2016 leaders in France (2/8) : Milord Thomas

By winning his third Prix La Haye Jousselin (Gr1) this fall, the 7-year-old Milord Thomas (Kapgarde) just passed the two-million-euro mark. He won that French Autumn Gold Cup for the first time in 2014, aged 5, which puts him in line with the great Al Capone II (Italic), a 7-time winner of this very race from 1993 to 1999. The comparison does not stop there since the elder AQPS as the younger Thoroughbred both won their first Group 1 in the Prix Maurice Gillois-4yo Gold Cup.

Bred by EARL Michel and Thomas Le Boucher, Milord Thomas is leased to American owner Magalen Bryant and is trained by Dominique Bressou. He already won the Grand Steeple-Chase of Paris (Gr1) in 2015, but had to settle for a 4th place behind So French, Storm of Saintly and Alary this year. Yet, a single prep race in the autumn - a victory in the Prix Heros XII, defeating So French and Alary while giving them over 4Lbs at 72kg (around 159Lbs) - led him to victory in the Prix La Haye Jousselin after his Summer break.

Milord Thomas's dam, Star d’Avril (Phantom Breeze), was also trained by Dominique Bressou for Magalen Bryant. She was the ex-jockey's first winner over the fences, back in June 2005, just as Milord Thomas was his first starter in the Grand Steeple in 2015.

Star d'Avril, bought back €1,500 as a yearling by her breeders at Arqana December sales in December 2002, is also the dam of Martinstar (Martaline), a 4-year-old who started his hurdling career this season by a promising second place in the Prix Achille-Fould (L), a beginners' race, before winning the Prix Marittimo at Auteuil.

The mare foled two full brothers to Milord Thomas, Kapstar (born in 2015) and her latest foal to dat, Another Man.

Next Thursday, December 15th, meet leading owners Gérard Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro…