Triumph winner Quilixios a surprise bonus for Sean Martin

Not many breeders set out to deliberately produce a JCB Triumph Hurdle winner and the possibility of such an achievement being on the page of broodmare Quilita had certainly not registered in Sean Martin's mind when he bought her just over a year ago.

Friday's slick Cheltenham scorer Quilixios was an unraced two-year-old when his mother was offered in foal to Charm Spirit as part of a trimming exercise by Andreas Jacobs' Gestut Fahrhof at the 2019 Arqana December Sale.

Martin, a County Kildare farmer who is close friends with the Hyland family at nearby Oghill House Stud, had wanted to dip a toe into breeding thoroughbreds, and his bloodstock agent and adviser Joseph Burke had spotted something else more instantly appealing about the €26,000 purchase.

"It was Sean's first mare, he'd just said he was keen to get into one, and she kind of fell within the right sort of budget," explained Burke.

"I hoped there might be something that might improve the pedigree - I’d seen her yearling, a Kingman colt at Book 2 that October and thought he was a very nice horse; he sold for 220,000gns and Juddmonte bought him.

Quilixios' half-brother Colour Sergeant was narrowly beaten by Group 1 winner Van Gogh last yearCredit: Caroline Norris

"Then there was the Maxios. I remember telling Sean I didn’t know whether we’d get her or not, and then when we did I said, 'I think this two-year-old might be quite good but I’d forget about the Maxios', who had left a Flat trainer and joined a National Hunt trainer."

So as Quilixios made a winning racecourse debut over hurdles in France last March for Francois Nicolle, later changing into Cheveley Park ownership via a private deal through Tom Malone and Nicolas Bertran de Balanda, there was more excitement for the mare's new owners about the imminent appearance of Colour Sergeant with Ger Lyons.

Burke continued: "The Kingman colt came out and was third at Fairyhouse and then third at the Curragh, with Wembley and Mac Swiney, who went on to win the Vertem Futurity, in front of him. Then he kind of got blown away by a first-time-out Zoffany from Joseph O'Brien, so I sort of thought that wasn’t very good, but then that horse, Thunder Moon, went and won the National Stakes next time.

"He was second a couple more times, beaten by Van Gogh of Aidan O'Brien's - he won a Group 1 in France - and finished up being beaten by a Galileo out of Easton Angel at Dundalk. So in one way he looked like he might be good - he’s also rated 89 but hasn’t won a maiden yet - and the other fellow has come out and we’ve seen what he's done."

Burke says that Martin will not be remotely disappointed to have a little piece of Cheltenham in his possession.

Something of a polymath, who apparently used to set puzzles for Mensa members at one time and also breeds prize bulls, he would usually be a regular at the meeting as a keen general racing fan. "He's like one of those Russian dolls, there are so many layers to him," said Burke. "The main thing is he's just a really nice guy.

"It’s just ironic that the horse I said we’d probably be writing off is the one that's put our name in lights a bit now!"

When Quilixios was born, his sire was attempting to establish himself as a Flat stallion at Fahrhof, as a dual Group 1 winner and a half-brother to Arc hero Bago.

However, he was uncovered as a potentially valuable National Hunt asset and was reported as the busiest stallion in last year's Weatherbys Return of Mares, covering 298 in his debut season at Castlehyde Stud. Maxios made his Cheltenham breakthrough last year when Aramax landed the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Agent Joseph Burke had not given Quilixios enormous consideration when assessing his damCredit: Laura Green

Quilita herself is of fairly distinguished German lineage, as a niece of Fahrhof's Group 1-winning globe-trotter Quijano and from the further family of Authorized and Solemia. She was fifth in her domestic Oaks for trainer Peter Schiergen.

Quilita produced her Charm Spirit filly and, as Martin keeps them on his farm, he is quite keen to put her in training, while she is due to foal to Make Believe.

However, with Quilixios now unbeaten in five starts over hurdles and among the most exciting young prospects in National Hunt racing after powering home under Rachael Blackmore in the four-year-olds' championship, Martin and Burke are now giving their mare's initially ignored son a little more consideration in their mating plans.

"It might just be that the staying blood on a staying mare has produced the best horse so far, so that’s probably how we might be thinking in terms of breeding from her in the future," said Burke.

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