ENGLISH TEXTS on British soil. With Auteuil now fully underway, the attention turns this month to the British and Irish side of national hunt racing, and I thought it would be best to focus on what imports from France will be making a start this winter for their new connections. When we think of horses that have been bought from France after an impressive bumper win or hosing up in the Prix Finot, we think of Willie Mullins. France has long been a place to source his horses and many, many of his best ones have come from either the premium or provincial racecourses. From a known total of 64 horses imported into the Uk and Ireland, Mullins is responsible for 17 of them. Dan Skelton who came agonizingly close to winning his first trainers title only to be pipped by Mullins at the end has a total of 9 new French horses added to his team. The Uk two other power houses of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls both have four a piece with Mullins local rival Gordon Elliott is responsible for three. Some other trainers to have sourced French horses are, Henry de Bromhead, Gary and Josh Moore, David Pipe, Venetia Williams and Lucinda Russel. When you look at the numbers its quite staggering to see how many are going to one operation. It is however no surprise when you see and know the success and results that operation has had and continues to have. In this article I have picked out five of what
I think are the most exciting and interesting French recruits that will be gracing the English and Irish shores and which connections will be hoping will end up crossing the line in front come the Cheltenham festival in March.
Narciso Has Let’ s begin with looking at one of Willie Mullins most exciting recruit, one who is already near the top of the triumph hurdle betting is Narciso Has this year’ s winner of the Prix Wild Monarch. Every Frenchmen in the racing world knows that the Wild Monarch is a race where the trainers try and aim there best three-year old’ s at every year with a strong list of previous winners, many of them going on to further graded wins. He will inevitably be compared to Sir Gino who won the race two years ago and went on to be a grade one winner. Narciso Has is the sixth foal out of the kahaysi mare Chegei has and by champion national hunt sire Doctor Dino. He is a half-brother to two listed winners Namour has and Na Has with the latter another exciting son of saint des saint to stand as a stallion. He won the race comfortable in the end for trainer Marcel Rolland, jockey Ludovic phillperon and owner breeder Hamal stud by a length and a quarter. The time of the race was nearly three seconds faster than the fillies equivalent but 18 seconds outside the standard time for the course on ground that was described as tres souple and only one horse from that race has since won. That was the fifth place Nil D’ Aunou who won conditions hurdle at Lyon for David Cottin. He’ s a horse whose profile is filled with positives and a few negatives but overall, when a son of Doctor Dino who’ s half-brother is an exciting young stallions wins a race of this nature in the way he did and ends up with Willie Mullins, then he is one to keep an eye on.
Precious Man The Next one is Precious Man a son European champion three-year Almanzor out of the lord of England mare Preciously. He was bred and owned by M. L. Bloodstock and trained by Daniela Mele. He made his debut in the Prix Rush, the first big race for three-year old’ s at Auteuil that along with the wild monarch, is target by French trainers with their most early and forward three year old’ s. It’ s no surprise then to see a son of a flat sire like Almanzor take his place in the race and he didn’ t disappoint connections with a second-place finish, four lengths behind future listed placed horse, The Mighty Celt. The horse that was third Bertutea to him has since been snapped up by Willie Mullins. He was not bought after that race, therefore was given another opportunity to prove himself and he duly delivered by winning the Prix Rocking Chair by a head. That was where he was bought by
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