Frodon is precision-engineered and entitled to National Hunt aristocracy status

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In this latest dispatch he dives into the pedigree of one of the most popular horses in training, who is among the runners in the first Grade 1 of the jumps season on Saturday.

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The pedigree of popular front-running jumper Frodon, who is set to make his seasonal reappearance in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday, is one in the eye for those who think National Hunt breeding is imprecise or even entirely arbitrary.

Bred in France by Philippe Gasdoue, Frodon is the first foal out of the Country Reel mare Miss Country, who was trained by Christophe Lotoux to win a 2m2f hurdles race at Saint-Brieuc.

The dam, out of the winning Solicitor mare Miss D’Hermite, is a half-sister to six other winners including Medermit, who struck in two Grade 2 hurdles and the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and Haldon Gold Cup, as well as the dams of high-class French chasers Emeraude De Kerza and Saint Pistol.

Miss Country has now produced four winners from four runners. Frodon’s year-younger half-sister Tidjy, an eight-year-old by Slickly, won over hurdles at Fontainebleau; his two years-younger half-brother Sao, a son of Great Pretender, won over hurdles in France and has scored three times over fences in Britain for a peak RPR of 144; and his four years-younger half-brother Paolo, also by Great Pretender, has won twice in France, most recently in a Fontainebleau claimer on Tuesday.

Miss Country has been based in Britain, in the ownership of Jared Sullivan, since she was purchased for €135,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale of 2017. She has a three-year-old filly by Kapgarde, named Country Lady and in training alongside Frodon with Paul Nicholls, and a two-year-old colt by Kayf Tara. She was covered by Walk In The Park this year.

Interestingly, Country Reel has emerged as a surprisingly good damsire of jumpers. Other daughters of the speedily bred Gimcrack Stakes winner have produced talented handicap hurdler Ciel De Neige and promising novice hurdler Homme D’Un Soir.

There is also a strong heritage of National Hunt success on the male side of Frodon’s family. His much-missed sire Nickname was a Grade 1-winning hurdler at Auteuil before he became a soft-ground sensation for Martin Brassil, memorably handing Central House a 14-length beating in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown in December 2006.

The 185 foals that Nickname sired in his three years at Haras de Victot, before his death aged only 12 in 2011, also include top-notcher Cyrname, Grade 2-winning chaser Le Mercurey, durable stayer Yala Enki and useful sorts Aurore D’Estruval, Bagad Bihoue, Chic Name and Gwencily Berbas.

Nickname was, in turn, out of Listed-winning chaser Newness, who produced no fewer than six other black-type jumpers (Nagid, N’Avoue Jamais, Nom D’Une Pipe, Narkis, New Saga and Nom De D’La) as well as dual Flat Group 3 winner and Prix d’Ispahan third No Risk At All.

No Risk At All is also rapidly establishing himself as an important jumps sire, with his early representatives including Allaho, Epatante and Esprit Du Large. His recently announced fee increase to €12,000 at Haras de Montaigu looks justified, and he’s sure to be fully booked for the season sooner rather than later.

Newness also happened to be a half-sister to Nile Palace, who features as the third dam of both Frodon’s stablemate and fellow multiple Grade 1-winning chaser Politologue and Docteur De Ballon, one of the brightest stars of the French jumps scene at present.

All things considered, Frodon’s pedigree entitles him to be regarded as National Hunt aristocracy.

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Good Morning Bloodstock is our latest email newsletter. Martin Stevens, a doyen among bloodstock journalists, provides his take and insight on the biggest stories every morning from Monday to Friday