THERE were two graded races at Warwick last weekend, both won by Irish-breds. First up was the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and victory went to Paul and Clare Rooney’s Willoughby Court, trained by Ben Pauling and bred by J.H. ‘Jack’ Kidd. This was another big-race victory in recent weeks for a Boardsmill Stud sire. Kalanisi and Califet have already featured prominently in this column and now Court Cave, another of the quartet of stallions at the Co Meath stud, gets his opportunity to grab the headlines.

Court Cave has enjoyed plenty of success but he had to do it the hard way. Unraced due to injury, this impeccably-bred son of Sadler’s Wells is already the sire of Champion Court and Court Minstrel, and now adds another quality son to that roll of honour in Willoughby Court.