MONT-DE-MARSAN is a racecourse in south-west France, holding about 13 meetings a year, both flat and over jumps. Boasting a covered grandstand with 500 seats, it offers free admission to patrons. I cannot say that I knew it by name until this weekend.

Why did it come to my attention? Well, it hosted a pair of listed races, the six-furlong Criterium du Bequet-Ventes Osarus for two-year-olds, and the Prix La Sorellina for three-year-old fillies over a mile. Ballylinch Stud will be well aware of the racecourse and these two races, as Bayside Boy had his second stakes winner from his first crop with Belisa Bay, and the stallion’s own sire, New Bay (Dubawi), sired the second winner, Repel.