Rare occurrence as full-brothers set to debut on same card for Elliott and McManus

Welcome Back

Meath Farm Machinery Maiden Hurdle (1.35 Navan, Saturday)

Last Round 

Navan Maiden Hurdle (3.15 Navan, Saturday)

What’s the story?

It’s got to be hen’s teeth rare for full-siblings to make their debut on the same card, but interestingly that’s what we’ve got in store at Navan on Saturday.

Full-brothers Welcome Back and Last Round both have their first day at school, with the former, a four-year-old, contesting the opener over two miles and his year-older sibling the 2m61/2f maiden hurdle an hour and 40 minutes later.

Gordon Elliott trains the pair, with Jordan Gainford booked for Welcome Back and Jody McGarvey jocked-up for Last Round.

What’s the breeding?  

The brothers are homebreds for Kieran and Ann Marie McManus and are by Grange Stud’s Getaway – sire of Feronily, Sporting John and Verdana Blue among five Grade 1 winners – out of the Winged Love mare Fantastic Fleur.

The dam did not live up to her name on the track, with just a Tramore handicap hurdle victory to show for 15 bites of the cherry, however she is three winners from three runners as a broodmare, for all that her progeny’s strike-rates are not scintillating.

The Saturday duo’s eight-year-old full-brother Banks Boy won a maiden hurdle at Down Royal in 2022, while another full-sibling, six-year-old Arabian Diamond, won a Sligo bumper last summer.

Fantastic Fleur’s daughter by Flemensfirth, Floral Fantasy, won a mares’ handicap hurdle at Downpatrick in 2016.

What’s the opposition like?

Welcome Back has a much bigger field to contend with but, like him, several are yet to race, at least over hurdles. Sea The Stars’ son Charming Star, a winner on the Flat at Listowel in September, did not make a bad fist of his hurdling debut, keeping on for fourth in a big field at Naas in January. 

Free Eagle’s son Shahbaz ran mostly with credit in Flat handicaps for Charlie Fellowes last year and looks an interesting recruit to the Gavin Cromwell yard.

Last Round gives plenty of experience away to his half a dozen rivals, with perhaps only Kinbara Hills likely to be discounted by the vast majority of punters. 

Kalanisi’s son Kinturk Kalanisi was a fair second at Punchestown last month, while Nathaniel’s Special Cadeau can be expected to improve for his reappearance fourth at Naas in January.

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