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News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 15th April 2021.
It has been another busy week in French racing and trotting with many developments including smart performer Le Berry, a stallion landmark for Dubawi, invitations to the Paralympiatravet plus much more..
Le Berry
Le Berry made a successful comeback winning at Compiegne. Looking impressive in the Prix du Mont Cenis hurdle (3800m), the champion four-year-old chaser of last season and winner of the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois - Grand Steeplechase des 4 Ans chase (4400m) indicated the class was still there representing David Cottin. Possible future targets include the G2 Prix Ingre Chase (4400m) on Friday 30 April. This would be before the son of Gemix bids for the G1 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris Chase (6000m) on Sunday 23 May.
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau hosted a third leg of the Crystal Cup series on Saturday 3 April with the running of the Listed Grand Steeple-Chase Cross Country de Fontainebleau Steeplechase (6000m). Otchoa Rouge gave jockey Adrien Fouchet first taste of Listed level glory. For more information, please click here to read the Weekly Round Up.
Deauville
Deauville staged two fascinating Group Three events last Thursday. Kingman recorded his 32nd stakes level victory with the Spanish-trained Reina Madre winning the G3 Prix Imprudence (1400m) for Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez and jockey Christophe Soumillon. The three-year-old filly beat Sky Angel (Dark Angel) by a short neck, with Louliana (Acclamation) in third. Reina Madre is the sixth foal out of Listed winner Splashdown. Reina Madre showed ability at two when second at Bordeaux last season in the Listed Grand Critérium de Bordeaux - Prix du Hong-Kong Jockey Club (1600m).
Fast Raaj presented Iffraaj with a 76th stakes win in the G3 Prix Djebel (1400m). The three-year-old colt trained by Yann Barberot remains unbeaten at Deauville with both career wins coming at the track from four lifetime starts. Fast Raaj is the second foal out of winning mare Interesting, a half-sister to Listed winner With Interest. Iffraaj is based permanently at Darley's Dalham Hall where he stood 2021 for a fee of £20,000 (approx. €23,000).
Paralympiatravet
The 2021 running of the Group One Paralympiatravet, one of Sweden's biggest Trotting events of the year, is due to be held on Saturday 8 May. French participation could be strong with the race by invitation only. Gelati Cut (Coktail Jet) was the first horse to be officially invited prior to Délia du Pommereux (Niky) also being invited and accepting the offer to make a first trip abroad for trainer, Sylvain Roger. The eight-year-old mare enjoyed a successful Vincennes Winter meeting with highlights including a surprise success over Face Time Bourbon in the G1 Grand Prix de France (2100m) in February.
Baratti
Baratti continued the trend of Binche's excellent broodmare career when the brother of Finche won last Monday at Chantilly for André Fabre and Pierre-Charles Boudot.
Finche was a top-class performer with triumphs including the 2019 G3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) in Australia alongside two placings in the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and a creditable fourth in the 2018 G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Baratti, a son of Frankel is the last known foal of Binche and won in good style on debut last week for the late Prince Khalid Abdullah in the Prix du Pont du Roi (2000m) at Chantilly.
Dubawi
Dubawi achieved a notable landmark last Tuesday at Saint Cloud when securing his 200th stakes level victory as a sire with Philomène, a three-year-old filly successful in the G3 Prix Pénélope (2100m). For more information, please click here to read the Run Of The Week (Flat).
Philomène is Godolphin owned and was bought for €1,625,000 at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale in 2019. The André Fabre trained filly is out of Listed winner Prudenzia (Dansili), making her a half-sister to last season's G1 LKS Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) [Flemington, Australia] winner Magic Wand (Galileo) and Group One winner Chicquita (Montjeu) who was second in the 2013 edition of the Classic Prix Diane (2100m).
Yohann Lebourgeois
Yohann Lebourgeois after many years secured a winner for his apprenticeship trainer Joël Hallais last Saturday at Vincennes steering Hirondelle du Rib to victory in a Class B Mounted event. His last win for the trainer was back in 2012, November 26. Lebourgeois is in great form this month and is a driver/jockey to note.
Longchamp - Season Opener
Maxime Guyon had a successful first day back at Longchamp when riding Adhamo to win the G3 Prix la Force (1800m) as well as Solsticia in the Listed Prix Zarkava - Fonds Européen de l'Elevage (1200m).
A three-year-old daughter of Frankel, Rumi found success in the three-year-old fillies G3 Prix Vanteaux (1800m).
One of the other highlights was the six-year-old, Skalleti gaining another win in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt (2000m). His career stands at fourteen victories from nineteen starts.
A three-year-old son of Flintshire remains unbeaten in three outings after winning the G3 Prix Noailles (2100m) with Cheshire Academy for Cristian Demuro, Jean-Claude Rouget and owners White Birch Farm.
Raging Bull
Sold at the Wildenstein dispersal, Raging Bull was bought for € 90,000 at Goffs in 2016. He is one of seven Group One winners for stallion, Dark Angel and more significantly, the only one who has found success beyond 1600m when taking the G1 Hollywood Derby (1800m) at Keeneland [USA].
Ulka des Champs
Ulka des Champs having been retired to stud after a notable career of seventeen victories and €746,780 in prize money gave birth to a yearling by Love You last Tuesday.
Cascadian
Cascadian is the first import to win the G1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick in Australia since 1997. The six-year-old son of New Approach (Galileo) delivered a fifth Group one win for jockey Jamie Kah, equaling the record set by Michelle Payne for the most wins at the highest level for a female jockey. Cascadian won three times in France between 2017 and 2018 for André Fabre. He finished second in the G1 Prix Jean Prat (1600m), which was one of three times the gelding has been placed at the highest class.
