SUNDAY

  • Faugheen made it 11 from 12 over obstacles with an easy victory in the Grade 1 BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown. The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old, who has now won seven times at the highest level, is a son of the late Woodlands Stud stallion Germany (by Trempolino). He was bred by Dr John Waldron, he is a €12,000 graduate of the Goffs Landrover Sale, and his dam Miss Pickering (by Accordion) comes from a branch of the family of the high-class pair Rocky Creek (by Dr Massini) and Tell Massini (by Dr Massini).

    I reviewed Faugheen's pedigree in detail in the 14th March 2015 edition of The Irish Field.

  • Douvan extended his unbeaten record over fences to three with an odds-on success in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase over two miles, one furlong at Leopardstown. The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was bred by SARL Haras de la Faisanderie, he is out of Star Face (by Saint Des Saints) and he comes from the family of the Grade 3 winner and successful National Hunt sire Discover D'Auteuil (by Mistigri). His sire Walk In The Park (by Montjeu), who was runner-up in the Derby, stood in France but has just joined the team at Grange Stud.

    I reviewed Douvan's pedigree in detail in the 17th January 2015 edition of The Irish Field.

  • A Toi Phil made it two from three since joining the Willie Mullins stable when taking the Grade 2 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles at Leopardstown. The six-year-old was bred by Phillipe Legault, he is a son of the French-based stallion Day Flight (by Sadler's Wells) and his dam Lucidrile (by Beyssac) was unplaced in AQPS flat races. His grandam Aramo (by Caramo) is a half-sister to the Grade 2-placed chaser Joly Bey (by Beyssac).

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    SATURDAY

  • Un De Sceaux, whose only losses in a 16-race career are the twice he fell, recorded his fourth success at the highest level when beating Sire De Grugy by five lengths in the Grade 1 Sodexo Clarence House Chase over two miles, one furlong at Ascot. The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old is a son of the late Haras de la Rousseliere stallion Denham Red (by Pampabird), he was bred by that stud and partners, and he is out of Hotesse De Sceaux (by April Night). It is an AQPS family whose members include some multiple winners and some Anglo-Arabs.

    I reviewed Un De Sceaux's pedigree in detail in the 31st January 2015 edition of The Irish Field.

  • Vroum Vroum Mag, who is unbeaten in six starts over fences, returned to the smaller obstacles at Ascot on Saturday for an odds-on success in the Grade 2 OLBG.com Mares' Hurdle (registered as Warfield Mares' Hurdle Race) over two miles, seven and a half furlongs. The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was bred by Count Antoine-Audoin Maggier and Antonia Maggiar, she is an AQPS daughter of Val Du Nord (by Valanour), and her dam Naiade Mag (by Kadalko) is also responsible for the blacktype-placed Brise Vendeenne (by Dom Alco).

    I reviewed the pedigree of Vroum Vroum Mag in detail in the 13th December 2014 edition of The Irish Field.

  • Bristol De Mai completed a big-race double this week for Haras de Cercy stallion Saddler Maker (by Sadler's Wells) when easily winning the Grade 2 Start Your RacingUK Free Trial Now Novices' Chase (registered as the Altcar Novices' Chase) over two miles, four furlongs at Haydock. The five-year-old, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles last season, was bred by Jean-Yves Touzaint and he is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. He is out of the AQPS mare La Bole Night (by April Night) and he is a half-brother to a couple of flat winners in France.

  • Its'afreebee extended his unbeaten record over obstacles to three when taking the Grade 2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle (registered as Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle) over a few yards short of two miles at Haydock. The Dan Skelton-trained six-year-old was bred by Edward Sexton, he is a son of the Group 2 winner and former shuttle sire Danroad (by Danehill), and his dam Aphra Benn (by In The Wings) is a half-sister to the classic-placed stakes winner Mezzogiorno (by Unfuwain).

  • The New One was an odds-on winner of the Grade 2 StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial over one mile, seven and a half furlongs at Haydock, the eighth graded success of his career. The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained eight-year-old is a son of the late Ballylinch Stud stallion King's Theatre (by Sadler's Wells) and he was bred by that stud in partnership with Richard Brown. He is the first foal out of the blacktype-placed hurdler Thuringe (by Turgeon) and there are some flat stakes winners in his family.

  • Cloudy Too notched up his third blacktype success when taking the Grade 2 Peter Marsh Chase over three miles at Haydock. The Sue Smith-trained 10-year-old is a son of Old Road Stud stallion Cloudings (by Sadler's Wells), he is a half-brother to the hurdle-winning mare Indian Citizen (by Indian River), and his dam Curra Citizen (by Phardante) is a full-sister to Pharaway Citizen and Dante Citizen, who won 10 races between them. He was bred by E J O'Sullivan.

  • Rock The Kasbah won the Grade 3 “40 Years of Keltbray” Holloway's Handicap Hurdle over two miles, three and a half furlongs at Ascot, a first blacktype success for the son of Glenview Stud stallion Shirocco (by Monsun). Bred by Joe Rogers and trained by Philip Hobbs, the six-year-old is the first foal out of Impudent (by In The Wings), a dual flat and dual hurdles scorer whose siblings include the Grade 2-winning hurdler Royal Shakespeare (by King's Theatre).

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    THURSDAY

  • My Murphy sprang a 16/1 surprise in the Grade A Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase over three miles, one furlong at Gowran Park. It is a third blacktype success for the Liam Burke-trained 10-year-old, a Simon Tindall-bred son of Glenview Stud's multiple champion sire Presenting (by Mtoto). His dam Fine De Claire (by Teenoso) is a bumper winning half-sister to the bumper and dual hurdle winners Wright (by Broadsword) and Dusty Too (by Terimon), the latter being the dam of Grade 1 star Simonsig (by Fair Mix).

  • Alpha Des Obeaux won the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle over three miles at Gowran Park, a second win from nine starts for the multiple Grade 1-placed gelding. Trained by Mouse Morris and bred by the partnership of Marie Devilder and Stephanie Fasquelle, the six-year-old is a son of Haras de Cercy stallion Saddler Maker (by Sadler's Wells). He is out of the AQPS mare Omega Des Obeaux (by Saint Preuil), he is a full-brother to last year's dual multiple French chase winner Bora Des Obeaux, and his dam is a half-sister to the blacktype-placed multiple chase scorer Tali Des Obeaux (by Panoramic).