WHEN John Kidd planned the mating of his Montekin mare Iveagh Country with the Monsun stallion September Storm, who was then standing at the Kidds’ Ballyash Stud, if the word ‘National’ popped into his mind at all, John might have envisaged the resultant produce charging down to the first at Aintree, Fairyhouse or Downpatrick.

Disappointingly for the breeder, the colt didn’t sell at the sales as a foal in 2010 and was purchased privately by Georgia Stubington (née Mackean) and her daughter Lucca who had hoped to use him as a stallion. At four they gelded him as he hadn’t grown that much.