A €2,850,000 graduate of the Goffs Orby Sale, Ol' Man River made a winning debut over a mile at the Curragh, followed-up with an odds-on success in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes, but his best effort in five subsequent starts was his fourth-place finish behind Balios in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot.

He is a son of the brilliant middle-distance horse Montjeu (by Sadler's Wells), a horse who sons have been producing excellent results with their National Hunt runners, and his dam is the dual classic star Finsceal Beo (by Mr Greeley), a half-sister to the Group 2 Mehl Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) scorer Frozen Power (by Oasis Dream).

His grandam is the Listed Lupe Stakes runner-up Musical Treat (by Royal Academy), his third dam is the prolific Mountain Ash (by Dominion), who won at up to Group 3 level, and that mare's siblings include the Group 3 scorer Lidhame (by Nureyev). The next dam, Red Berry (by Great Nephew), won a listed contest at Newbury as a juvenile and was runner-up in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes.

With these pedigree connections it seems likely that Ol' Man River will do well as a National Hunt sire. Arctic Tack Stud's young recruit has 46 registered foals in his first crop. ​

OL' MAN RIVER (IRE) – b.2012 – Montjeu – Finsceal Beo, 2 wins inc Beresford Stakes (Gr2). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2018.

FOALS CATALOGUED:
Bc - Agent Walker (by Westerner)     Tatts IRE     November     €5,000
Bf - Almnadia (by Alhaarth)     Tatts IRE     November     €1,500
Bc - Ash Abbey (by Flemensfirth)     Goffs     December     
Bf - Aunt Annie (by Synefos)     Tatts IRE     November     €600
Bc - Copper River (by Turgeon)     Goffs     December     
Bc - Devils Pride (by Stowaway)     Tatts IRE     November     €6,000
Bc - Divine Glory (by Great Palm)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Bc - Grannys House (by Carroll House)     Goffs     December     
Bf - Grape Love (by Grape Tree Road)     Goffs     December     
Chc - Honour Own (by City Honours)     Tatts IRE     November     €2,000
Bc - Karinswift (by Karinga Bay)     Tatts IRE     November     withdrawn
Bc - Knockalaghan Maid (by Snurge)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Bc - Legal Proceedings (by Witness Box)     Tatts IRE     November     €9,000
Bf - Midnight Insanity (by Insan)     Goffs     December     
Bc - More Equity (by Classic Cliche)     Tatts IRE     November     €6,000
Chc - Practical (by Craigsteel)     Goffs     December     
Bc - Sharlanda (by Choisir)     Goffs     December     
Bc - Slaney Conflict (by Close Conflict)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Bf - Star Of The Season (by Arcadio)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Bc - Stephouse (by Bienamado)     Goffs     December     ​
Bc - Wayward Angel (by Heron Island)     Tatts IRE     November     ​€14,000

The brilliant middle-distance horse Montjeu (by Sadler's Wells) died quite young at stud but was already established as one of Europe's leading classic sires. That tally includes Marked Marvel, the three-length conqueror of Brown Panther in 2011's edition of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster. He stands at Haras d'Etreham in France.

The best of three stakes winners out of the Group 2 Falmouth Stakes runner-up Waldmark (by Mark of Esteem), those siblings include Walderche (by Monsun), the Group 3 Prix Penelope scorer whose Andre Fabre-trained son Waldgeist (by Galileo) advertised his classic potential with victory in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in late November.

Waldmark is a half-sister to the Group 1 Deutsches Derby winner and Haras du Thenney stallion Waldpark (by Dubawi), who also had his first foals in 2016, and their dam is the dual joint-champion Wurftaube (by Acatenango), a Group 1-placed filly who won both the Group 2 Gerling Preis and Group 2 Deutsches St Leger.

Her half-sister Wurfscheibe (by Tiger Hill)  was a multiple pattern winner in Germany and her stakes-placed half-sister Wurfspiel (by Lomitas) is the dam of this year's Grade 1 Man O' War Stakes winner Wake Forest (by Sir Percy), a colt who was Group 1-placed in Italy before crossing the Atlantic.

MASKED MARVEL (GB) - b.2008 - Montjeu - Waldpark, 4 wins inc St Leger (Gr1), Bahrain Trophy (Gr3), Cocked Hat Stakes (L), 2nd Craven Plate (Gr3), 3rd Coronation Cup (Gr1), Bacardi Hill Stakes (Gr2). Sire in France. First foals in 2016.

