In the name of the father: Nathaniel's son Bubble Gift to stand at Haras du Grand Courgeon

Flat and jumps breeders in the west of France and beyond are set to welcome new stallion Bubble Gift, who will take up covering duties at Haras du Grand Courgeon in 2024 after a career with Mikel Delzangles which yielded more than €450,000 in prize-money and premiums for his owners Zak Bloodstock. 

Bubble Gift's victories included the Prix Niel and the Prix Hocquart – both Group 2 – at three, while the durable son of Nathaniel was placed in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and another pair of Group 2s in the Prix Foy and Grand Prix de Chantilly later in his career. 

Bubble Gift was raced by Mouna Bengeloun in the colours of her late husband, Zakaria Hakam (hence the Zak), and is out of the Grand Lodge mare Bubble Back, making him a half-brother to both Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Bubble Chic and top-class stayer Bubble Smart.

The family have long divided their bloodstock and racing interests between Morocco and France, with Haras de Maulepaire looking after Zak Bloodstock's French thoroughbred interests, while the Purebred Arabian stock is housed with Grand Courgeon.

Gael Marionneau of Grand Courgeon says: "We're in the process of syndicating the stallion and the owners have kept an interest in him. He has come to us because we already work with Madame Bengeloun through her Purebred Arabians and so there is a relationship there."

Nathaniel at Newsells Park StudCredit: Edward Whitaker

While Bubble Gift boasts excellent form on the Flat, the Grand Courgeon team have more than half an eye on the performances of Nathaniel's largely Flat-bred stock once they are sent over jumps. 

Triumph Hurdle winner Burning Victory ran to a Racing Post Rating of 94 on the Flat in France for Stephane Wattel and, subsequent to her Grade 1 success at Cheltenham, was campaigned again on the Flat by Willie Mullins, going down by only a length and a half in the 2022 Gold Cup at Ascot behind Kyprios.

Zanahiyr and Concertista are two more obvious names when it comes to Nathaniel's Flat-bred successes in the jumping sphere, while Kitty's Light has arguably defied all pedigree logic in landing a Scottish Grand National and a bet365 Gold Cup. 

"Bubble Gift has a real dual-purpose profile and we're in a region which is rich with jumps breeders," says Marionneau. "I think as a son of Nathaniel he appeals to those with mares of either code. 

"He combines a lot of different attributes and, at €3,500, he’s being marketed at a price which is in keeping with what those breeders expect from a stallion just starting out."

Bubble Gift and happy connections after victory in the Prix Niel at LongchampCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

It has been a strange quirk of Nathaniel's career at Newsells Park Stud that so many of his very best performers have been fillies – alongside Enable,  think Lady Bowthorpe, Mutamakina and, most recently, Poptronic – while the devastating loss of Desert Crown means he presently has no obvious heir at stud.

Once sent over middle distances, Bubble Gift was able to produce potent acceleration, as anyone present at Longchamp for his best days will remember all too clearly, along with the pristine white gloves of Gerald Mosse. 

"In his races he demonstrated a turn of foot which was pretty remarkable," says Marionneau. "He was a very solid horse who never missed a race or had any sort of hold-up; he lasted well and he retires in excellent health. 

"He measures 1.66m [almost 16.2 hands] and is a beautifully balanced horse who moves very well. Physically, he's a very good-looking horse."

Bubble Gift and Valerian Idier after morning track work in Hong KongCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Ireland and Normandy have their stallion trails, while the breeding stock sales in Newmarket coincide with open-house parades of Britain's leading sires.

In the west of France they do things a little differently, with the great and the good of French breeding descending on the racecourse at Le Lion-d'Angers for their Salon des Etalons, where upwards of 50 thoroughbred stallions will be paraded, along with a similar number of trotting sires; naturally, all will be washed down with copious amounts of Loire Valley wine.

Based barely a couple of kilometres from the racecourse, Marionneau says of his new recruit: "He’ll be available to view at the Salon des Etalons stallion show at Le Lion-d’Angers on January 13, while of course we're open to visitors at the farm." 

On the thoroughbred side, Haras du Grand Courgeon already stand Joshua Tree – who coincidentally also boasts Grand Lodge as his damsire – and a son of Makfi in Noor Al Hawa, while there are also six Arabian stallions at the farm. 

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