Fruitful spell for sires who jumped could spare Sir Erec the unkindest cut

What do the following horses have in common, other than being top-class jumpers? The last two winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Sizing John and Native River; the top-rated runner this season, Cyrname; the King George VI Chase hero Clan Des Obeaux; big handicap scorers Baron Alco and Sizing Tennessee; not forgetting the popular Frodon, exciting young chaser Dynamite Dollars and the latest star of the four-year-old hurdling ranks, Fusil Raffles.

The answer is that each and every one is by a sire who competed over jumps themselves. Crucially, only Sizing John out of that group has a father who was both sent hurdling in Britain or Ireland and stood in either country – the admirably versatile Midnight Legend, who was saddled by David Nicholson to land Grade 2s at Aintree and Punchestown and subsequently became a leading stallion.

Cyrname and Frodon are by the late Nickname, who was born in France and originally raced there before joining Martin Brassil in County Kildare and excelling in the elite chase contests when the mud was flying. Upon retirement, though, he returned to his native country to cover mares at Haras de Victot.

Native River and Sizing Tennessee are by Indian River and Robin Des Champs, who raced and stood in France but were imported to Ireland after shining with their first crops, while Kapgarde (sire of Clan Des Obeaux), Dom Alco (sire of Baron Alco), Buck's Boum (sire of Dynamite Dollars) and Saint Des Saints (sire of Fusil Raffles) are or were French-bred, French-raced and French-stood.

As that list demonstrates, sending entires over jumps is not so uncommon in France, and British and Irish stallion studs have for some years been purchasing a number from across the Channel whose early progeny have shown promise – think Blue Bresil, Great Pretender and Robin Des Pres in addition to Indian River and Robin Des Champs.

Yorton Farm even took the unusual step of launching the stallion career of a useful French jumper themselves – it helps, of course, that their charge Clovis Du Berlais, now back in France, is by the multiple champion National Hunt sire King's Theatre.

Knockhouse Stud was one of the true innovators in this department, acquiring the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil winner Roselier in the early 1980s and developing him into an outstanding jumps stallion. The son of Misti was the source of two Grand National winners in Royal Athlete and Bindaree as well as celebrities Carvill's Hill, Monet's Garden, Senor El Betrutti, Suny Bay and The Listener.

Pitchall Stud, meanwhile, the former home of Midnight Legend, is hoping to make a sire out of one of his last foals, already named Midnights Legacy, after testing him over hurdles.

Midnight Legend was, on the whole though, a rare beast as a talented jumper in Britain and Ireland who was not gelded and eventually covered mares; not unique by any means, as Champion Hurdle victors Alderbrook and Monksfield and Stayers' Hurdle winner Nomadic Way trod a similar path, along with the likes of Broadsword and Kadastrof. But such occurrences are few and far between.

Now, however, another high-class hurdler with his reproductive organs still intact has emerged and thanks to some smart Flat form, an excellent pedigree – and that current trend of jumpers fielding big race winners – there is speculation that he might be given a stallion career upon his retirement from racing.

JCB Triumph Hurdle hot favourite Sir Erec may have been left entire primarily due to being switched from a Flat campaign with Aidan O'Brien to hurdling under the tutelage of Joseph O'Brien relatively late in the season. It was only in October that he finished a close third to Stradivarius in the British Champions Long Distance Cup on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot, after all.

Nevertheless, the Camelot colt's exploits for O'Brien jnr – winning a Leopardstown maiden hurdle over the Christmas period and doubling up in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle back at the course during the Dublin Racing Festival – have raised hopes he might pass on his class and stamina to the next generation.

Victory for Sir Erec at Cheltenham would likely make calls for him to one day retire to stud grow louder and might tempt owner JP McManus to stand him, presumably at Coolmore, an operation with which he has close ties.

