Leinster National win for Cap York kicks off potentially huge week for dam

Cap York kicked off a potentially huge week for his dam Robbe with victory in the Leinster National at Naas on Sunday, as two of his half-brothers hold entries for the Cheltenham Festival – including leading Magners Gold Cup fancy Delta Work.

The siblings, all owned by Giggingstown House Stud, were bred by the father and son team of Jean-Francois and Charles Magnien in central France and are the first three foals out of Robbe, a lightly raced daughter of Video Rock who finished second over hurdles at Rochefort-sur-Loire for Francois Nicolle.

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Robbe is a half-sister to six winners as well as the unraced Lute Antique mare Law, who produced Val De Law, a winner at Pau before joining Jamie Snowden and running third in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree.

Further back it is the family of further successful French imports into Britain and Ireland in Bigmartre and Toner D'Oudairies.

Robbe's first foal, the eight-year-old Cap York, is by Ballingarry and has now won three races for Noel Meade. He scored in the Leinster National by one and a half lengths under 7lb claimer Eoin Walsh on just his sixth start over fences.

Robbe's second foal Delta Work, a son of Network, is trading at around 5-1 for the Gold Cup on Friday after winning the Irish Gold Cup and Savills Chase on his last two starts for Gordon Elliott.

It will be Delta Work's third trip to Cheltenham, having brought his A game on both his previous visits – winning the Pertemps Final in 2018 and taking third in the RSA Chase last year.

The seven-year-old had earlier won on the Flat at Lyon Parilly for Emmanuel Clayeux before his private purchase on behalf of Gigginstown House Stud's Michael O'Leary.

Robbe's third produce Elwood, a six-year-old by Martaline, also went from Clayeux to Elliott having been bought by Gigginstown House Stud's regular talent scout Mags O'Toole for €170,000 at the Arqana Auteuil Sale in 2018.

Having run second in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase on his last start, he is around a 14-1 shot for the Ultima Handicap Chase on Tuesday's opening card of the Festival.

Clearly a remarkable producer, Robbe is also mother to Foster's, a five-year-old daughter of Cokoriko retained by the Magniens and trained by Clayeux. She won her first race, a Fontainebleau chase, at the 14th attempt last month.

The dam also has a four-year-old filly by Lord Du Sud called Gympie, a two-year-old colt by Doctor Dino named Inneston and a yearling colt by the same sire who has been assigned the moniker Jamestown.

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