Al Namix ex Kestrel Mail colt foal born at a quarter to one this morning. His mother won 10 races on the flat & placed 34 times plus 4 wins over Jumps & 2 places from 6 runs. Kestrel Mail( by Cricket Ball, remember Lady Cricket?)had her first foal at 10 years old, who has already won. A very tough family. Her nephew is Chez Castel Mail who won a bumper last month.
Author: Haras de Faydeau
Accomplice
Bumper promise
Ouro Branco made a very impressive debut when finishing 3rd in a competitive Bumper at Taunton yesterday. He would undoubtedly have finished 2nd if he had not been badly hampered, so it was an excellent run for a 4 year old.
Ouro Branco is by Kapgarde out of Dolce Vita Yug, who won 12 races & was placed in a Listed race, her grand daughter won the Prix Finot (Listed race at Auteuil) last year 1st time out. We have a lovely 2 year old gelding out of her by Walk in the Park. This year she is being covered by No Risk at All.
Ballim lords it at Carlisle!
Congratulations to trainer Nigel Hawke & owner Jeff Hall on the success of Lord Ballim in the 14h30 at Carlisle.
We sold him after he had run a few times in France, he is a half brother to Sainte ladylime, a three times winner we sold to Paul & Clare Rooney.
Lord Ballim has often shown promise, notably when falling at the last in a novice chase when having the race won & then last time out being beaten on the nod at Towcester.
Nigel Hawke has been very patient with the horse, as he has been a bit slow to get the message & has had confidence issues following a few falls.
The fitting of a hood & waiting tactics seems to have done the trick, he can go on from here.
THE HAYMAKERS
We received our regular hay delivery today from Mark & Caroline Chalmers who specialize in producing top quality hay in the Limousin area.
They supply English & Italian raygrass as well as meadow hay. Mark & Caroline moved to France 10 years ago, previously in England, Mark & his father Alan produced racehorse hay, notably for trainer Josh Gifford.
We believe that top class hay is an essential base of a horses diet & that everything else should be built around this.
Chez Castel Mail delivers
Chez Castel Mail won impressively the 4.30pm at Fontwell today. He was always a very nice youngster & had a lovely temperament & great attitude, always well balanced in his work. We are just about to start breaking in his 1/2 brother a 3 year old by Great Pretender who has the size and scope to make up into a very exciting prospect.
Verni wins again
Verni made it three wins & four places from only eight runs, when winning the 2miles 3 furlongs handicap hurdle at Taunton today. There should be plenty of improvement in him yet, as he is still lightly raced, and when we bought him from the breeders he was an unbroken 4 year old.
UNO MAKES IT QUATRO
Uno Valoroso won very convincingly at Newcastle today for Mark Walford and his owner Mr Herman.
He looks to be coming back to his best form. He is by Voix du Nord a really top class stallion who died very young, just when he was starting to make a name for himself.
Nikoline looking good again
Broodmare NIKOLINE left today to be covered next month by SAINT DES SAINTS. She came to us from the top veterinary practice CLINIQUE EQUINE DE CONQUES after being admitted by her owner with chronic colic & was given only 5% chance of survival.
Dr Fabien Relave operated on her and worked tirelessly for 48h. We picked her up on the 31 st of October when she weighed just 380kgs. Today she weighs 578kgs.
She was a very good racehorse, winning a grade 3 amongst other races & is probably one of the best daughters of Martaline. She has a three year old by Konig turf and a 2 yo & a yearling both by Kapgarde.





