Irish sires ahead on all counts

Although there is an increasing amount of French-bred horses taking the top NH prizes (and according to Harold Kirk in his TV interview this week, they are still making crazy prices in France this year), Irish sires more than held their own this National Hunt season.

Among the top 10 in the Britain and Ireland tables, King’s Theatre, Beneficial and Old Vic are deceased and Oscar has been retired but Presenting, Milan, Flemensfirth, Westerner and Cloudings are all still here. Of the top 10, only Kayf Tara doesn’t stand in Ireland and it’s no surprise to find six of the top 10 are sons of Sadler’s Wells.

Sires set for Guineas glory

As a further boost for Irish bloodstock as the centre of the breeding world, most of the top contenders for the first two classics this weekend are all by sires standing in Ireland.

The 2000 Guineas cast is led by Galileo, Invincible Spirit, Dark Angel, Zebedee, High Chaparral, Lope De Vega, the deceased Montjeu and Jeremy.

The 1000 Guineas has a similar story with either Shamardal, Tamayuz, Kodiac, Invincible Spirit or the retired Danehill Dancer likely to produce the winner.

Race of the Year?

What quality there was among the also rans in the RSA Chase last year. Carlingford Lough (6th), Just A Par (7th), Don Cossack (fell), Many Clouds (brought down).

Between them, they are now winners of four Grade 1s, a Hennessy Gold Cup and Grand National, and a bet364 Gold Cup.

As a contrast, from the 2014 Gold Cup field of 13, only Silviniaco Conti has returned to win at Grade 1 level.

Name or shame?

The names given to Ballydoyle’s new crop of two-year-olds has often been a good guide to their expected ability. Camelot, Australia, John F Kennedy had big things expected of them from the beginning.

This season sees a two-year-old named Coolmore and the son of Galileo-You’resothrilling has a fine pedigree to live up to as well.

Another colt has been named Ballydoyle and this is the second calling for that name. Hopefully the colt will prove better than the colt of 1981, a full-brother to Storm Bird who was sold as a yearling at Keeneland in July for a then world-record price of $3.5 million to Robert Sangster but never aspired to much on the track.

STAR

PERFORMANCE

The Don and all who sail with him

It looked like Don Cossack might fade away after his novice hurdle season, and it was easy to dismiss him as another big, soft ground, bumper winner who flattered to deceive. But two years on, he’s got everything you would want in a top class chaser.