THE decision to bring Casamento back to Sunnyhill Stud in Ireland and stand as a National Hunt sire received a timely endorsement at the weekend when House Island, a five-year-old from his sire’s initial crop, won the Listed Racing TV Standard Open NH Race at Newbury on just his third start. He was runner-up on both his previous outings. He is not the first major winner under National Hunt rules in this largely flat-bred family, but you have to skip back a couple of generations to find the next one.

House Island is the English translation of his dam’s name, Fuaigh Mor, and she was a two-year-old winner by Dubai Destination (Kingmambo). House Island is her second foal and second winner, the first being Lexington Times (Paco Boy) who was bought in utero for €26,000. He was then sold as a foal for €48,000, as a yearling for €60,000 and he went on to become a listed winner of more than £100,000.