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Statistic Of The Week of French Racing News - 1st April 2021.

After reviewing the All-Weather Championship past winners, we now look at the French connection with this year's finals which takes place on Friday (2 April) at Lingfield Park (UK)…

Since last October across multiple venues in France, the UK and Ireland, there have been automatic qualifications called "Fast-Track Qualifiers" which ensures free and guaranteed places to Finals Day.  

The Mile (1600m) Championship this year has been supported by French trainers with two runners declared.   

Canagat commenced his career in the UK but moved from Archie Watson to Georgios Alimpinisis during the winter. Disappointing on his first French outing when downfield at Deauville AW, he subsequently manage to show ability on the All-Weather (AW) surface at Cagnes-sur-Mer when passing the post in second before being disqualified. The gelding took another step forward three weeks later at the same course and distance to place third in the Listed Prix Saonois (1600m) (A Fast-Track qualifier). His latest run came at Chantilly AW when a fair sixth after setting the pace three weeks ago.   

Silver Quartz will bid for a hat trick of victories after a successful winter campaign for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. Following a short break, he won in class two level at Deauville AW over 1500m before success at Chantilly AW in the class one conditions Prix Montjeu (1600m). This was his second consecutive win in this class one contest. The six-year-old son of Frankel may have a chance with the intriguing jockey booking of Hollie Doyle. Silver Quartz is another who started his career in Britain with Hugo Palmer and then Archie Watson. However, he has built up a good record on the All-Weather in France since moving to Francis-Henri Graffard in 2019.  

The Easter Classic AW middle distance championship (2000m) includes Byford who won in style by almost five lengths at Pornichet last August when trainer Ivan Furtado took this four-year-old gelding (current age) across the channel for his second career start. He found success a further two times in his next three races and it will be interesting if he can progress again at this level and replicate the Pornichet maiden winning form.  

Harrison Point runs in the Apprentice Handicap which concludes the afternoon and holds some fair French form. Archie Watson raced this gelding at Cagnes-sur-Mer where he finished a close fifth in the 2020 running of the Listed Prix La Californie (1600m). His latest run was also in France when downfield in the Deauville AW Listed Prix Luthier (1500m) in December.  

Below are the French Fast-Track qualifiers winners in calendar order:

Middle Distance, November 25, Deauville, 1900m, Sky Power (Gael Barbedette/Stephane Pasquier) 

Mile (1600m), February 20, Cagnes-sur-Mer, 1600m, Wally (Jean-Claude Rouget/Jean-Bernard Eyquem) 

Sprint, March 2, Chantilly, 1300m, Duhail (Andre Fabre/Vincent Cheminaud)