Bloodstock notebook: what to look out for at Cheltenham this week

This year's competition to be leading Cheltenham sire, and indeed champion of Britain and Ireland for the season, is particularly open - but they aren’t always the results that take on greatest significance for breeders.

In producing a National Hunt horse, you have to be thinking about what could be happening in the scene five years or so down the line, and some of those stallions with big chances across the four days, from Sulamani and Stowaway to Fame And Glory, aren't even around any more.

One young sire with a runner at this year’s meeting could well prove an important name to note. Jeu St Eloi has been at Haras de Cercy for only a few seasons but his fee has been creeping up almost every time. Little-known outside France until recently, he is responsible for leading Weatherbys Champion Bumper contender It’s For Me, a €40,000 Land Rover sale purchase who was impressive on his debut for Willie Mullins, Isaac Souede and Simon Munir at Navan in January.