Constitution Hill's sire Blue Bresil has proven himself to be no one-trick-pony

The Christmas festivals were painted a bright shade of blue as Rathbarry Stud's Blue Bresil sired two Grade 1 winners, with Constitution Hill extending his unbeaten hurdling sequence and Blue Lord claiming his first top-level success in open company.

Grade 1 winners are all well and good, the lifeblood of a stallion's career, but every sire who produces a superstar like Constitution Hill also needs a steady stream of stars like Blue Lord and nebulae that could some day burn as brightly as the Grade 1 winners of today.

Blue Bresil is firmly in the spotlightCredit: Glenview Stud

That was the most encouraging element of the festive period for the 18-year-old son of Smadoun. His established stars shone luminously but youngsters also flickered into life. Inthepocket won the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle just before Christmas, while on New Year's Day Dancing In Brazil, who had technically only just turned four, was third in Cheltenham's Listed bumper.