CHARLY DES BEAUX

Willie Mullins (Simon Munir & Isaac Souede) – 3yo

Trainer Willie Mullins has once again been dominant in the French market, securing at least twenty recruits at the time of writing. The headlines will go to Rich Ricci who has secured the likes of Chic Me, Momentum Of Love and Interstellar, but I do think that a very interesting recruit for the yard is CHARLY DES BEAUX – who joins from the Lageneste and Macaire yard for the double green silks.

This 3yo has quite crucially already ran three times over Hurdles, and on debut he was a very unlucky second at Mont-De-Marsan, where he hit the front before being collared on the line. It was then a similar story at Compiegne on his next start, where he hit the front far too soon and was eventually caught by the useful Roi Danaos. At Auteuil in May he was given a much more patient ride though, and this time he raced much more efficiently. After Jumping the last he was asked for his effort, and I thought he showed plenty of promise when once again agonisingly denied by Purple Power – who was recording a hat-trick at the time.

Anthony Bromley went to €140,000 to secure the services of this Jeu St Eloi half-brother to Idy Wood (peaked at 133 for Jamie Snowden), and the fact that he has gone into training at Closutton can only be a good thing. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Horse is that he already qualifies for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle having had three starts over timber, and if he were to make his debut in Britain, then his converted French Handicap mark would be just 124. If you are wondering how that is worked out, then it is simply his French mark (62kg) multiplied by the BHA conversion rate which is currently 2. In Ireland however the conversion multiplier is still 2.2, meaning he would be rated 136 across the Irish Sea.

TELEVISION

Dan Skelton (Mrs Johnny de la Hey) – 3yo

Another trainer battling towards the top of the French market and trying to attract the higher end talent is Dan Skelton. He has spent a lot of money on recruits over the past year, and whilst he certainly would not have the same sort of network in France as Willie Mullins does, he has still attracted some interesting types. One of those acquisitions is TELEVISION, who joins the yard off the back of two disqualified efforts (more on that in a moment).

He was down the field on his debut at Auteuil in a race which has worked out quite strongly, and the winner Navy Du Seuil has since gone onto land Listed honours. He improved plenty for that effort when finishing third in the Prix Champaubert at Auteuil in April when once again behind a subsequent Listed winner, but then in May he absolutely bolted up by 7 lengths in the Prix Gemix when dropped down to Class 3 company.

What makes this Horse so interesting is that he was then disqualified following routine testing due to testosterone levels being above the international permitted level for a gelding. Thankfully there was no foul play involved and the presence of the testosterone was determined to be down to a condition inherent to the horse itself, so former trainer Francois Nicolle was not responsible nor at fault. It does however mean he exports to England as a Maiden with the BHA informed of the case findings, so options will be wide open for him. Considering he is from the family of Adrien Du Pont, it is no surprise that he will run in the colours of Johnny de la Hey.

 

WINDAY

Emmet Mullins (Paul Byrne) – 3yo

This one may seem a bit like cheating as plenty of you will have heard of this Horse from the Flat, but I can't help feeling WINDAY is a Handicap plot in waiting for the ever-dangerous Emmet Mullins and Paul Byrne combination. He does qualify as a French Recruit though on the basis that he was trained by Mickael Seror during the Spring, for whom he ran three times over Hurdles at Auteuil.

If you are familiar with French Racing then you will know that Huron Bleu is the best three-year-old in the country at the moment, so finishing second behind that rival in the Prix Wild Monarch was a good debut effort. He then stepped up into Grade 3 company next time for the Prix Aguado where once again he was behind Huron Bleu, but this time he got a lot closer despite his finishing position being fourth rather than second.

His best performance came in the Listed Prix Stanley at the end of May however, where on this occasion he did not have to worry about that Bressou trained rival. The front two very much escaped on the front end that day, but WINDAY picked up nicely under pressure to only be beaten 2.25 lengths into third. The winner Magic Des Charmes and the second Dedel are both engaged in the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres at Auteuil in November and are among the highest rated 3yos left in the country, so it clearly was a good effort to finish so close. It also surely has to be notable that they got that all important third run into him before being exported back to Ireland.

Trainer Emmet Mullins has already mentioned the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle as a potential option for this Horse, and his current French mark would convert to a BHA rating of 136. Perhaps that mark is a little bit on the high side as it stands, but he clearly is a horse of high ability having bolted up in a 1m4f Maiden at Ffos Las in August – earning a rating of 97 on the Flat. It is also notable that he is by the Sire Galiway, who has an exceptional record of producing Hurdles winners; with 17/25 horses winning (Vauban, King Rasko Grey, Jimmy Du Seuil etc). It surely won't be long until this lad increases that impressive statistic, and it would surprise nobody if it comes in a big race.

MAJISCO

Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero (JP McManus) – 4yo

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have done exceptionally well with their French Recruits down the years, and in particular the progeny of Boscraie. Jacks Parrot has won twice for the yard and Iroko has developed into their stable star, placing in two Grand Nationals and reaching an official rating of 160. MAJISCO needs no introduction then, as he is a half-brother to both animals by popular sire Goliath Du Berlais.

Just like Iroko this 4yo was bred by Jacques Cypres, and he also started his career in an AQPS Flat Race at Moulins. Both Horses were very much not ready for their debuts which were no doubt used as educational tools, and having raced prominently this stoutly bred individual faded tamely. The race has produced a fair few French Recruits including Manoir De Mirande and Milpat, but he clearly needed more time, which is evident considering this run was in April 2025, and he would not be seen again until February 2026.

Racing at Fontainebleau after a long break he was stepped up in distance from 1m4f to 1m7f, and on this occasion he was seen to much better effect. He was a notably bigger framed horse than his rivals in that contest, but he stayed on strongly for second place behind an impressive Filly called Mahollia, who was in receipt of 3kg and has since joined Willie Mullins for Peter Davies. JP McManus was clearly impressed enough by that effort to get the chequebook out, and it is nice to see him sent to Stockton Hall. Just like with his half-brother Iroko, I am sure that we will only see the best version of MAJISCO once he goes Chasing, but he ought to be able to run to a decent level in Novice Hurdles this season.

 

LASCA DE THAIX

Sam Thomas (Walters Plant Hire) – 5yo

Last on this list is perhaps the Horse I am most excited for, as Sam Thomas is a trainer that ranks amongst the best from a pound-for-pound perspective. It is extremely rare to see him dip into the French ‘horses in training’ market, but that is exactly what he did when going to €125,000 to secure the services of LASCA DE THAIX.

This 5yo Mare has plenty of experience in France having ran on thirteen occasions, but she is a three-time winner including twice at Listed level. The latest of those victories came in a 2m2f Listed Handicap Hurdle at Auteuil in May where she won by one-and-a-half lengths, and it was a particularly impressive effort considering she drifted all the way across from the far rail going into the last to the stand-side rail come the line. The second Webcam has since gone on to land a Listed Handicap Hurdle himself, and the third Lascar D’Airy went on to win at Dieppe. The sixth, seventh and ninth have also won since to give the form a strong look.

Being a full-sister to dual Chase winner Kouca De Thaix (who also picked up black-type in that sphere) you would imagine that she will make up into a nice Chaser at some point despite having two uncompleted starts to her name in the Spring of 2025. She has done plenty of growing up since then however, and the steeplechase fences in Britain will be much more in line with the hurdles at Auteuil compared to the random obstacles you can find in French Chases. Above all however I do think this Mare looks well treated off of a BHA equivalent mark of 129, and it would be no surprise to see her kept to Hurdles for this season considering she is only five after all.