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News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 10th March 2021.

This week's news-in-brief includes the stallion rankings from the Vincennes Winter Meeting, success of Arqana graduates at Cagnes-sur-Mer's Winter meeting and the latest on Ajas...

Stallion Rankings

The stallion rankings from the Vincennes Winter Meeting have been released. Ready Cash headed the list with 47 winners, four more than his 2019/20 meeting tally and three shy of his record (50 winners in 2017/18). Prodigious finished second with 25 winners from 198 starters and Love You was third with 23 victories from 181 runners. It is worth noting that the stallion diversity has dropped dramatically with twenty less stallions represented throughout the meeting.

Two stallions recorded their first Group One winners – Un Charme Fou with Helitlopet (Prix de Vincennes) and Crystal Money had In The Money (Prix Comte Pierre de Montesson-Critérium des Jeunes).

Pierre-Yves Verva

Get d'Eronville provided Pierre-Yves Verva with his 1500th winner last Sunday when scoring at Amiens in the second race. He has three Group One race victories to his name.

Baptiste Le Clerc

At Fontainebleau last Thursday, 19-year-old jockey Baptiste Le Clerc landed his seventieth winner as part of a treble consisting Harowa, Desgarbado, and Loup Nonantais. All horses are trained by Guillaume Macaire and Hector Lageneste, where Le Clerc is serving his apprenticeship. Last year he ran a place on Feu Follet in both the G1 Grand Steeplechase de Paris (3rd) and the G1 Prix La Haye Jousselin (2nd).

Arqana success

It was a successful Cagnes-sur-Mer Winter (flat) meeting for Arqana graduates with 21 victories, of which eighteen were by three-year-olds. King Shalaa (Shalaa) was purchased by Haras de Victot for €110,000 and remains unbeaten after three starts with a determined victory in the Listed Prix de la Californie (1600m) last month. He is entered in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1600m) and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m). Another notable winner from the Arqana sale was Pretty Tiger (Sea The Moon), who scored a commanding success in a class 1 event on his third career start. The Fabrice Vermeulen-trained youngster was bought by Oceanic Bloodstock for €105,000 and is another entered in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (2100m). A filly who caught the eye on first start was Light Stars (Sea The Stars) for Jean-Claude Rouget. Once organised down the straight she kept on nicely to secure the win. She will be interesting over further in time and has an entry in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) for Paul Nataf, who purchased the filly for €82,000. Another Jean-Claude Rouget-trained individual, Wally delivered two wins during the Winter meeting, notably an impressive winner of the Listed Prix Saonois (1600m). He was bought by his trainer for €130,000 at the August Yearling Sale in 2018. He may line up in the Listed all-weather Mile Championship (1600m) at Lingfield in April.

Awards

Eric Raffin won the Sulky d'Or (French drivers title) for the second year in-a-row with 254 victories and received the award last Saturday at Vincennes, on the final day of the Winter meeting. Jean-Michel Bazire was crowned top trainer with 207 winners, while Face Time Bourbon (Ready Cash) was awarded the Crack series, following his thirteenth G1 triumph. Mathieu Mottier won the Etrier d'Or (top mounted rider) for the first time with 72 successes. Gaelle Godard won the apprentice title for the mounted trotters with 29 winners and Enzo Lelievre was top sulky driver with 20 winners. In the amateur ranks were Barbara Guenet (four mounted wins) and Dimitri Crespel (21 driven wins). Ecurie des Charmes was named leading owner and breeder with 80 victories (€1,914,235) as owner and 111 as breeder. Ready Cash (Indy de Vive) was given the best stallion award.

Reims

The Grand National du Trot starts at Reims on Wednesday, March 10. This will be the 40th edition of the championship which brings together trotters from across France to compete for a place in the final at the end of the year. Fourteen stages are planned for this year, with the grand final to be played at Vincennes on December 5. Each stage winner will automatically qualify for the final.

Rees Morgan-Murphy

The son of UK trainer, the late Ferdy Murphy, who officially trained ten Cheltenham Festival winners, reached the frame in three races when riding at Compiegne on Tuesday. Rees Morgan-Murphy has made a good comeback since a lengthy absence with injury. He was successful onboard Prince de Bellouet (Balko) at Angers last week and is well worth his claim when able to use it.

Ajas

Stablemate to reigning Cheltenham Cross-country Chase (6069m) winner, Easysland (Gentlewave) David Cottin's Ajas (No Risk At All) will not participate in the fixture next week. The seven-year-old was runner-up behind the Sophie Leech-trained Garo du Juilley (Ungaro) in the Listed Max de Ginestet Hurdle (4099m) at Pau last month and was second favourite for the unique spectacle on the second day of the Cheltenham festival. Swedish owner, Ulf Sjoberg, reported he would miss the race due to the fact owners cannot attend the event. He will next race in the €135,000 G3 Prix Troytown (4400m) at Auteuil on March 20.

Classic Entries

Of the seventy-two entered for the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Newmarket (UK), three are trained in France – Listed Prix Zeddaan (1200m) victor Prince Zeddaan, undefeated Parchemin (Listed Prix Isonomy (1600m)) and the Francis-Henri Graffard trained Chez Pierre (winner of two Class Twos at Chantilly). French bred entries are topped by G1 Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) winner St Mark's Basilica. Other French-bred horses to note include Merchants Quay (fourth in G2 Railway Stakes (1200m)) and Group One placed Jadoomi. In comparison, there are no French trained fillies entered for the G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) and only one French-bred – G1 Fillies Mile (1600m) heroine Pretty Gorgeous.

Three French-trained colts have been left in the G1 Epsom Derby (2400m) – Media Stream, Dayshann and Diverge. After the success of In Swoop in the 2020 G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m), eight French-trained horses have been left in the race, four nominated by In Swoop's trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.

Mickaël Forest

The young rider has returned to France after spending almost five months in Qatar. He rode in 134 races, winning four times and reaching the frame on 48 occasions. His most notable winner was partnering a five-year-old French mare Gaby de Faust (Dahess) in the Dukhan Cup (1700m) at Al Rayyan racecourse.

Pony Racing

From the start of the February holidays training courses have taken place for nine-to fifteen-year-olds, with over 200 ponies and riders. Lessons have been conducted across the country, with some taking place with thoroughbred trainers such as Armand Lefeuvre and Emmanuel Clayeux. Over 150 pony riders have graduated into the professional ranks since its inception.