Yes, the source is quite obvious. But, it’s Willie who made the horses what they are. There are numerous GB and IRE based trainers who buy from the very same sources, but have yet to train a Festival winner.
I doubt that Nicky would have won two Nationals with I Am Maximus. There is no way he would have let him race that many times. Willie is someone willing to take more risks than others when it comes to campaigning a horse. Gaelic Warrior is a prime example. How many owners/trainers would have gone the same route they did last season?
Running Selma De Vary in the French Triumph was a well planned move and it paid off.
No doubt Arnaud Chaille-Chaille is an outstanding trainer, but if he’s sure about the material he has, why bother selling it instead of coming over to England for the big meetings? The French raiders we saw over the past ten years looked nothing out of the ordinary and I’ll stick to what I’ve said: It’s Willie who makes them what they became.