French recruits: horses to follow this season

*This column was first published on Sunday, November 30

The French Revolution: It was not that long ago when French-bred Jumps horses and buying three-year-olds from France was considered unfashionable. It will be 32 years in March since Francois Doumen's AQPS-bred The Fellow landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup, two years after landing the second and final of his wins in the King George VI Chase. This century, French-breds Kauto Star, Long Run, Al Boum Photo, A Plus Tard and Galopin Des Champs have all landed Jump racing's blue riband.

In 2009, Mon Mome ended a century long drought of Grand National winners carrying the "Fr' suffix. Three more French-bred winners have followed in the 15 years since.

A quick glance at the long list of Willie Mullins-trained winners at the big festivals over the years shows us how the Closutton recruitment process has changed over the past decade and a half, with a huge proportion of his winners having started life in France. An increasing number of young horses that are exported from France to Britain or Ireland each year end up in County Carlow.

Quevega paved the way for this recruitment strategy, and such is the success Mullins has enjoyed buying from France since, many have tried to adopt a similar MO.

More horses than ever have joined British and Irish trainers from France this year and, such is the level of interest in these young hurdlers at Auteuil in the spring in particular, agents and trainers cannot afford to wait and many have been purchased with just the one run under their belt, so there is a degree of guesswork involved when trying to secure most of these horses and in assessing their ability and prospects for this season.

That said, I have given it a go, with 17 horses below I think are worth keeping on your radar.

MATIN MIDI ET SOIR – 3g Doctor Dino ex Chasse Gardee (King’s Best)

Francois Nicolle to Henry de Bromhead 

Owner: Robcour.  Form: 121 (hurdles)

A 13-length winner on debut at Auteuil in the colours of Simon Munir, Isaac Souede and Haras de Saint-Voir, he was the subject of glowing reports from his top trainer in the spring but ultimately found debutant Leopard Du Berlais two and a half lengths too strong in the Grade Three Prix Aguado on French Gold Cup day in May on his second start.

With Leopard Du Berlais now a Grade One winner and unbeaten in three starts, there is no doubt that this is the strongest piece of form in this list and he sets the standard that every other horse below has to surpass. He ran out a comfortable three and a half length winner on his final French start in the Grade Three Prix Robert Lejeune (2m2f hurdle) in September.

Despite his big engine and top form (his mark by the French handicapper correlates to 144 in Britain – which may already be enough to at least place in a Triumph Hurdle), there are still areas that he can improve upon.

In his most recent race, he jumped out to his right at the second-last and got in tight to the last, yet still won with any amount in hand. He is in good hands to iron out those errors and continue his development as a high-class juvenile. I would rank him very highly.

NARCISO HAS – 3g Doctor Dino ex Chegei Has (Kahyasi)

Marcel Rolland to Willie Mullins 

Owner: JP McManus.  Form: 12 (hurdles)

A winner of his only start at Auteuil in the spring, this well-bred son of Doctor Dino is one of many to have joined the Willie Mullins battalion in the colours of JP McManus.

He won the Poulains (males) division of the Prix Wild Monarch in April, a race for horses unraced over obstacles that has, in recent years, produced the likes of Sir Gino, Salvator Mundi and French Grade One performer Kador De Ciergues (1-2-3 in 2023), as well as the Graded performer and now stallion Paradiso.

Plenty of talented horses have been beaten in this contest too, including the Mullins-trained State Man, Gaelic Warrior and Footpad.

He is out of the NH Stakes winner and Grade One Prix Alain du Breil (French Triumph Hurdle) runner-up Chegei Has, who has also produced a Stakes-winning three-year-old hurdler in Namour Has, also by Doctor Dino.

Narciso Has also comes from Marcel Rolland, who reminded us all last season how well he can train a three-year-old hurdler, as he was responsible for saddling the outstanding Nietzsche Has to win four of his seven starts, including taking the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow having finished second in the Grade One Prix Cambaceres in November, the blue-riband event for his generation in France.

In his first run for his new connections on Sunday in the Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse, he was beaten two and three-quarter lengths into second by Gordon Elliott's French recruit Mange Tout.

Despite being sent off the 5-4 favourite, he was being asked a big question giving weight away to a race-fit rival and he would have finished closer had he not made a mess of the final flight. I expect him to improve next time.

MANGE TOUT – 3f Born To Sea ex Brune Ecossaise (Le Fou)

Elisabeth Allaire to Gordon Elliott

Owner: Robcour. Form: 111 (hurdles)

This daughter of Born To Sea was a 15-legnth winner on debut over hurdles at Compiegne (albeit Mary Shelley looked to be cruising in behind her when coming down at the final flight). She has since gone on to place (albeit remotely) at Graded level.

