Jeremy

By Larry Stratton There is no disputing the impact that French-bred runners have had on British and Irish jump racing over the past two decades, or the mileage journalists and broadcasters have got out of it. There is, though, a serious divergence of opinion over the cause of French-bred dominance, which has been ascribed variously to earlier education of young stock, the wide spread in the geographical location of French stallions, and access to a more talented pool of race mares. Jump racing at a young age is not a...

The second instalment of Emma Berry's winter series on the crossover between the Flat and National Hunt scenes Ballylinch Stud may be best known as a high-class Flat operation but it has regularly stood a stallion with great appeal to the National Hunt market, most notably the five-time champion jumps sire King's Theatre (Ire). Following his death in 2011, King's Theatre was succeeded in his role by another son of Sadler's Wells, Beat Hollow (GB), winner of the Grand Prix de Paris and Arlington Million among four top-flight wins during...