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Kauto Star, Sprinter Sacre, a 4 yr- old winning the big race at C’Ham, overturning Don Cossack today. Why are French-breds becoming so dominant?
Irish jumpers nowadays have mainly flat bloodlines; most of the old NH lines are extinct or very nearly so. French horses are still purpose-bred.
Out of curiosity, who was the last great jumper to be bred in Great Britain (not Ireland or France)?
Out of curiosity, who was the last great jumper to be bred in Great Britain (not Ireland or France)?
Punjabi and Inglis Drever were the last GB bred winners of Cheltenham championship races but they were flat bred. Rooster Booster would be the last jumps bred champion. For chasers, you’d have to go back to the 90s with Marthas Son and Master Oats. Desert Orchid would be the last "great" great.
Unless I’m mistaken…
French bred stallions have long dominated National Hunt racing in the UK. The following stallions were all from French bloodlines even though they may have stood here:
Escart III
Fortina
Manicou
Vulgan
Cantab
Iceberg
Flush Royal
A list responsible for some of the biggest jumping names of the mid to late 20thc.
The French up till recently liked horses that matured later & stayed for ever; before they started shortening their classics.As well as breeding the way they are started is the answer I believe to your question. The French horses are started much earlier in France, whereby the Irish are still selling unbroken 3 & 4 year old stores, the French are racing their horses at this age. The training is different and the jumping schooling is extensive. Buying winning horses from France as 3 year olds that have already jumped hurdles, which are small brush fences, puts the horses at a distinct advantage against Irish stores. Paul Nicholl’s is something of an expert at buying ready made horses and then reaping the rewards of the French training system against the Irish competition. Take out the French horses in the top stables and things would look a lot more ordinary!
I knew they were started earlier, which might imply they wouldn’t last as long, but KS seemed to give the lie to that.
French bred stallions have long dominated National Hunt racing in the UK. The following stallions were all from French bloodlines even though they may have stood here:
Escart III
Fortina
Manicou
Vulgan
Cantab
Iceberg
Flush Royal
A list responsible for some of the biggest jumping names of the mid to late 20thc.
The French up till recently liked horses that matured later & stayed for ever; before they started shortening their classics.Presenting, Old Vic, Kings Theatre, Bob Back, Oscar etc etc are dominating NH racing.
A number of the French bred horses Willie Mullins has have run on the flat at Listed level in France. Perhaps there is a probably a lack of non-handicap races for below group level distance horses in Ireland and UK that would advertise themselves as good NH recruits. There are indictions that Dylan Thomas may produce such horses or perhaps, more surprisingly, Jeremy, in addition to many of the current NH stallions who would produce horses that would be attractive for such races.
It is also probable that the cream of the French breds are coming here, given the notable lack of success French trained horses have had here.
Believe me – the cream of the French horses are staying in France. The ones you see with Nicholls and co are promising lightly raced youngsters who are trainer owned or who’s owners are offered silly amounts for.
There’s no point in sending horses to the UK for £50k or £65k if you can run routinely in your own back yard for £125k+
Martin
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