Conaghan family toast latest win for rising star graduate Chantry House

Chantry House - the £295,000 top lot at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale last year - gave the Conaghan family, who hit the headlines having also bred the mighty Paisley Park, much cause for celebration when registering an impressive success on his return visit to Prestbury Park on Friday.

Chantry House, a five-year-old son of Yeats, continued to justify his lofty price-tag when landing the opening novices' hurdle, having also won a Warwick bumper on his rules debut in March. He had earlier landed a four-year-old maiden at Tattersalls Farm last December.

The Conaghans of Evergreen Stud in County Limerick, who sold Chantry House for €12,500 as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland, were also vindicated for their decision to send his dam, the Phardante mare The Last Bank, back to Yeats this year, with the result that she is now carrying a full-sibling to Chantry House.

"He seemed to do it with a fair bit in hand," said Michéal Conaghan, who pointed to the efforts of his grandparents Michael and Anne and father Mike on the farm.

"It was a great to see, especially as we have a lot of the family at home.

"He's done it for the right people - the McManuses are such supporters of the game - and thank God he's proving lucky for them."

Chantry House has gone some way to justifying his lofty price-tagCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Last Bank also has a three-year-old Ocovango gelding named Gaelic Park, who the Conaghans have retained, a two-year-old Soldier Of Fortune filly destined for the 2020 store sales, and a Kingston Hill colt foal, who Conaghan describes as an "absolute star".

The Last Bank, who is also the dam of black-type chasers Linnel and On The Shannon, has produced only one other filly from 12 foals in the unraced Flemensfirth mare Liscannor, from whom the Conaghans have bred a yearling Milan filly and Westerner filly foal.

Such a proclivity to produce colts rather than fillies stops with her own dam though, with Break The Bank having produced five fillies from seven foals, the last of whom was The Last Bank.

Chantry House in the Cheltenham sales ring before bringing £295,000 from Michael HydeCredit: Debbie Burt

Paisley Park is another graduate to highlight the talents of the Conaghan family, with Michéal having travelled over with family and friends to see the seven-year-old son of Oscar land the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Conaghan recalls: "Everyone and anyone to do with racing was delighted to see it - it was the stuff of fairytales - and it will be fairly hard to repeat that.

"It was my first time at Cheltenham with a runner and it couldn't have gone any better."

Other Evergreen Stud graduates to keep an eye out for are the four-year-old Presenting gelding Belle Jour, a €44,000 purchase for Hill Farm at last year's Derby Sale, and the three-year-old Spanish Moon filly Gazette Bourgeoise, who was bought by Kevin Ross and Ben Case for €44,000 at the Derby Sale in June.

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