ENGLISH TEXTS the road to Australia is a long one. To be continued …
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FR BREAK RECORDS AT LEOPARDSTOWN
BY VICKI GIBBINS
In 2025, four of the eight Grade 1s held during the Dublin Racing Festival were won by French-bred horses. It was a tremendous feat for the Gallic bloodstock industry to secure success in a country where the pointto-point system – where Irish-bred youngsters are purchased after promising maiden efforts – has been the primary source of talent. Twelve months later, French breeding surpassed previously held records. Six of the eight Grade 1s held over the two-day meeting went to French-breds, with established performers in their categories taking top honours alongside progressive younger horses. In the two Grade 1 races where Frenchbred horses did not take the victory, they were placed. Part of the rise for French breeding can be attributed to leading Irish trainer Willie Mullins. Over the years, the Closutton handler has been a firm advocate of buying horses out of France, often purchasing young horses after one or two runs for a domestic trainer. Narciso Has( Doctor Dino), successful in the Gannon’ s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle( Gr. 1), fit the profile. A son of Doctor Dino, the then three-yearold made a winning debut in the Prix Wild Monarch at Auteuil in April 2025 for Michel Rolland before being purchased for new owner JP McManus. Ladbrokes Novice Chase( Gr. 1) victor Kaid D’ Authie( Chouer Du Nord) had followed a similar course. He made his debut for Daniela Mele in April 2023, finishing a promising, but mistake-laden fifth behind Majborough in the Prix Grandak before transferring to the same ownership. Although no-one could have been aware at the time, it was a race which would be paramount to the Dubin Racing Festival three years later, with Majborough( Martinborough) also taking Grade 1 honours for the same connections in the Dublin Chase( Gr. 1). It was not only Willie Mullins who was utilising the benefits of French breeding. Joseph O’ Brien, son of champion Flat trainer Aidan O’ Brien, achieved a Grade 1 success with Talk The Talk( Born To Sea) in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle( Gr. 1). The flashy chestnut, who runs in the familiar double green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, had been an unfortunate last fence faller in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle( Gr. 1). Despite heavy ground conditions, the five-year-old made up considerable late ground to defeat Ballyfad, providing jockey JJ Slevin with a first Grade 1 winner in the silks. French-bred mares clashed in the Irish Champion Hurdle( Gr. 1) as Lossiemouth took on Brighterdaysahead( Kapgarde). Bred by Francois-Marie Cottin, the Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead had failed to overturn Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth in the December Hurdle( Gr. 1) but sensationally reversed the form with an emphatic threeand-a-quarter length victory. Both mares will head to the Cheltenham Festival next, with either the Mares Hurdle( Gr. 1) or the Champion Hurdle( Gr. 1) on their respective agendas. Another excellent year for French breeding and a sign of positive things to come, with all the main protagonists heading to Cheltenham for the Festival in March for further Grade 1 glory.
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THE REARING HORSE
BY IGOR DE MAACK
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In the calendar, 2026 will be the Year of the Fire Horse, a year full of vigor, reflecting the sometimes chaotic communication style of the AmÉrican President. This horse has already reared up several times: first over Greenland, which once again demonstrated the importance of territories rich in rare earths and precious metals. Following the appointment of the new President Kevin Warsh to the Federal Reserve, gold and silver experienced a
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