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French Bred Hopes at Cheltenham.
There are a multitude of French-bred NH horses entered for the Cheltenham Festival next month. Many of these hold a serious chance of winning. Trainer David Cottin has a dual-planned attack on the Cross-country Chase over 6000m. Stable star, Easysland, is a seven-year-old ridden by Jonathan Plouganou, bidding to follow up last season's superb defeat of Tiger Roll in the attritional spectacle over the unique obstacles. Sired by Gentlewave (Monsun) and out of Island du Frene (Useful), he is a half-brother to six winners including Sarisland (2400m/2500m AQPS Flat and 4900m hurdle/chase winner). The JP McManus-owned star will head straight to the festival following a fourth on seasonal reappearance in a cross-country event at Cheltenham's November meeting. He was giving away plenty of weight in that handicap and will likely prove toughto beat next month back in a conditions race.
A stablemate of Easysland, Ajas, is considered something of a dark horse in the same contest. The son of No Risk At All (My Risk) is a progressive staying chaser who looks ready to peak. The seven-year-old produced a career best when staying on powerfully to land the G3 Grand Prix de Pau (5300m). He is open to further improvement over stamina-sapping distances and will have been well schooled for this discipline by his master trainer. This race could be the ideal preparation for a tilt at the G3 Grand National Handicap Chase (6907m) at Aintree (UK) in April.
Unbeaten in eleven races under rules, Envoi Allen, heads to Cheltenham as a dual festival winner with victories in the 2019 G1 Champion Bumper (3298m) and the G1 Novices' Hurdle (4225m). He will contest the G1 Novices' Chase (3976m) following three impeccable wins over fences. The Gordon Elliott-trained, son of Muhtathir (Elmaamul) was an expensive £400,000 purchase at Cheltenham's February 2018 sale and a first foal from a dual French 4600m cross-country chase winning dam, who is a half-sister to 3000m AQPS Flat/3400m-5200m hurdle/chase winner Auvergnat and French 4200m G3 chase winner Une Epoque. The sire is responsible for the top-class three-time Flat G1 scorer Doctor Dino, who himself has sired notable NH horses, such as the former Guillaume Macaire-trained Sceau Royal, winner of the G2 Game Spirit Chase (3303m) last time out. Envoi Allen will be extremely hard to oppose given his unblemished record and upward trajectory.
The Willie Mullins-trained Gaillard du Mesnil parachuted to the head of the contenders for the G1 Novices' Hurdle (4225m) with a dominant victory in the G1 Novice Hurdle (4456m) at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on February 6. The son of Saint des Saints (Cadoudal) was a 250,000 Arqana purchase in 2019, second foal of the dam Athena du Mesnil, a 2200m/2400m AQPS Flat winner. The sire is responsible for notable Cheltenham festival performances from his progeny - Dual G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup (5294m) runner up Djakadam, last season's G1 Festival Trophy Chase (4139m) second Saint Calvados, Aux Ptits Soins who triumphed in the 2015 G3 Handicap Hurdle (4248m) and Romain de Senam who was runner-up in the 2016 G3 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (3298m). The sire can add to his progeny's impressive exploits on the second day of the festival.
Four-time G1 winner Chacun Pour Soi was bred in France by Didier Berland and was trained in his younger days by Emmanuel Clayeux before switching to the Willie Mullins yard. His sire, Policy Maker (Saddler's Wells), triumphed four times at G2 level and has successfully sired four blacktype winners to date, including Roll On Has, who won the G1 Prix Alain du Breil (3923m) at Auteuil in 2014. The dam of Chacun Pour Soi is Kruscyna (Ultimately Lucky), who was successful three times as a three-year-old, including at G3 level. She was sold for just €12,000 at the Arqana sale in February 2012. Chacun Pour Soi is a strong favourite to win the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase (3199m) on day two of the festival.
Al Boum Photo attempts to cement his place in the history books by winning a third consecutive G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup (5294m). Legendary heroes of the past, Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate are the only horses to win the great race three or more times, all doing so in consecutive seasons. The Willie Mullins-trained son of Buck's Boum (Cadoudal) was bred by Emmanuel Clayeux and Jack Rauch. Success at Cheltenham is in the blood of Buck's Boum, brother to celebrated four-time G1 Stayers' Hurdle (4822m) winner Big Buck's. The sire displayed some of his brother's class when runner up to another French-bred champion in Long Run (Cadoudal) at Auteuil's G1 Prix Cambaceres (3621m).
Al Boum Photo is likely to line-up on the final day of the festival as favourite and headline act on the card.
Bravemansgame (Brave Mansonnien), out of Genifique, a half-sister to French G2 hurdle winner Gray Steel over 3800m, is the flagship progeny from a small sample size. He rates a leading contender in the aforementioned G1 Novices' Hurdle (4456m) following a dominant ten-length victory in the G1 Challow Novice Hurdle (4518m).
A second progeny of No Risk At All with a leading chance at the festival is Epatante from the Nicky Henderson stable. Bred by Francois-Xavier and Anne Doulce Lefeuvre, who have had a lengthy involvement with AQPS horses, kept the seven-year-old mare in training with their son Armand on the Flat, winning a G1 bumper for AQPS-breds at Saint-Cloud, before switching to the UK. Her crowning glory was scooping last season's G1 Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (3298m) - becoming the fifth mare to win the race - following African Sister, Dawn Run, Flakey Dove and Annie Power. There could be increased demand for her young sire, who was a dual G3 winner in France and a half-brother to the highly rated Nickname, who has subsequently sired stars including Cyrname and Frodon. Epatante will aim to bounce back from finishing runner-up in the G1 Christmas Hurdle (3200m) at Kempton in December.
