Stowaway leads sire standings as Saint Des Saints shines despite lack of winners

Late Whytemount Stud resident Stowaway topped this year's Cheltenham Festival sire standings on count back, with two winners and two third-placed finishers.

Four sires managed a pair of winners this week, but only Kalanisi among those also fielded a placed horse, with one third to his name.

Stowaway, a son of Slip Anchor who won the Great Voltigeur Stakes for Godolphin, made his name with the likes of Champagne Fever, Hidden Cyclone and Outlander after covering small books of mares at Ronnie O'Neill's farm in County Kilkenny.

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Outside breeders latched on to him and he covered books of 306, 280 and 230 mares in 2012, 2013 and 2014 before his death aged 21 in 2015.

Stowaway's winners at Cheltenham this year – both at Grade 1 level – emerged from the 2014 crop: Put The Kettle On in the Racing Post Arkle and Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Another six-year-old, Fury Road, finished third to Monkfish, while the year-older Us And Them took third in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup.

Boardsmill Stud veteran sire Kalanisi set a strong pace in the table, with his two winners (The Conditional in the Ultima Handicap Chase and Imperial Aura in the Northern Trust Company Novices' Handicap Chase) and third-place finisher (Darver Star in the Champion Hurdle) all coming on the opening day of the festival.

The 24-year-old son of Doyoun might have peaked early, but another son, Honest Vic, ran a cracker in fifth in the Coral Cup on Wednesday and he also featured as damsire of Friday's Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle scorer Indefatigable.

Concertista romps to victory in the Daylesford Mares' Novices HurdleCredit: Jonathan Grossick

Newsells Park Stud stallion Nathaniel is best known as the sire of brilliant dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable and fellow Group 1 winners Channel and God Given.

But as the son of Galileo and brother to Irish Oaks winner Great Heavens imparts plenty of stamina it was inevitable he would be represented by smart jumpers in time and so it has come to pass, as he supplied two Graded-winning mares at the Cheltenham Festival – Concertista in the Daylesford Mares' Novices' Hurdle and Burning Victory in the Triumph Hurdle.

For good measure, Nathaniel's only other runner at the meeting – Navajo Pass – stayed on well into fourth behind Burning Victory.

Haras d'Etreham's late fine dual-purpose sire Poliglote got on the scoreboard through Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Politologue and Pertemps Final scorer Sire Du Berlais. The latter is a half-brother to Castle Du Berlais, a Listed-winning chaser by Saint Des Saints who stands as a stallion at Haras du Lion in France.

Speaking of Saint Des Saints, Haras d'Etreham's present star jumps sire may not have delivered a winner at this year's festival, but he was represented by more podium finishers than any other stallion.

The 22-year-old son of Cadoudal notched three runners-up – Lord Du Mesnil (National Hunt Chase), Saint Calvados (Ryanair Trophy) and Dolcita (Daylesford Mares' Novices' Hurdle) – and two thirds in Elfile (Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle) and Saint D'Oroux (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle).

Saint Des Saints deserves extra credit as he is also the damsire of exciting Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner Envoi Allen, easy County Hurdle scorer Saint Roi and Champion Bumper runner-up Appreciate It.

Oscar, the leading sire at the last two Cheltenham Festivals, fielded one winner this year, the surprise Stayers' Hurdle victor Lisnagar Oscar, but was only a neck off a second - the distance Latest Exhibition was beaten in the Albert Bartlett.

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