'He showed quickly that he improved his stock' - Triumph for Martinborough as Majborough claims Grade 1 glory

Majborough's Triumph Hurdle success at Cheltenham on Friday shone the spotlight on his Haras de la Baie-based sire Martinborough. 

A dual Grade 3 winner in Japan, the Northern Farm-bred son of Deep Impact had been transferred to stand at Haras de Grandcamp in early 2017, with the aim of adding different bloodlines to breeders in Europe. That thinking has now been showcased on the biggest jumps racing stage of all, with Martinborough's four-year-old son Majborough showing a determined attitude to land the opening race at Prestbury Park, overturning Dublin Racing Festival form with Kargese.

Laurent Benoit of the Broadhurst Agency, who brokered the deal, explained: "The idea was to bring some Japanese blood to Europe and to France. It's always hard to get your first choice but he was a good racehorse with good action and a bit of a turn of foot. 

"He was also very consistent and on top of it had a very good female line, as well as being good looking. We were more than happy to take him back to France."

Martinborough: sire of the 2024 Triumph Hurdle heroCredit: Haras de Grandcamp

Beautifully bred, being out of a Nureyev half-sister to Prix Vermeille winner Mezzo Soprano, the 15-year-old has made an impact with his Flat runners, although after his Cheltenham Festival triumph he will likely be in greater demand with National Hunt breeders.

His best Flat performers include Elusive Princess, a Grade 3 winner in the United States and second to Jannah Rose in last year's Prix Saint-Alary, and dual French Listed winner Mika D'O, while over jumps – aside from his now Grade 1-winning son Majborough – his best include Edwina, a Listed winner over hurdles at Auteuil in October.

Despite the initial difficulties of establishing a new stallion in a different continent, it quickly became apparent that Martinborough produced high quality stock, and for both codes too.

"It's hard to bring a horse to Europe who nobody knew, but he got decent support from the beginning, especially from his owners," added Benoit. "We found that his progeny were really good looking, very straight and sound. 

Majborough takes the last at Cheltenham on FridayCredit: Patrick McCann

"He had a good bunch of mares but he showed quickly that he improved his stock. A couple were then tried over jumps and they showed very good minds, I'm not completely surprised he's had a couple of nice National Hunt horses."

Majborough's trainer Willie Mullins said of his star son: "This horse is so untypical of what a Triumph Hurdle horse is, and has a big jumping pedigree, but when we started to work him, he gallops more than has speed."

Majborough was bred by Hubert Langot out of the unraced Lavirco mare Janimone, a sister to Tom George's 2013 Kingmaker Novices' Chase winner Majala. Janimone is in turn out of Majae, a daughter of Dom Pasquini and half-sister to several black-type performers, including Prix Troytown winner and Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris third Majadal.

Stellar Story: completed a festival double for his family in the Albert Bartlett Novices' HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

She was picked up for just €2,500 by Guy Petit when sold at Arqana's February Sale in 2021. 

Elsewhere, Friday's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Stellar Story was adding to previous family festival glory. His brother The Storyteller landed the Plate Handicap Chase in 2018, also for Gordon Elliott, in addition to a Grade 1 win in the Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Stellar Story was an expensive purchase at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale, making £310,000 to Elliott from Donnchadh Doyle's Monbeg Stables in 2022, while Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle winner Better Days Ahead was another punchy purchase from the same sale at £350,000, when offered by Warren Ewing. Better Days Ahead was the 12th Irish-bred winner of the meeting, with 11 races going to French-breds and two apiece to German- and British-breds.

Saint Des Saints struck back at Flemensfirth's lead after day three with a final-afternoon winner in Sine Nomine in the Hunters' Chase. In contrast to Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead, the mare was a snip of a purchase at £2,400 by trainer Fiona Needham from the 2019 Goffs UK August Sale.

That was enough to give Saints Des Saints leading sire honours at this year's festival, his three winners matching Flemensfirth's tally, but the Haras de la Tuilerie resident also supplied a runner-up in Gentleman De Mee to edge out the late Beeches Stud stalwart.

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