed 20 times, and landed three listed race victories.

That wouldn’t have earned him a place at stud in Ireland!