Declining fertility sees Al Namix pensioned at the age of 23

Haras de Mirande has brought the curtain down on the stud career of Al Namix, with the son of Linamix suffering from declining fertility which has resulted in him getting only one mare in foal this year.

Having never stood above a €2,500 fee during his tenure at Haras de Mirande, Al Namix was long seen as a value option for National Hunt breeders in France and he sired four top-flight winners in Britain and Ireland.

They are last year's Tolworth Novices' Hurdle hero Elixir De Nutz; the Irish Champion Hurdle winner Petit Mouchoir, who also landed the Ryanair Hurdle; the Mildmay Novices' Chase scorer Saphir Du Rheu; and Punchestown Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle winner Grandouet.

Al Namix is one of the last sons of Linamix to stand at stud - among those still in active service are Coolagown Stud's Carlotamix, Longford House Stud's Rajsaman and the French-based pair Lord Du Sud and Vol De Nuit.

Among Al Namix's other notable offspring is Taupin Rochelais, who captured the Grand Steeple-Chase des Flandres at Waregem in Belgium every year from 2015 until 2018, with that race a regular fixture of the Crystal Cup cross-country challenge.

Al Namix was trained for most of his racing career by leading French jumps trainer Guy Cherel. However, he only ever raced on the Flat winning three stakes races from a mile to just shy of ten furlongs, racing up until the age of seven.

The imposing grey stood his first season at Mirande in 2005 at a €1,000 fee and has remained there ever since.

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