Mange Tout then made it two from two on her first start in Ireland when winning comfortably at Down Royal, a race previously won by Wodhooh, Fil Dor and Quilixios.

A half-sister to Impaire Et Passe, her form is nothing particularly outstanding but she has none nothing wrong either and she shapes as if there is improvement to come. She had the hood she wore on her French debut back on in the Grade Three at Fairyhouse on Sunday and again won well to get the better of Narciso Has.

She has been the subject of positive reports from the Elliott camp and she can win more races for her powerful connections - it is difficult to know where her ceiling lies, but she is the current Triumph Hurdle favourite.

MACHO MAN – 3g Ivanhowe ex L’Aumance Girl (Astarabad)

Gabriel Leenders to Willie Mullins

Owner: Mrs J Donnelly. Form: 1 (hurdles)

By the same sire as top French four-year-old It’s Win O’Clock, as well as Quai De Bourbon, Macho Man made his debut in the Autumn of this year in the Prix Pride Of Kildare, winning by five lengths for Gab Leenders, an underrated trainer in France who has had success in Britain courtesy of Gold Tweet.

This race was won by Live Conti last year and was previously won by Jazzy Matty, and bar a mistake at the fourth flight, he jumped well and travelled strongly throughout before powering clear up the run in.

The form is hard to judge but the second and fourth have also both been exported so it is hard not to view the race positively at this stage.

PROACTIF – 3g Masked Marvel ex Balder Phenix (Presenting)

Daniela Mele to Willie Mullins

Owner: JP McManus. Form: 1 (hurdles)

The first of several recruits from the Normandy yard of Daniela Mele, Proactif has to be near the top of anyone’s list of French recruits after blitzing the 18-runner colts’ division of the Prix Finot at Auteuil in September to win by six lengths on decent ground.

By Masked Marvel, the sire of strong stayers Teahupoo, Sel Jem, as well as Maskada and Kalif Du Berlais, he looks a chaser in the making and, given the record of the transfer of horses between these two yards and the record of the race Proactif has won, he rates an exciting prospect.

His dam is a half-sister to several French Graded winners and, given the relationship and success enjoyed between the source and the Mullins yard (Mele and Cherel have supplied State Man, Irancy, Capodanno, Zenta, Fakir D’Oudairies and Protektorat from their yard amongst many others), he has to rate highly.

MAESTRO CONTI – 3g Prince Gibraltar ex Valdivia (Samum)

Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm to Dan Skelton

Owner: Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson, The Late John Hales. Form: 1 (hurdles)

A wide-margin winner over hurdles in the AQPS heartland of Moulins in September on his only start for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, Maetstro Conti is another that could be anything, but I would be surprised if he did not make a mark at Graded level. 

Prominently ridden on debut, he jumped and travelled and won eased down under James Reveley, with six and a half lengths back to the second, who was making his fifth start. The third, fourth and fifth have all subsequently won.

He is a half-brother to Live Conti, another George/Zetterholm graduate who finished second in the Grade One Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree on his second British start in April for Skelton. This son of Prince Gibraltar will race for the same connections and looks another exciting prospect.

MANLAGA– 3f Maxios ex Tornada (Ballingarry)

Marcel Rolland to Nicky Henderson

Owner: JP McManus. Form 1 (hurdles)

From the source of top three-year-olds hurdlers Jigme and Nietzsche Has, Manlaga not only comes from top juvenile trainer Marcel Rolland but was an impressive three-length winner of her only start in the fillies’ Prix Auricula at Auteuil in March.

This looks to be one of the stronger French early season races, with the runner-up Manita having joined Willie Mullins and the fourth-placed finisher Olga De Kiev winning a Grade Three by eight lengths on French Gold Cup weekend in May and also scoring at the same level by three lengths in October over a horse called Delmegan, who won the Grade Two Prix Magalen Bryant a couple of weeks ago.

The Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton on December 27, a race Henderson has won with Sir Gino, Heross Du Seuil and Charli Parcs, may be a sensible starting point for this filly, who is not short of speed.

LE DIVIN ENFANT - 4g Saint Des Saints ex Quinine De Mazille (Network)

Davide Satalia to Willie Mullins

Owner: Miss M A Masterson. Form: 121 (Flat)

This son of Saint Des Saints has been on my radar for a while after finishing fourth on hurdling debut in the Prix Isopani at Auteuil last October.

