French hurdling ace De Bon Coeur set for debut cover by Doctor Dino

Brilliant French hurdling mare De Bon Coeur has had the upwardly mobile jumps sire Doctor Dino chosen as her first mating next year.

The six-year-old daughter of Vision D'Etat, trained by Francois Nicolle for Haras de Saint-Voir and Jacques Detre, won 13 of her 16 starts including 11 Graded events at Auteuil – notably the Prix Cambaceres, Prix Renaud du Vivier and Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil.

Her jaw-dropping 16-length victory over Bapaume in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil last year was hailed as one of the most impressive performances in the history of the race known as the French Champion Hurdle.

De Bon Coeur finished second to Benie Des Dieux in the defence of her title in May and was retired by Nicolle in August when she went lame while in training for a return to action this season.

Her suitor Doctor Dino, a multiple Group 1-winning son of Muhtathir who stands at Haras du Mesnil, has become one of the most in-demand jumps stallions on the back of supplying the likes of La Bague Au Roi, Master Dino and Sharjah.

His covering fee for 2020 has been raised to €16,000, believed to be a record price for a National Hunt sire.

“We always said we would send De Bon Coeur to the best stallion in Europe,” Haras de Saint-Voir's Nicolas de Lageneste told Jour de Galop. “We decided to stay in France and choose one of the leading names here, Doctor Dino.

“I sent De Bon Coeur's dam to Doctor Dino in 2018 but sadly she did not get in foal. We also wanted to please Patrice Detre, who had a nomination to the stallion, and we will own the future produce in partnership.”

Lageneste also reported that De Bon Coeur's dam Santa Bamba, a Grade 3-winning chaser by Saint Des Saints, will visit dual Derby winner Harzand at Gilltown Stud in 2020.

The mare's last recorded offspring is a yearling full-sister to De Bon Coeur already named De Bon Grace.

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