Presenting the case for a jumps broodmare sire of growing importance

Martin Stevens looks at the record of daughters of the late Glenview Stud sire

Might Bite (Nico de Boinville), on the way to victory in the Intermediate chase at Sandown, impressed with his jumping

Might Bite: King George VI Chase favourite is out of a Presenting mareCredit: Edward Whitaker

We may have bade farewell to Presenting when he passed away at Glenview Stud aged 25 in August, but the multiple champion jumps sire's influence will be felt for a long time yet.

Not only did he cover 273 mares in the last three years, so will have runners well into the next decade, but evidence is mounting that he is also going to become a broodmare sire of note.

There is, of course, an air of inevitability to Presenting featuring as the damsire of a growing number of high-class horses, as his oldest daughters are 19 years old and he had covered huge books for a number of years, so has not lacked opportunity in this department.

In fact, he was credited with a first Grade 1 winner as damsire when that classy two-mile chaser Somersby, out of his first-crop daughter Back To Roost, took the Victor Chandler Chase almost six years ago.

Death Duty: another favourite for Gigginstown and Gordon Elliott

Death Duty: exciting chaser is by Shantou out of a Presenting mareCredit: Patrick McCann

Somersby was the best horse by Second Empire by a margin of 17lbs according to Racing Post Ratings, so it is tempting to infer Presenting made a significant contribution to his ability, as we know from his direct offspring as sire – the likes of Ballabriggs, Denman, First Lieutenant, War Of Attrition and Weapon's Amnesty – what a force for good he is in a National Hunt pedigree, imparting sheer class, an aptitude for slick jumping, stamina and durability.

Expectations aside, it is still striking that Presenting's daughters are responsible for some of the most exciting jumpers around at the moment: Might Bite (by Scorpion), the favourite for the King George VI Chase this Christmas; Death Duty (Shantou) and Rathvinden (Heron Island), first and second in the Drinmore Novice Chase this month; and Presenting Percy (Sir Percy), the impressive winner of the competitive Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse recently.

That quartet and Somersby are among 17 black-type winners and 41 black-type performers for Presenting as a broodmare sire.

You need only look to the sales to see how that haul is likely to grow significantly in the short term, with five of his maternal grandchildren with form having fetched six-figure sums at boutique horses-in-training auctions this year alone.

The most expensive of all came on Friday when Trevelyn's Corn (Oscar), an easy seven-length winner between the flags at Borris House last Sunday, was sold to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for a scene-stealing £400,000 at Cheltenham.

But there was also Rapid Escape (Doyen), a £240,000 purchase by Gordon Elliott at the same venue in March and the winner by clear water on both his last starts in bumpers; he steps up to Listed class at Navan on Sunday. And not forgetting Speak Easy (Beneficial), out of dual Grade 3 winner For Bill and bought by Joseph O'Brien for £220,000 from the same catalogue as Rapid Escape; he eased to a six-length victory in a Navan maiden hurdle on his rules debut this month.

And which sire has worked best with daughters of Presenting? In terms of number of winners, the top four are all by Sadler's Wells – not a surprise as mares by the Northern Dancer-free Presenting will have been viewed as a natural outcross for Northern Dancer's best sire son, who is ubiquitous in the jumps stallion ranks.

Milan leads the way, with 19 winners from 40 runners, ahead of Oscar (16 from 35), King's Theatre (15 from 21) and Kayf Tara (14 from 18).

Presenting Percy: exciting chaser is by Sir Percy out of a daughter of PresentingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Next comes Flemensfirth – like Death Duty's sire Shantou, a son of Alleged – with 13 winners from 27 runners and a very creditable five black-type performers, including the Graded-winning brothers Closing Ceremony and Highland Lodge. The cross is also responsible for two former £250,000 Cheltenham sale graduates in Moyle Park and On Blueberry Hill.

When those point-to-point and bumper winners come under the hammer it is form that is upper-most in buyers' minds, while at the store sales it is sire power and physique that is all important.

While no-one would base a betting decision on the identity of a broodmare sire, seeing Presenting as damsire on a catalogue page or racecard, and knowing all the valuable qualities he has so often put into his stock down the years, can only be a source of comfort for backers.

JUMPS GRADED WINNERS OUT OF PRESENTING MARES

Beat That (9yo by Milan)
Won Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle-G1, Sefton Novices' Hurdle-G1

Closing Ceremony (8yo by Flemensfirth)
Won Rendlesham Hurdle-G2

Death Duty (6yo by Shantou)
Won Drinmore Novice Chase-G1, Lawlor's Hotel Novice Hurdle-G1, Navan Novice Hurdle-G2, Monksfield Novice Hurdle-G3, Buck House Novice Chase-G3

Highland Lodge (11yo by Flemensfirth)
Won Becher Handicap Chase-G3

Just Janice (5yo by King's Theatre)
Won EBF Mares Novice Hurdle-G3

Might Bite (8yo by Scorpion)
Won RSA Novices' Chase-G1, Mildmay Novices' Chase-G1

Minella Awards (6yo by Oscar)
Won EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final-G3

Rathvinden (9yo by Heron Island)
Won Like A Butterfly Novice Chase-G3, Guinness Novice Chase-G3

Shop DJ (12yo by Dushyantor)
Won EBF Mares HuRdle-G3

Somersby (13yo by Second Empire)
Won Clarence House Chase-G1, Haldon Gold Cup-G2, Henry VIII Novices' Chase-G2

Westerner Lady (7yo by Westerner)
Won EBF Mares Novice Chase-G2, TA Morris Memorial Mares Steeplechase-G3, Like A Butterfly Novice Chase-G3

PRESENTING AS A BROODMARE SIRE IN NUMBERS

649 daughters are broodmares and have produced...

2,155 foals, of which...

1,101 are of racing age, of which...