In a race previously won by Bristol De Mai, the form of the 2024 renewal could not have worked out much better, with the winner being none other than Lulamba, the third placing at Graded level and the fifth, Lanivtsi, winning the Grade One Prix Ferdinand Dufaure in May, the championship chase for four-year-old's on French Gold Cup day.

We did not learn much about Le Divin Enfant on his first start for Willie Mullins on Thursday at odds of 1-6, but he won with any amount in hand and Paul Townened sounded positive about him after the race. 

He is a best-priced 25-1 for the Supreme, which makes some appeal given his French form and his facile win on Irish debut. He is a full-brother to Imperial Saint.

METS TA CEINTURE – 3f Hunter’s Light ex Rien De Plus (Video Rock)

Anne-Sophie Pacault to Dan Skelton

Owner: Lindy and Mark O'Hare. Form: 121 (Flat)

This filly's price tag pretty much makes her an automatic entry here having fetched €710,000 when bought by Anthony Bromley at Arqana two weeks ago. The daughter of Hunter’s Light won on debut at Le Mans in September and then finished second in an AQPS Group Two (bumper) at Saint-Cloud behind Mondialito D'Huez. That horse is the best in his division in France - he is unbeaten in four starts and most recently landed an AQPS Group One at Fontainebleau just over a week ago.

Mets Ta Ceinture was then stepped down in class and ran out an eight-length winner of an AQPS Group Three at Lyon-Parilly.

It may be a while until we see her on the track on British shores but she has a likeable pedigree and is clearly very highly regarded.

MUSTANG DU BREUIL – 3g Goliath Du Berlais ex Pearl De La Roque (Villez)

Giada Menato to Nicky Henderson

Owner: JP McManus. Form: 1 (hurdles)

The pure form of the race Mustang Du Breuil won at Auteuil last month is nothing special, but the manner of his victory certainly was, and it is obviously notable that JP wasted no time in this purchase, with him having joined Nicky Henderson.

Giada Menato, based in Lamorlaye outside of Chantilly, is probably not a trainer many readers over here will know much about but she is the previous trainer of Ile Atlantique and one thing she does do with her young horses is educate them. It is not all about winning with them first time out.

This horse was fifth jumping two out and was still a few lengths back in third jumping the final flight on debut, but flew home to score by a length on a more unfavoured part of the track on ground described as ‘collant’ by France-Galop, which correlates as somewhere between soft and heavy.

The race lacks depth from the form that has been tested but it is notable the third was deemed worthy of a crack at the Grade One Prix Cambaceres on his next start, for all he found it too tough an ask.

It may be a while until we see this horse on a track but he is one worth keeping an eye on. Like many from the yard, note that he wore a tongue-tie on debut.

Giada Menato says: “I think he is a very strong horse. I think the day he won he was only 70% in his preparation, I think he can be even better

“That said, I thought he would run well. He jumps well and works with another filly, Holy Grey, and she finished second in a good race.

“He does like soft ground but he has a lot of class and he has worked well at Fontainebleau where it was not particularly soft”

“He can go in front, behind or in the middle in the mornings, it is not a problem for him”.

MILLE ET UNE VIES – 3f The Grey Gatsby ex Avacapo (Fragrant Mix)

Francois Nicolle to Dan Skelton

Owner: Johnny de La Hay. Form: 322 (hurdles)

This filly will race in the colours of Johnny de la Hay and has slid in under the radar slightly, but crucially she is still a novice having been beaten in all three starts. She comes from a good source in multiple Champion Trainer Francois Nicolle and her form, despite being beaten, is strong.

Bred by Thierry Cypres, the breeder of Kargese and Lulamba amongst many others, she is also by The Grey Gatsby, a hugely underappreciated sire who continues to churn out black-type performers over both codes.

Third behind the aforementioned subsequent Grade Two winner Delmegan in the Prix Geographie on debut (a race previously won by Lossiemouth), she then got within a neck of that same horse when second in the Listed Prix Girofla next time out, finishing three lengths ahead of subsequent dual Grade Three winner Olga De Kiev.

She then split that same pair in reverse order when finishing second in the Grade Three Prix Sagan on her most recent start in May.

KAI LUNG – 3c Galiway ex Panda Queen (Exceed And Excel) 

Francois Rohaut to Willie Mullins

Owner: Slaneyville Syndicate. Form: 332212 (Flat)

From the same sire as Vauban, Gala Marceau and Jimmy De Seuil, Kai Lung has had six runs on the Flat in the South of France between seven and a half furlongs and an extended mile and a quarter, winning once over the former trip.

There is plenty of speed in his pedigree and his sire has also produced plenty of talented Flat performers, and this horse’s French mark of 37.5 kilos would make him around the mid-to-high 70s mark on the Flat here. 

