SA Connections Looking Forward To Cheltenham Challenge
South African interest in the ‘Horse Olympiad’, the Cheltenham Festival, will reach its peak when four days of explosive track action get underway at Prestbury Park on Tuesday 14 March with the run of the Gr1 Sky Bet Supreme Novice Hurdle.
And it’s essentially all about a charismatic gray rising star of Leaps named Il Etait Temps.
The Cheltenham Festival has been dubbed the greatest show on grass, presenting 28 exceptional competitions from Tuesday 14th March to Friday 17th March when the Cheltenham Gold Cup takes pride of place.
Danny Mullins and Il Etait Temps are greeted by Wayne Kieswetter (Image provided)
The son of the Jukebox Jury, Il Etait Temps wears the instantly recognizable silks of the Hollywood Syndicate’s KZN Champion owners, who race him in a lease partnership with the Kieswetter family’s Barnane stud farm.
The handsome gelding is also owned by Bloodstock man Ross Doyle and longtime Barnane Stud manager Patrick Wynn Jones.
Il Etait Temps made their claims at Cheltenham in a commanding manner and two weeks ago stormed to victory in the Tattersalls Ireland Gr1 Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown, adding his name to an illustrious list of winners that also included Gold Cup hero Sir Gerhard belongs , Appreciate It, Klassical Dream and Vautour, among others.
Wayne and Danny Mullins, Il Etait Temps, Adam Connolly, Willie & Jackie Mullins, Patrick Wynn Mullins (Image Provided)
The gray’s sensational victory was also a momentous occasion for the burgeoning partnership between the Kieswetter family and the Hollywood Syndicate, with Dynasty filly Make It Snappy earning elite status from Il Etait Temps this summer on her home track from Hollywoodbets Kenilworth with a double Grade 1 reached .
We tracked down the man who started the ball rolling of Il Etait Temps.
His name is Ross Doyle, a member of the internationally renowned Doyle racing family and has been involved with South African racing for many years.
The late Jack Doyle, Peter’s father and Ross’ grandfather, was known to many as the doyen of the blood animal agents and was a major force in the blood animal industry for some 60 years. When Peter worked with his father, he bought, among other things, the Classic winner Bruni and the European sprinter champion Sandford Lad.
Peter Doyle founded the agency in 1978 with his wife Anna; Horses purchased by the agency have achieved notable success around the world. Ross joined the company in 2001 and is an integral part of the continued success of Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock.
And the Doyle-Kieswetter family association has a long history.
“My parents Peter and Anna have been visiting South Africa for over 25 years and have attended the National Yearling Sale in Johannesburg and most recently the Cape Premier Yearling Sale in Cape Town. During one of those visits, they met Craig’s parents, Wayne and Belinda (Kieswetter), and formed a friendship. I, in turn, met the family on subsequent visits to Cape Town for the yearling sale. And so began a solid friendship with the second generation. We’ve bought some lovely yearlings from their amazing Ridgemont Highlands Stud in Robertson,” reflects Ross as he demonstrates once again that racing really is as much a game of great horses as it is a game of good peers!
Ross then sketches the tale of Il Etait Temps for the Sporting Post.
He is a gelding by Jukebox Jury out of a mare named Une Des Source and was bred in France by Emmanuel Clayeux.
And honestly, to the uneducated observer, there wasn’t much to suggest a potential show jumping star was lurking in the shadows when, as a three-year-old in France, he ran two flats and fifth then second in the 2200m for his trainer and half-breeder Emanuel Clayeux in Vichy in May 2021.
“I am in regular contact with Harold Kirk, a bloodstock agent in Ireland, and he is the head scout for champion trainer Willie Mullins along with his close friend in France, Pierre Boulard. Harold mentioned Il Etait Temps to me as a horse that caught my eye,” recalls Ross.
The third generation Bloodstock Advisor’s interest was further piqued after watching the race replays.
“I agreed there was something about him. He was eye catching, keen on getting work done and tough looking. We liked his running style; He is a medium-sized horse and moves well,” he adds.
Ross then chatted with Craig Kieswetter and Barnane manager Patrick Wynn Jones.
“We have an excellent ongoing relationship and I told them I really think Il Etait Temps is an interesting prospect. The rest is history, with many happy chapters hopefully yet to be written!” smiles Ross.
A proud Adam Connolly posed with the winner (picture – provided)
He proudly adds that the Gr1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle’s roll of honor speaks for itself and it is widely regarded as one of the most important races in Ireland and England on the national hunting calendar.
“The Gr1 Sky Bet Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham is the obvious next step. He’s in the top three in betting now so hopefully if all goes well he has a very good chance there,” he says with a smile.
Ross previously bought Echoes In Rain from France in May 2019 through the same channels for the Kieswetters.
“She is now a Grade 1 winner with Willie Mullins. Hopefully she will compete in the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham. Another horse we recently bought for Craig and his family is Gust of Wind. Like Il Etait Temps, he’s skating in Hollywood silk and heading for Cheltenham to reach the Triumph hurdle.”
Devin Heffer seen with Diane de Kock and Mike de Kock (Pic-Candies Lenferna)
Hollywoodbet’s Brand & Communications Manager Devin Heffer said the Hollywood Syndicate’s growth and success has been extraordinary and the mere thought of attending the Cheltenham Festival would have been pipe dream just six months ago.
“Our collaboration with the Kieswetter family was a turning point in our ability to compete globally at Tier 1 level and we owe them a debt of gratitude for accepting the partnership and welcoming us into their world. We had a double Gr1 win at the Cape recently and then Il Etait Temp’s big Leopardstown Gr1 win was just great. It feels like a dream!” he added.
That’s what Craig Kieswetter said Sporting contribution that the aim of their Ridgemont-Highlands and Barnane Stud operations was to breed the best of the best and to enjoy horse racing at all levels but always strive to be competitive at an elite level.
“Cheltenham is one of the pre-eminent racing festivals in the world and to be there is both an honor and a privilege. Enjoying this great game with passionate world-class racers like the Heffer family and the Doyle family makes it all the more fun and enjoyable,” he concluded.
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