Martaline marches on as We Have A Dream thunders to Aintree success

We Have A Dream continued his rapid ascent of the hurdling ranks when taking his record to four from four since joining Nicky Henderson with a smooth success in the Grade 1 Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday.

His success also enhanced the already impressive record of French-breds in the top-flight contest, with Defi Du Seuil, Apple's Jade, L'Unique and Walkon also having struck in the last ten years.

The result was also a good one for historic French stud farm Haras de Montaigu, who stand Martaline - the sire of We Have A Dream - and No Risk At All - sire of runner-up Gumball.

The 19-year-old Martaline, one of the stalwarts of the French stallion ranks, has supplied a host of Grade 1 talents since he retired to stud in 2005, including Prix Ferdinand Dufaure winner Kotkikova, the Cheltenham Festival scorers Dynaste and Very Wood and Scilly Isles Novices' Chase hero Terrefort.

We Have A Dream is out of the Kingsalsa mare Sweet Dance, whose unraced progeny include a three-year-old Linda's Lad filly named Sweetie, a two-year-old colt by Montmartre - sire of Labaik and Petite Parisienne - and a yearling colt by No Risk At All.

Sweet Dance is a half-sister to the Grade 3-placed hurdler Ladeka, and from the further family of Group 1 winner Shamalgan and the redoubtable Lincoln Handicap winner Gabrial.

L'Ami's late surge

Later on the card the enigmatic L'Ami Serge consented to apply all of his immense talent as the eight-year-old son of King's Theatre got the better of Supasundae to land the Grade 1 Betway Aintree Hurdle.

L'Ami Serge boasts a pedigree rich in black-type performers. He is out of the Listed-winning Phardante mare La Zingarella, which makes him a half-brother to dual Listed chase winner Sizing Codelco and the Listed-placed Viens Chercher.

La Zingarella, meanwhile, is a half-sister to the Listed-winning chaser The Wicketkeeper and out of a half-sister to useful French hurdler Niffy Nora, the dam of Triumph Hurdle winner Snow Drop, while further back on the page are high-class talents such as Snow Falcon and Don't Touch It.

La Zingarella has a host of unraced progeny in the pipeline, including a four-year-old Fame And Glory filly named La Mistinguett, a three-year-old Oscar colt, a two-year-old son of Yeats, a colt foal by Kayf Tara and was covered by Nathaniel in 2018.

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