Light shining strongly for Lossiemouth's joint-breeder Kellitt

Lossiemouth’s joint-breeder Ian Kellitt was on hand to see the magnificent grey land the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and explained there are exciting plans afoot for younger members of a growing dynasty.

The Scotsman has around ten mares in a partnership with Nicolas Madamet of Elevages des Vallons in Mayenne, north of Le Mans, among whom is Mariner’s Light, the modestly bought winner over a mile and a half in France who would become the half-sister of popular Queen Anne winner Lord Glitters many years later.

The breeders had been unable to sell Lossiemouth, a daughter of Great Pretender and Mariner's Light, as a yearling, but were able to move her on to the powerhouse Rich Ricci and Willie Mullins combination after she made a striking winning debut for Yannick Fouin at Auteuil two years ago.

"It’s wonderful, couldn’t be better," said Kellitt, who had seen Lossiemouth land the Triumph with similar panache last season. "She just controlled the race. Class.

"The dam had a first foal called Springcroft, who is producing very nice horses, so we’ve got quite a lineage from her now."

This includes what must be one of the most sought-after newborns in National Hunt racing.

"We’ve just sold the full-sister to Lossiemouth last week – she’s only four weeks old," he said. "It was the commercial thing to do. The better we sell, then the better stallions we can go to. And she’ll be in foal to Great Pretender again next year.

Lossiemouth, ridden by Paul Townend, becomes Ian Kellitt's biggest winner as a breederCredit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

"We’ve also got Lossiemouth’s two-year-old half-sister called Morayfirth, by Waltzertakt. We’ve kept her. She’ll be going into pre-training at the end of this year and probably hit the racecourse in the springtime next year."

Lossiemouth would be the pinnacle of any jump breeder’s career and she certainly is for Kellitt.

"I had a Grade 3 winner called Martalette and I’ve had a couple of Listed races at Auteuil but never a Grade 1 or a Grade 2 before," he said.

Slade Steel took the early stallion career of Telescope to a whole new level as soon as the Cheltenham Festival got under way with his brave victory in the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Brian Acheson's six-year-old is from the second crop of the resident of Shade Oak Stud in north Shropshire, who was an emphatic winner of the Hardwicke Stakes and runner-up in the King George of 2014.

Slade Steel is both a first Grade 1 and Cheltenham Festival winner for the son of Galileo, who also has the exciting young hunter chaser Ferns Lock engaged on Friday.

The Dena Merson-bred Slade Steel runs away with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle under Rachael BlackmoreCredit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

The gelding was bred by businesswoman and well-known British racing industry figure Dena Merson as the first foal of her winning hurdler Mariet, who was sold for €30,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland May sale in 2021.

Chianti Classico, a typical jumping type sired by Burgage Stud’s late Shantou, was continuing a Cheltenham legacy aside from his trainer Kim Bailey’s in the Ultima Handicap Chase. The granddam of the David O’Connell-bred gelding, Ballycowan Lady, was a half-sister to twice Gold Cup-placed Harbour Pilot, while two of her siblings also produced four-time festival runner-up Get Me Out Of Here and 2017 Supreme third River Wilde.

The Niarchos family, an exalted name from the world of the Flat, bred the My Pension Expert Arkle Trophy winner Gaelic Warrior from Maxios during the sire’s time in Germany – he is now part of Castlehyde’s jumps roster in Ireland. The sire had been on the mark at the meeting before through Quilixios, who was unplaced on this occasion. 

The German-bred tally was later doubled by the Soldier Hollow-sired Lark In The Mornin in the Boodles.

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