Fame at last for Butlersgrove Stud with Put The Kettle On

Henry de Bromhead's description of Put The Kettle On as being "a bit crackers" certainly caused no offence to Charlie Purcell, given the Champion Chase winner has defied their expectations from the outset.

Purcell and his family breed from Butlersgrove Stud as not much more than a hobby on their farm near Goresbridge, County Kilkenny and had plenty of fun racing her inexpensively-bought dam, Name For Fame, over hurdles about 15 years ago.

"She was lucky enough to win a maiden hurdle and got black type in a novice hurdle at Tipperary, she was from a very good Juddmonte family," recalls Purcell.

"She had decent form on the Flat in France and was worth a punt, and at that stage her half-brother Borazon had been placed in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle in Chepstow, so there was a bit of National Hunt on the page."

Put The Kettle On has been the best of her progeny by "a country mile", the daughter of the late Kilkenny-based stallion Stowaway showing preternatural toughness in not only becoming the first mare to land the two-mile title last Wednesday but to have slugged out the previous year's Arkle too.

"I was overseas at the time but my two brothers were watching her first race when she was fifth at Clonmel," says Purcell. "Independently they both said the same thing - 'she'd win a couple' - but I don't think they qualified it and said she'd win a couple of Grade 1s at Cheltenham!

"That must go down to where she has been trained, they have done a brilliant job with her."

Multiple Group winner Fracas (left) was a former star for the Purcell familyCredit: Caroline Norris

Purcell is not totally sure where she gets it from, recalling Put The Kettle On as being a very straightforward young lady who knocked around with two other fillies on the farm before she was sold on to Keith Phelan at the Goffs Land Rover Sale.

"Name For Fame would be the polar opposite," he says. "She was fragile and you'd have to space her races, a different model altogether in terms of attitude."

Purcell also appreciates that De Bromhead's assessment of Put The Kettle On's character came laced with affection.

"I can see what he means," he considers. "She obviously has a mind of her own, she doesn't walk anywhere, she kind of jog-jogs everywhere, and even in the parade ring she thinks hard about going round, she needs someone on each side of her to keep her calm, but they all have their little quirks.

"When she gets on the track she puts it in, and that's what you want isn't it? She's very game and genuine, she's never beaten in her headspace - she certainly doesn't want to be."

There was a little bit of promise too from Put The Kettle On's half-brother, Young Butler, when he was fourth on his recent debut at Newbury, suggesting there could be another name on their roll of honour soon to go with an earlier sibling, Carningli, who was second in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham.

Butlersgrove's most famous previous graduate was Fracas, who won the 2005 Derrinstown Derby Trial for David Wachman and was fourth behind Motivator at Epsom.

"We all have day jobs and it's something to keep us busy in the evenings and the weekends," says the modest Purcell, who himself works in agricultural supplies.

"There are a couple of Flat mares too, it would be a long summer otherwise.

"We have two full-sisters [to Put The Kettle On] and a half-sister here, they're just starting out on the road. One has just had her first foal, one has been put in foal for the first time, and the other has had two foals. It's all something to look forward to."

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