Breeders should probably not start making mating plans for him just yet though. For all his money-making nous, you can bet that McManus will want to enjoy what could be a long and successful career over jumps for his colour bearer and let him earn significant prize-money rather than covering income.

That brings us to the tricky subject of when the horse would be retired. In the Flat sphere, the aim is for colts to bow out at the top of their game, or as close to it as possible, for the sake of enticing breeders. Jumpers, on the other hand, often race on long after they hit peak form.

Imagine the uproar among fans if Sir Erec were whisked off to stud when he could have more Grade 1s at his feet. On the flipside, his earning potential would likely be compromised if he were launched long after a deterioration in his performances.

There is also the consideration that Coolmore might justifiably think they don't need to stand a hurdler, even a Grade 1 winner from the Montjeu sire-line, when they are offering the likes of young Derby winners Pour Moi and Wings Of Eagles and outstanding stayers like Leading Light, Order Of St George and Yeats to jumps breeders.

It is easy to look longingly at those French stallions with their proven jumps ability, but the grass isn't necessarily greener. British and Irish National Hunt mare owners have never had it so good in terms of having such highly rated Flat performers presented to them at the outset of their stud careers and not having disappointed as Flat sires first – not just at Coolmore, but also with Jack Hobbs retiring to Overbury Stud, Dartmouth and Telescope to Shade Oak, Sea Moon to Burgage Stud, and My Dream Boat standing under the Compas Stallions banner.

Jumps breeders being able to patronise horses with such raw ability has been a consequence of Flat breeders shunning stamina for years.

Nevertheless, Sir Erec the stallion would surely have his supporters, though it is a prospect that lies at the end of a road littered with hypothetical circumstances. He might just as easily be gelded by next season, his connections preparing him for a long career of jumps success.

There is, however, another argument in the case for the horse being given a second career at stud, albeit a fanciful one, buried in the bloodstock archives. We know that Coolmore supremo John Magnier has a great respect for history, hence the Derby is valued above all other races and the quest for a Triple Crown winner is still alive.

He will be aware that Midnight Legend, Alderbrook and Monksfield were nothing new. Long before them, his father Tom stood at his Grange Stud the French-bred 1947 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Fortina, still the only entire to win the race, and he sired Gold Cup winners Fort Leney and Glencaraig Lady.

Yes, yes, Magnier has far more important things to worry about than having a word in McManus's ear to convince him to spare Sir Erec the unkindest cut with a future stallion career in mind. Either way, the spectacle of an entire horse heading to Cheltenham as the Irish banker will pepper the meeting with a little more intrigue than usual for bloodstock industry insiders and enthusiasts.

FIVE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL WINNERS WHO BECAME SIRES

Fortina (won Cheltenham Gold Cup, 1947)

The only entire to land jump racing's blue riband was a fine sire for the Magnier family's Grange Stud, his offspring including two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in Fort Leney and Glencaraig Lady

Monksfield (won Champion Hurdle, 1978 and 1979)

Supplied plenty of winners during his stallion career at Anngrove Stud, including useful sorts Garrylough, Judges Fancy and Toranfield. He was arguably a better broodmare sire, with daughters producing Alexander Banquet, Harbour Pilot and Monty's Pass

Ikdam (won Triumph Hurdle, 1989)

Sired the odd decent sort from limited opportunities, including Odagh Odyssey, Petersen House and Uncle Mick

Nomadic Way (won Stayers' Hurdle, 1992)

The fine dual-purpose performer - also winner of the Cesarewitch on the Flat - left classy handicap chasers Buckby Lane and Himalayan Trail from his stallion career at Louella Stud. Promising young hurdler Dashel Drasher is out of one of his daughters

Alderbook (won Champion Hurdle, 1995)

Stood on both sides of the Irish Sea, at Cobhall Court Stud and Anngrove, and gave us some real crackerjacks - Ollie Magern, For Non Stop and Alderwood to name just three. Also maternal grandsire of Grand National second Pleasant Company

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