3 minute read
Review: Pau.
From the beginning of December, Pau staged their winter meeting holding 27 race fixtures until early February. The south-west track featured several high-profile contests including the flagship G3 Grand Prix de Pau (5300m).
The 134th edition of the Grand Prix de Pau was run on 24 January in heavy ground. Trainer David Cottin won this prize three times as a jockey and this season completed a hat-trick of victories as a trainer. After winning the previous two renewals with Forthing and Laterana, it was progressive chaser Ajas who stayed on powerfully upped in distance to earn a career best performance. The son of No Risk was briefly threatened by previous G3 scorer Poly Grandchamp at the third last fence but had no answer to the determined effort from the winner. Eddy De Balme ran on into second, however this was all about Ajas, who is open for further improvement having stayed this distance for the first time.
On Friday 5 February, Youtwo Glass won the Listed Prix Camille Duboscq Hurdle (3500m) by half a length. The Daniela Mele trained four-year-old gelding appeared to have the race in safe keeping after travelling sweetly into the home straight, having saved ground throughout. However, he was made to work hard for victory with Lolly Flight and Alex Du Pin upsides the winner at the final hurdle, with little separating the trio. The son of Joshua Tree produced the better jump to clinch the race in an attritional contest in deep ground.
Daniela Mele's was again on the scoresheet in the Listed Prix Antoine De Palaminy Steeplechase (3900m) in the first black type race on February 7 with La Danza running out a comfortable enough winner. In-form rider Thomas Beaurain made all the running prior to a sketchy leap at the last hurdle. He was strong in the finish to see the pair home in front of the keeping-on Enki The Best. The winner looks capable of further progress with stamina now assured over this distance.
Easysland was a significant absentee from the Listed Grand Cross De Pau (Prix Gaston De Bataille (6300m)) three hours later. The David Cottin-trained star, owned by JP McManus, will now head straight for the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (6069m), a race he won last year by seventeen lengths. Without this notable rival to contend with, Uniketat clung on to land the valuable prize for trainers Lageneste & Macaire. The race was a severe test of stamina, with Felix de Giles galvanising the son of Vision d'Etat for one final effort at the last fence before driven firmly to just see out the marathon trip best. Lucky Net Love stayed on powerfully for second with James Reveley delivering a big finish to almost win on the line. The winner is progressive, having won six in-a-row and remains undefeated in three cross country races during the winter festival here. He could be interesting if taking up a long-term target of Cheltenham's Crystal Cup in December.
One hour later in the same afternoon, it was time for the final highlight of the meeting. There was a shock winner in the feature race, the 134th edition of the Listed Grande Course de Haies De Pau (Prix Max de Ginestet (4100m)). Garo De Juilley, trained by Sophie Leech and ridden by James Reveley, took the prize under a good ride. Sitting handily, just behind the two favourites, Lou Bucks (Nicolle/Lestrade) and Ajas (Cottin/Nabet) he loomed up at the penultimate hurdle, taking the lead at the top of the straight. The son of Ungaro kept on well to the line and this proved to be his biggest achievement since racing in France. His previous victory came at Cholet in September, but the nine-year-old gelding had plenty of experience in the UK including some back class when victorious in a G3 handicap hurdle at Chepstow in 2018.
With two victories on Sunday and one more winner on Tuesday, Felix de Giles was the leading rider of Pau's winter meeting managing twelve wins. Kevin Nabet and Geoffrey Ré were joint second with ten victories. Daniela Mele topped the list for trainers with sixteen winners, followed by François Nicolle and Erwan Grall who both saddled thirteen winners each.