FOALS CATALOGUED
bf - Mandina (by Saint Des Saints)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - Mona Vassy (by Sleeping Car)     Arqana     Dec      €24,000
bf - Orange Bitter (by Night Shift)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - Sainte Russy (by Saint Des Saints)     Arqana     Dec      €40,000
bf - Sary Flight (by Turtle Bowl)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - To Much Fun (by Act One)     Arqana     Dec      ​not sold

The impact that the triple Group 1 star and dynasty-making stallion has had on both flat and National Hunt circles has been remarkable and so it is understandable that breeders will flock to his male line descendants, especially when those horses were racehorses of the calibre of Leading Light.

A 520,000gns yearling buy, the Aidan O'Brien trainee was an odds-on winner of the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on his fourth start, followed that with defeat of Feels Like Dancing in the Group 3 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and was not seen out again until beating that year's Oaks heroine Talent in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster.

He finished down the field in the Arc three weeks later but returned as a four-year-old to take the Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes and Group 3 Curragh Cup, both times chased home by the Group 1 Irish St Leger scorer Royal Diamond, and between those two wins he narrowly beat Missunited to take the Group 1 Gold Cup at Ascot.

He chased home the runaway winner Brown Panther in the Group 1 Irish St Leger on his penultimate start, headed to Grange Stud in Co Cork a few months later and covered more mares in his first season than many popular horses do in their first few years combined: a total of 320.
 
There are some flat-bred mares as dams of his large first crop, but Leading Light is primarily a National Hunt stallion, which means that it will be the 2019/20 season before we start to see many of his early runners in action, likely in bumpers, maiden hurdles and point-to-points.
 
He is out of Dance Parade (by Gone West), who won the Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes over five furlongs at Ascot as a two-year-old and the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes over seven at Newbury the following spring. His grandam is the pattern-placed Italian stakes winner River Jig (by Irish River), a mare whose siblings include the dam of Group 1 Underwood Stakes winner and talented French stayer Always Aloof (by Alleged).
 
It was to be expected that he will have a lot of progeny who are inbred to Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer), many will also show inbreeding to Nijinsky (by Northern Dancer) and to Top Ville (by High Top), and the presence of Always Aloof in his family shows that Alleged (by Hoist The Flag) clicked with his family.
 
Whether that matters at all within the National Hunt context is open to debate, and Leading Light's appeal and potential as a sire of hurdlers and chasers stems from his top-class racing record, his physique and his sire line.

LEADING LIGHT (IRE) – b.2010 – Montjeu – Dance Parade, 8 wins inc Gold Cup (Gr1), St Leger (Gr1), Gallinule Stakes (Gr3), St Leger Trial (Gr3), Vintage Crop Stakes (Gr3), Queen's Vase (Gr3), 2nd Irish St Leger (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2016.

