A Plus Tard (foaled 6 February 2014) is a retired French-bred

thoroughbred racehorse The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed for horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered " ...

who competed in National Hunt racing.

Career

A Plus Tard was bred in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

by Mme Henri Devin and raced five times in the country in 2017 and 2018, never finishing outside of the top three. A Plus Tard won twice, at

Saint-Brieuc Saint-Brieuc (, Breton language, Breton: ''Sant-Brieg'' , Gallo language, Gallo: ''Saent-Berioec'') is a city in the Côtes-d'Armor Departments of France, department in Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France. History ...

and Auteuil. In May 2018, A Plus Tard was gelded and in October of that year the horse was sold privately to

Cheveley Park Stud Cheveley Park Stud is a thoroughbred racehorse ownership and breeding operation in Newmarket, Suffolk, UK, which has bred and owned many notable horses. It is the oldest stud in Newmarket, the "capital" of British racing, with evidence of h ...

and moved to Henry De Bromhead in Ireland. A Plus Tard made his debut for the new owner and trainer combination at

Gowran Park Gowran Park is a horse race course in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the Annely Estate near the village of Gowran. The first meeting was held in 1914. and the first ever racecourse commentary in Ireland took place here in 1952. Gowra ...

in November 2018, finishing second in a 2m4f chase. The following month, taking victory at Naas before finishing second in a Grade 3 at

Punchestown Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish Nationa ...

. A Plus Tard had a first

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Race ...

victory in March 2019, winning the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. He would finish third in the Grade 1

Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 3 miles and ½ furl ...

the following month at Punchestown. A Plus Tard won his first Grade 1 at

Leopardstown Leopardstown (), historically called Ballinlore, is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. With institutional lands and a large racecourse, it is divided by the M50 motorway (Ireland), M50 motorw ...

in December 2019, in the Paddy's Rewards Club "Loyalty's Dead, Live For Rewards" Chase. A return to Cheltenham in March yielded third in the

Ryanair Chase The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs ...

behind eventual winner, Min. In December 2020, A Plus Tard returned to Leopardstown and won the Grade 1

Savills Chase The Savills Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and ...

before making a

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...

debut finishing second behind

Minella Indo Minella Indo (foaled 18 April 2013) is an Irish racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He was one of the leading Novices' Hurdlers 2018/19 season when he recorded Grade 1 victories in the Spa Novices' Hurdle and Irish Daily Mirror ...

. After a lengthy off-season break, A Plus Tard returned at Haydock in November winning the

Betfair Chase The Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 1½ furlongs (3 miles 1 furlo ...

. At Leopardstown, he was beaten second in the Savills Chase by Galvin. In March, A Plus Tard returned to Cheltenham and, ridden by

Rachael Blackmore Rachael Blackmore (born 11 July 1989) is an Irish former National Hunt jockey. In 2021, she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National in the 182-year history of the race. She also became the first woman to be leading jockey at t ...

, won the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...

by 15 lengths from Minella Indo. With no wins in his next four starts, his retirement was announced in January 2024.

Pedigree

References

External links

– ''A Plus Tard Race Form'' {{Cheltenham Gold Cup winners 2014 racehorse births Cheltenham Festival winners Racehorses trained in Ireland National Hunt racehorses Cheltenham_Gold_Cup_winners Thoroughbred family 1-h