New Triumph favourite Solo a rare entire jumper - but probably not for long

A potential jumps stallion was probably not to the forefront of owner Johnny de la Hey's mind when he bought Solo, who will remain in that category for at least a few more weeks after his impressive British debut at Kempton.

The four-year-old came 13 lengths clear in the Grade 2 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, adding to his victory for Guillaume Macaire at Auteuil in November before he joined the Paul Nicholls stable. He is now the favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Still an entire, Solo is a son of another useful jumper in Haras de la Hetraie’s Kapgarde, a Grade 1-class chaser for Macaire in France with whom Nicholls has strong connection as he is also the sire of his back-to-back King George champion Clan Des Obeaux.

Owned and bred by Gildas Blain in France, Solo also has chasing pedigree across the board as his dam, Flameche, was a seven-time winner over a variety of obstacles for the Macaire stable. He is the first and only of her progeny to have appeared on the track to date, while Macaire is listed as the trainer as his unraced three-year-old Petillo half-sister named Zotopi.

"You wouldn’t want to geld him as soon as he arrived, as he would need a few weeks off," said Nicholls, who was asked whether there was any possibility of a stallion career being on the table.

Paul Nicholls reported that Solo has been a joy to trainCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I wouldn’t have thought so, he’s by Kapgarde, who is a sire I like, but Johnny has bought him to make a good chaser. He’ll almost certainly be gelded in the summer, which should bring about some improvement physically in him, he probably is the best juvenile in the country at the moment on what he has done today."

Entire jumpers are a rarity nowadays although Sir Erec, who had looked such an exciting prospect for both Camelot and trainer Joseph O’Brien, was sent off a warm order for last year’s Triumph before suffering a fatal injury.

Nicholls explained that Solo had come to their attention through French agent Joffrey Huet.

"He’d been on Johnny’s radar after he was second on his first run, and then obviously after he’d won well. We thought he looked a nice horse to go chasing one day.

"We thought he was decent, he looks a proper horse but you never know until you run them, a couple of horses we’ve had from France have taken a little while to acclimatise. Although he’s a colt he’s just been a legend, he thrives on every bit of work you give him."

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