Breeding project providing winners that matter for trainer Alex Hales

Not only was Alex Hales claiming a first Grade 1 win with a licence when Millers Bank emphatically put several misadventures behind him in the SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Chase, it was also a success bred by the Oxfordshire trainer and his wife Sally.

It was a bit by chance that Hales bought It Doesn’t Matter for £4,800 from Doncaster 14 years ago but the Karinga Bay mare never made it to the racecourse and the couple decided to breed from her as a hobby project.

Out of a useful Supreme Leader mare, Supreme Lady, who won over hurdles and fences for Henrietta Knight, she has proved a producer beyond their wildest dreams.

This time a year ago, Millers Bank’s Great Pretender half-sister Bourbon Beauty got the ball rolling when landing the Grade 2 EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Mares' Hurdle series final at Newbury. Millers Bank himself, a year older and her first foal, was an outstanding third in last year’s Aintree Hurdle.

Bourbon Beauty (right) is a Grade 2 winner over hurdlesCredit: John Grossick

A winner on his chasing debut at Huntingdon, he had unseated his rider in two Graded starts but was pretty flawless at Aintree on Thursday, tanking along under Kielan Woods and coming ten lengths clear of War Lord.

Hales explained that It Doesn't Matter can be tricky to keep in foal but she is certainly producing quality over quantity.

"It's been a long journey and for Sally and I to have bred him as well makes it even more special," said Hales.

"She has a four-year-old by Clovis Du Berlais that Millers Bank's owners have a share in and she also had a full-sister by Passing Glance last year. This time she went to Jack Hobbs."

Hales added that he and his wife had selected the covering of Passing Glance, for whom it was a second Grade 1 victory to follow that of Dashel Drasher in last year's Ascot Chase.

The Batsford Stud resident continues to be popular at £3,000, a decade on from when he sired a Cheltenham-Aintree double through the late Malcolm Jefferson's useful handicap hurdler Attaglance.

Passing Glance led the sires' standings at Aintree after Latenightpass gave him a double on the opening day of the Grand National meeting with victory in the Randox Foxhunters' Chase.

Second in the race last year, Latenightpass represented another family success as the nine-year-old is trained by Tom Ellis, ridden by his wife Gina Andrews and runs in the colours of his owner-breeder Pippa Ellis, the winning trainer's mother.

Latenightpass jumps clear to complete a fabulous result for the Ellis familyCredit: Edward Whitaker

He is the first foal out of Latenightdip, a daughter of Midnight Legend who won three points for Tom and Pippa Ellis. Her second foal, Midnightfumble, by Malinas, has run up a hat-trick of point-to-point successes this year for the Foxhunters' winning team.

There are two younger half-brothers at home in Heath Barn in Warwickshire; a five-year-old by Sulamani and a yearling full-brother to Latenightpass. Their dam was covered by Dink last year.

"To have won this race with a horse you bred, trained by your son, ridden by your daughter-in-law - it's just the stuff of dreams, isn't it," said Pippa Ellis.

"Tom had all sorts of good ideas about choosing the stallion, including Passing Glance, who was just down the road. All the credit must go to Tom and Gina."

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