The breeders with more than one best in show

Most of the information you will find first about Malcolm and Kathy Yeo’s breeding business concerns another domestic animal entirely, namely their Texel and Berrichon sheep.

Through the exploits of ewes such as Now She’s A Good One, who topped the lots in a sale at Worcester a few years ago, the Swincombe flock has delivered a succession of awards for their farm near Barnstaple in Devon.

The Swincombe name will ring more than a few bells for fans of another type of woolly jumper. Kathy Yeo is the sister of Gold Cup-winning trainer Robert Alner and the couple have bred and raced many horses under the same banner, with one of the very best producing a contender for this year’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

From left: Malcolm and Kathy Yeo with Henry Cole and Richard FarrantCredit: Somerset County Gazette

Homebred Swincombe Flame, whose dam Lady Felix was trained by Alner, has an association with Cheltenham herself, having earned plenty of her black type there, including finishing third to Quevega in the 2013 Mares’ Hurdle. She won five times in a stellar career with Nick Williams, claiming a Listed event at Sandown as well as Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle in a driving finish.

Her first foal, Master Debonair, is proving a chip off the old block. Initially bought back for €45,000 as a foal, the five-year-old Yeats gelding has resurfaced with Colin Tizzard, winning two of his three starts including a Listed event at Cheltenham’s November meeting.

Swincombe Flame has subsequently produced a three-year-old sister named Swincombe Fleat, a two-year-old brother and a yearling filly by Milan, so perhaps the prefix will be getting another run out at the meeting some time in the future.

More from this series:

It's Gino

Jamie Codd, face of the festival sale

Kelvin-Hughes broodmares

Sunnyhill Stud sires

The Best Mate clan