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inating their local champions. A daughter from Saint des Saints’ first crop, Santa Bamba, saved my day: she won the Prix d’ Essai des Pouliches at Enghien, the Prix Jean Stern( Gr. 2) and the Prix Duc d’ Anjou( Gr. 3). Later she proved to be an excellent broodmare as well, producing De Bon Cœur( Grande Course de Haies d’ Auteuil, Prix Cambacérès, Prix Renaud du Vivier, all Gr. 1). The small issue with Saint des Saints was his low libido, he would only cover twice a day. We had to limit him to 80 – 100 mares per year. He belongs among the leading sires, alongside Kapgarde( Garde Royale) and Martaline( Linamix).
G. Two stallions who feature in the great NH bloodlines in France …
F. C. Kapgarde is by Garde Royale out of a mare by Cadoudal. Two foundation sires. That tells you everything about his pedigree. Martaline is by Linamix, a foundation flat sire, out of a mare by Sadler’ s Wells. That brought a touch of speed. We can also mention Dom Alco( by Dom Pasquini), the versatile Pistolet Bleu( by Top Ville), one of the first French-bred lines acquired by Coolmore, and then Poliglote( by Sadler’ s Wells), who remained in France. NH families are, on the whole, Franco-French, and that’ s precisely what makes them attractive on the Anglo-Saxon market.
G. Which stallions represent the new generation, in your view?
F. C. Doctor Dino( Muhtathir), No Risk at All( My Risk), Cokoriko( Robin des Champs) and Chœur du Nord( Voix du Nord). Doctor Dino brings in a different line through Muhtathir, who has nothing to do with NH breeding. It’ s brand new. Unlike on the flat, NH breeding offers more room to avoid inbreeding.
G. Which stallions do you put at the very top of your“ hall of fame”?
F. C. When studying pedigrees, you find Tanerko( Tantieme), dam’ s sire of Chamisène, and Wild Risk( Rialto out of La Grêlée), who represent robust lines. I also like Worden( Sans Tares), a son of Wild Risk. But comparisons must be fair: the scale of production has changed enormously. In those days, stallions were limited to 40 – 50 mares. In 30 years we’ ve gone from 50 to 200 mares, that’ s huge.
G. Does that go hand in hand with stud fees?
F. C. Very much so! Thirty or forty years ago, most of the good French stallions stood at the national studs. Their role was to preserve the breed. Later, the private sector became interested in NH racing. Fees began to reflect market levels. From € 6,000, the price of a nomination rose to € 25,000. Before, the leading stallions covered a reasonable number of mares. Today, there’ s a major concentration of mares on the best sires, which makes it hard to bring new NH stallions through. Latrobe( Camelot) and Masked Marvel( Montjeu) covered between 40 and 50 mares in their first years. Now they’ re up to 100. Fees have doubled, even tripled.
G. What are your latest favourites?
F. C. Goliath du Berlais ticks all the boxes. A choice stamped Etreham, by Saint des Saints, out of a mare by King’ s Theatre( Sadler’ s Wells), a good flat sire who turned to jumps, like Poliglote. His career was a complete success. He already has plenty of winners at three. I have high hopes he’ ll quickly become a leading sire. His sales are already fabulous. He could dominate in Europe. I remain a great admirer of Montjeu, a foundation sire for both NH and flat, for colts and fillies alike, a truly complete stallion.
G. What are the great jumping mares?
F. C. De Bon Cœur( by Vision d’ Etat), L’ Autonomie( Blue Bresil), Karly Flight( by Mansonnien). I like tough mares, strong flat performers. But good mares don’ t always guarantee producing good NH horses. Everyone has a chance. There are no rules.
G. What are the key qualities that make a good stallion?
F. C. I place enormous importance on the sire. What matters most to me is career and longevity. It’ s also vital that the horses are tough.
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