THIS week I bumped into Lisa-Jane Graffard, the Irish-born wife of Francois-Henri, and that same day the French-based trainer, and fellow Flying Start graduate, saddled the first two home in the Listed Prix Jacques de Bremond over a mile at Vichy.

The winner was the Al Shaqab-owned Lbretha, a four-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel who is yet another sire featured in this week’s column who stands at Kildangan Stud. His fee was €50,000 this year and that price is justified given his outstanding record at stud. A son of Danehill (Danzig) and out of a winning daughter of Lomond (Northern Dancer), he was champion sprinter in Australia with victories in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and Dubai Racing Club Cup and he has gone on at stud to be a phenomenal sire of youngsters in particular.