It will be interesting how they campaign this three-year-old and it would be no surprise to see him given a Flat campaign at some stage, but he will presumably be given hurdling assignments to begin with. 

LARINKA – 4f Martinborough ex Madrika (Galileo)

Daniella Mele to Willie Mullins 

Owner: JP McManus. Form: 1 (Flat)

By the same sire and from the same source as Majborough, this four-year-old bolted up to win over two miles at Saumur, a small left-handed track in the Loire Valley in Western France in early March.

Do not be fooled by the official going description, the ground that day was hard work and she stayed on powerfully to win by six and a half lengths.

That form is nothing to write home about but given her emphatic win, and her source and pedigree, she makes for one of the most intriguing Closutton recruits.

OLE OLE – 3g Cloth Of Stars ex Flute Bowl (Black Sam Bellamy)

Hugo Merienne to Gavin Cromwell

Owner: Vasile Ionesi. Form: 32 (hurdles)

From Willie Mullins’s former assistant Hugo Merienne, Ole Ole finished third over hurdles (2m1f) at Clairefontine on his only French start in July.

This is probably not the deepest race in this list, however the fifth-placed finisher Zahra Dodville won easily on debut for James Owen and finished third at Listed level on Friday at Newbury, whilst the winner Duc De Roche (a length and a half in front of Ole Ole), has since won again and finished second in the Grade Two Prix Congress at Auteuil behind the unbeaten Nador.

Ole Ole made his Irish debut at Punchestown on November 22, finishing second behind the short-priced favourite Quinta Do Lago. He was keen enough in that race and it is surely a matter of time before he wins a race

It is difficult to assess what sort of horse he will be long term, but he will only need two more runs to qualify for the Fred Winter and may want a stronger pace and slightly better ground to be seen to best effect.

PRECIOUS MAN – 3g Amanzor ex Preciously (Lord Of England)

Daniela Mele to Dan Skelton

Owner: Johnny de la Hey. Form: 211 (hurdles)

Any horse that wins at Auteuil for Daniela Mele and gets exported to the UK or Ireland for big money is sure to catch plenty of people’s attention and so it was no surprise that this son of Almanzor was sent off the 9-4 favourite on his debut for Dan Skelton at Cheltenham just over two weeks ago.

He ran a solid race in testing ground where he lost both front shoes and put in an untidy jump at the last, having been ridden patiently and he can improve on that display on better ground.

His Auteuil form reads well. Second behind The Mighty Celt on debut in March, three lengths ahead of Bertutea (now with Wilie Mullins), he then followed up by winning the Prix Rocking Chair at the same venue, a race in which Mambonumberfive was beaten last year. Grade One winner St Donats also won this race in 2022.

He remains one to follow and ranks highly amongst the British recruits.

BERTUTEA – 3g Beaumec De Houelle ex La Vertu (Makfi)

Mickael Seror to Willie Mullins

Owner: Gigginstown.  Form: 71 (Flat), 32 (hurdles)

Still a novice over hurdles, Bertutea made no impact on the All-weather at Chantilly over an inadequate trip in November last year, but then got off the mark at Lyon over just shy of 1m3f in January.

He was then sent hurdling and finished third in the Prix Rush behind The Mighty Celt and Precious Man in March, and then went one place better on his next start the following month, finishing second behind Midnight Cowboy.

That horse then finished just half a length behind what I believe was the second best hurdler in France and the best horse to be exported in Matin Midi Et Soir.

Grade One-winning hurdler Beaumec De Houelle has done well with his young progeny so far and this excellent jumper has plenty of potential.

SAINT BACO – 4g Cokoriko ex Sainte Vigne (Saint Des Saints)

Daniela Mele to Willie Mullins

Owner: Michael Hilary Burke. Form: 4 (Flat) 3 (hurdles)

By a fantastic sire in Cokoriko (he sired a third of France's top-level Jumps winners last year), Saint Baco sneaks into this list as he hasn't raced for over a year but ran twice in France in August and September last year and follows a similar path to many Graded winners, moving from Daniela Mele to Willie Mullins. 

A half-brother to Mullins's Grade One-winning chaser and runaway County Hurdle winner Saint Roi, who also came from the same stable in France, there is nothing not to like about his pedigree, bred on a fabulous cross that has produced French Grade One winners Sain D'Esprit and Kingland.

There is not much to dislike about his form either, for all he is yet to win. He was beaten little over half a length by the winner Musique Maestro on his only hurdle race at Auteuil and that horse went on to finish a close second in the French Triumph Hurdle.