Monsun's story far from over as jumps sire sons showed at Cheltenham

As Sadler's Wells rose to become such a driving force across jumps breeding so did the need for another line to hold its own in order to redress the balance.

By default, Germany's multiple champion sire Monsun became a likely answer. An excellent mile-and-a-half performer whose own 12 wins demonstrated the type of soundness and attitude conducive to excel within both spheres at stud, he went on to throw plenty of runners in that hardy mould. As such, a number of his sons were marketed directly into a National Hunt capacity when they retired to stud. Others joined later in their lives as their commercial appeal waned on the Flat.

That's not to say that the Monsun sire line doesn't remain relevant to a Flat audience. In Australia, Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente - one of the best bred by Ballymacoll Stud - sired two Group 1 performers out of his first crop in Hawkshot and Stars Of Carrum and remains popular at a fee of A$27,500 (£13,500/€14,700) at Sun Stud in Victoria.