FOALS CATALOGUED (updated)
bc – Accordeon Royale (by Accordion)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €5,000
chf – Afaraka (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Aguida (by Kahyasi)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Akiliyna (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Almnadia (by Alhaarth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €14,500
chc – Another Flower (by Presenting)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – April Thistle (by Alphabatim)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €2,500
bf – Arts Theater (by King's Theatre)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf - Asian Alliance (by Soviet Star)     Goffs     Dec     
bc – Ask Sally (by Definite Article)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
bf – At Maggies Cross (by Oscar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Azaban (by Be My Native)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €16,000
chc – Back To My Place (by Bob Back)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
chc - Ballydunne Present (by Presenting)     Goffs     Dec     
bc – Bell Walks Run (by Commanche Run)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Belle Rebelle (by In The Wings)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €2,000
bf – Carleys Quest (by Pierre)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €1,300
bf - Cassilis (by Persian Bold)     Goffs     Dec     
bc – Claras Mighty (by Shantou)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
bc - Come The Dawn (by Gunner B)     Goffs     Dec     ​
bc – Creanna Lady (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €13,500
bf – Cregane Lass (by Oscar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf - Datsdwhy (by Mountain High)     Goffs     Dec     not sold
bf – Definite Lady (by Definite Article)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Dino's Monkey (by Mr Dinos)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €24,000
bc – Dishy (by Jurado)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €4,700
bc – Dona Pepa (by Westerner)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov     not sold
bc – Drumderry (by Shernazar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Elektra King (by Milan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
bf - Elektra King (by Milan)     Goffs     Dec     not sold
bc – Elizabeth Tudor (by Supreme Leader)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
chc – Flame Supreme (by Saddlers' Hall)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €8,000
bc – Generous Girl (by Generous)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €9,000
bc – Glencree Rose (by Lord of Appeal)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €14,500
bf – Gilbin (by Luso)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €11,000
bc - Gonebeyondajoke (by Footstepsinthesand)     Goffs     Dec     €7,000
bc – Grandy Serenade (by Milan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €5,500
bc – Havnt Time (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €15,000
bc – Hirayna (by Doyoun)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €17,000
chc – Honey Rosie (by Byron)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc - Hushed Up (by Medaaly)     Goffs     Dec     not sold
bc – Jill's Girl (by Be My Native)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
brf - Kampala Girl (by Oscar)     Goffs     Dec     €1,000
bf – Kapricia Speed (by Vertical Speed)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €11,000
bc - Kentish Town (by Flemensfirth)     Goffs     Dec     €17,000
chc - Keyaza (by Azamour)     Goffs     Dec     €27,000
bc – Kilbarry Cliche (by Classic Cliche)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €8,000
bc - Kyle Lass (by Bach)     Goffs     Dec     not sold
bf - La Protagonista (by Night Shift)     Goffs     Dec     €2,500
bf – Labeille (by Laveron)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
chc – Lady Wilton Milan (by Milan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €7,000
chc – Late Night Deed (by Midnight Legend)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €3,200
chc – Lougholly Native (by Be My Native)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
chc - Maxford Lady (by Presenting)     Goffs     Dec     not sold
chc – Millys Gesture (by Milan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €19,000
bc – Miss McGoldrick (by Kasakov)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Missie Ella (by Barathea)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €13,000
chc - Mullagh Abu (by Mull Of Kintyre)     Goffs     Dec     withdrawn
bc – Night Heron (by St Jovite)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €16,000
chc - Nina Fontenail (by Kaldounevees)     Goffs     Dec     €12,000
bc - Northern Gale (by Northern Spur)     Goffs     Dec     €1,000
chc – O What A Girl (by Anshan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €15,500
bc – One Rose (by Roi de Rome)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €7,000
bc - One Swoop (by Be My Native)     Goffs     Dec     €8,500
bf – Oscar Annie (by Oscar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €600
bf – Peppardstown (by Old Vic)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Poetics Girl (by Sadders' Hall)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €27,000
brc – Present Climate (by Presenting)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €15,000
bf – Princess Leya (by Old Vic)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Reconsider Baby (by Refuse To Bend)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €13,500
chf - Rodger Roo (by Definite Article)     Goffs     Dec     
chc – Rubys Shadow (by Supreme Leader)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Rudi Tuesday (by Rudimentary)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €15,500
bc - Sagabolley (by Sagamix)     Goffs     Dec     
bf – Sarah Princess (by Presenting)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €2,800
bc – Sea Jewel (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc - Senorita Rumbalita (by Alflora)     Goffs     Dec     
bc - Serra Nova (by Dushyantor)     Goffs     Dec     
bf – Shedogue Molly (by Oscar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Shuil Cailinn (by Brian Boru)     Goresbridge     Oct      not sold
bf – Snowbelle (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €6,000
chc – Spring Flower (by Beneficial)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €7,000
bc – Springfort Legacy (by Westerner)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €8,000
bc – Strong Roe (by Vinnie Roe)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Suzie Supreme (by Beneficial)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Tax Evasion (by Anshan)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bc – Taxie Lady (by Flemensfirth)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – The Great O'Malley (by Mandalus)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    not sold
bf – Theatre Days (by King's Theatre)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €600
bc – There On Time (by Carroll House)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €5,000
bc – Threads of Destiny (by Oscar)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
bc – Times Approach (by Curtain Time)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn
bf – Toorah Laura La (by Black Minnaloushe)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €1,200
chf – Top Her Up (by Beneficial)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    €4,200
bc – You Take Care (by Definite Article)     Tattersalls IRE NH     Nov    withdrawn