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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 22nd September 2021.
This week's round-up includes the G3 Prix de Montelimar from Vincennes and the G3 Prix The Fellow at Auteuil...
Date | Monday 13th September |
Venue | Auteuil |
Race | Listed Prix Finot (Hurdles) (3600m) |
Type | Unraced Three-year-olds (fillies only) |
Winner | Hawai du Berlais |
Jockey/Driver | Pierre Dubourg |
Trainer | Arnaud Chaille-Chaille |
Breeding | Martaline X Hilton Du Berlais |
Second | Priority |
Third | Ire Light |
The Arnaud Chaille-Chaille-trained filly Hawai du Berlais produced a snug debut success when quickening up well between rivals. The hooded daughter of Martaline jumped well overall and was produced nicely by jockey Pierre Dubourg. Martaline is a well-known proven sire of high class jumps horses including the likes of Dynaste, Terrefort and French Grade One winner Kotkikova. |
Date | Tuesday 14th September |
Venue | Saint-Cloud |
Race | Listed Prix des Tourelles - Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage (2400m) |
Type | Three-year-old plus fillies and mares |
Winner | Quenelle D'Or |
Jockey/Driver | Ioritz Mendizabal |
Trainer | Hugo Palmer |
Breeding | Golden Horn X Quenelle D'Or |
Second | Control Tower |
Third | Jannah Flower |
Expertly placed by UK based trainer Hugo Palmer, Quenelle D'Or gained her first valuable piece of black type when winning the Listed Prix des Tourelles - Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage (2400m) by a neck. Jockey Ioritz Mendizabal always looked comfortable controlling the pace on the front end and his filly showed a willing attitude to fight off a host of challengers. By the high-class Golden Horn her dam Quenelle was a Listed winner over the same trip and a half-sister to top-class middle distance filly Ouija Board. The champion three-year-old Golden Horn currently stands at Dalham Hall Stud (UK) for a fee of £20,000. |
Date | Friday 17th September |
Venue | Chantilly |
Race | G3 Prix Eclipse (1200m) |
Type | Two-year-old colts and fillies |
Winner | Topgear |
Jockey/Driver | Stephane Pasquier |
Trainer | Fabrice Chappet |
Breeding | Wootton Bassett X Miss Lech |
Second | Best Flying |
Third | Lovamour |
The progressive Fabrice Chappet-trained two-year-old remained unbeaten in three starts to date following a tough short-neck success in the G3 Prix Eclipse (1200m). Settled in midfield on the rail by jockey Stephane Pasquier the son of Wootton Bassett showed a tenacious attitude refusing to lie down on the far-side of eventual runner-up Best Flying. The pair finished four-and-a-half lengths clear of the third, Lovamour. Tough and exceptional two-year-old Wootton Bassett currently stands for a fee of €100,000 at Coolmore Stud (IRE). |
Date | Friday 17th September |
Venue | Chantilly |
Race | G3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (1800m) |
Type | Three-year-old plus fillies and mares |
Winner | Waliyak |
Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
Trainer | Roger Varian |
Breeding | Le Havre X Vadariya |
Second | Sweet Lady |
Third | All Rumours |
The consistent Waliyak gained a first Group Three success running out a one-length winner of the G3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (1800m) at Chantilly. Pushed up to gain a prominent position by jockey Cristian Demuro the UK based Roger Varian-trained filly quickened up smartly in the straight. By the 2009 G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2400m) winner Le Havre and out of an Aga Khan French trained mare Waliyak's success looks meaningful. Le Havre currently stands at Montfort et Preaux for a fee of €40,000. |
Date | Friday 17th September |
Venue | Auteuil |
Race | Listed Prix Finot (Hurdles) (3600m) |
Type | Unraced Three-year-olds (colts and geldings) |
Winner | Aimant |
Jockey/Driver | Angelo Zuliani |
Trainer | David Cottin |
Breeding | Exosphere x Aimante |
Second | Conspiracy Theory |
Third | Miralago |
The David Cottin-trained three-year-old Aimant ran out an impressive twelve-length winner of the Listed Prix Finot (3600m) on debut. Always well positioned just off the pace by jockey Angelo Zuliani this striking son of Exosphere showed a smart turn of foot up the straight to put clear daylight between himself and his rivals. It was somewhat of a surprise he started off life hurdling given he is by the top-class Australian sprinter Exosphere and out of a Dansilli mare but that takes nothing away from this impressive performance. Exosphere currently stands at Haras du Logis for €6,000. |
Date | Friday 17th September |
Venue | Auteuil |
Race | G3 Prix The Fellow – Marquise De Moratalla (Steeplechase) (4400m) |
Type | Four-year-old plus |
Winner | Let Me Love |
Jockey/Driver | Olivier Jouin |
Trainer | William Menuet |
Breeding | Authorized X Lady D'Ogenne |
Second | Ladyville |
Third | L'aubonniere |
Let Me Love recorded her first success at Group level when battling hard to victory in the G3 Prix The Fellow – Marquise De Moratalla (Steeplechase) (4400m) at Auteuil. Positioned just behind the leaders for most of the race by jockey Olivier Jouin the four-year-old went up a notch turning for home before staying on strongly throughout the home straight. Authorized currently stands at Jockey Club of Turkey (TUR) for a fee of €12,500. |
Date | Sunday 19th September |
Venue | Strasbourg |
Race | Listed Grand Prix de la Région Grand Est (2100m) |
Type | Three-year-old plus |
Winner | Monty |
Jockey/Driver | Gerald Mosse |
Trainer | Andreas Schutz |
Breeding | Motivator X Antebellum |
Second | Top Max |
Third | Dato |
The Andreas Schutz-trained six-year-old secured his second Listed race success in the past three starts winning the Listed Grand Prix de la Région Grand Est (2100m) at Strasbourg. Settled nicely on the inside by jockey Gerald Mosse the son of Motivator quickened up nicely rounding the home turn and always looked to be doing enough up the straight. The 2005 English Derby winner Motivator currently stands at Haras du Quesnay for €7,000. |
Trotting
Date | Sunday 19th September |
Venue | Vincennes |
Race | G3 Prix de Montelimar (2700m) |
Type | Three-year-olds driven |
Winner | Ibra Meslois |
Jockey/Driver | David Thomain |
Trainer | Pierre Belloche |
Breeding | The Best Madrik X Vista Mesloise |
Second | Inexess Bleu |
Third | Cocis Mp |
Ibra Meslois bounced back from a disqualification when behind some of the reopposing rivals in the Class A Prix Emile Wendling at Vincennes. Well placed on the inside by driver David Thomain early on the pair manoeuvred themselves towards the outside before quickening up nicely in the closing stages. By the multiple Group One winner The Best Madrik, there should be plenty more to come from this three-year-old and a step up in grade could be on the cards. |