ENGLISH TEXTS
BY LOÏC STECHER CHOCRON
CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’ Leary is a 64-year-old Irishman and one of the leading National-Hunt owners of the Emerald Island. One of his first major successes dates back to 2002, the year in which Tuco won a Group 3 at Naas, then trained by David Wachman. Three years later came War of Attrition’ s victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Don Cossack followed in 2016. The collaboration between the man from Gigginstown and the one from Closutton began in 2011 and came to an end in September 2016 due to a disagreement over training fees. It was a relatively heavy loss for Willie Mullins who had up to 60 horses in the maroon silks with a white star and won 17 Group 1 races with them. The businessman is known for his shock announcements, such as in 2019 when he declared that he had bought his last horse. The goal at the time was to stop everything by 2024 to spend more time with his wife and his four children. Michael O’ Leary, who owns Gigginstown House Stud in County Westmeath, Ireland, has since reversed his decision and is still an owner.
APPLE’ S JADE
28 races 15 victories, including 11 Gr. 1 Earnings: € 934,524
Call her Madam! Apple’ s Jade is the grand lady of Michael O’ Leary( Gigginstown House Stud). Born in 2012 and bred by Ronny Coveliers, the daughter of Saddler Maker began her racing career in France under Emmanuel Clayeux. She won immediately over the hurdles at Vichy in the spring of her three-year-old season, before being sold to the Ryanair boss. The magnificent mare was trained by Willie Mullins, for whom she impressed more and more with each race. Winner of two Group 1s for the Irish master and runner-up to Ivanovich Gorbatov, trained by Aidan O’ Brien, in the JCB Triumph Hurdle( Gr. 1) at Cheltenham, she will also be remembered as one of the emblematic horses of one of the biggest owner-trainer splits in racing history. In 2016, the press feasted on the story, yet six years later, the duo reunited. In the meantime, Apple’ s Jade kept collecting Group 1 victories under Gordon Elliott’ s training. In 2020, in foal to Walk In The Park, she made headlines again, setting a record price for a NH mare at € 530,000 in the Goffs sales ring. The sister of Apple’ s Shakira( who avenged her in the Triumph Hurdle) was then purchased by Bective Stud- truly the mare of a lifetime for her new owners, Noel and Valerie Moran.
SIR DES CHAMPS
25 races 11 victories, including 3 Gr. 1 Earnings: € 573,268
Another“ FR” and another AQPS. Born in 2006, Sir des Champs was bred by Dominique Clayeux, the result of the top cross Robin des Champs / Vidéo Rock. His career did not start under the best of signs, finishing only third in four flat outings. However, he showed an entirely different class under Emmanuel Clayeux’ s training after his successful debut over jumps at Auteuil in the Prix de l’ Yonne, where he de- feated another future Group 1 winner, Sous les Cieux. Once under Willie Mullins’ guidance, Sir des Champs became a true winning machine, shining notably in the Gold Cups, capturing those of Punchestown and Leopardstown. He also finished second to Bobs Worth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2013, a meeting that often smiled upon him, as he had already claimed Group 1 and Group 2 victories in previous editions.
MARIE ET JOE DONNELLY
BY LOÏC STECHER CHOCRON
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A former bookmaker, Joe Donnelly is originally from Cork, Irlande. His horses run in the colours of his wife Marie. Eminent art collectors, they have lived in France for around fifteen years. Their black and yellow chequered silks first appeared at Cheltenham in 2017 when Melon finished second in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle( Gr. 1). The couple began having winners more regularly from 2015 – 2016 onwards with Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins. A rather fruitful collaboration with the Closutton maestro, and for good reason: 23 of the 32 top-level victories for the silks were achieved by horses trained by Willie Mullins. Alongside the exceptional State Man, other Gr. 1 winners include Salvator Mundi and, above all, the champion and dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo.
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STATE MAN
20 races 14 victories, including 12 Gr. 1
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