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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 18th May 2021.
Longchamp headed an excellent week of racing in France with the first two Classics of the season on Sunday the highlight. Alongside Vincennes staged a quality Saturday afternoon of trotting action plus much more…
Flat
| Date | Tuesday 11 May |
| Venue | Chantilly |
| Race | R4 – Listed Prix des Lilas (1600m) |
| Type | For three-year-old fillies only |
| Winner | Tahlie |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Pascal Bary |
| Breeding | Rio de la Plata x Tianshan |
| Second | Frenchette |
| Third | Lady Day |
| Tahlie was well positioned throughout being close to the pace. Christophe Soumillon timed the filly's challenge perfectly to peal out with 300m to go. The race seemed still wide open in the final 150m but the daughter of Rio de la Plata found an extra gear just in time. This became an eighth individual stakes winner for sire Rio De La Plata (Rahy). The stallion started his career at Darley's Haras du Logis in France and relocated to Ljungstorps Stud in Sweden in 2018. | |
| Date | Tuesday 11 May |
| Venue | Chantilly |
| Race | R5 – G3 Prix de Guiche (1800m) |
| Type | For three-year-old colts only |
| Winner | Makaloun |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Bated Breath x Makana |
| Second | Millebosc |
| Third | Fort Payne |
| Makaloun gained a fifth career win from six starts under another good ride from Christophe Soumillon who manoeuvred to the inside rail at a crucial time with 300m to go. The colt found an extra burst of energy to hold off the closing Millebosc and Fort Payne. Last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (2000m) third looks one to note for the owner and breeder, HRH Aga Khan. | |
| Date | Thursday 13 May |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix Gold River - Fonds Européen de l'Elevage (2800m) |
| Type | For four-year-olds and above (Fillies and mares only) |
| Winner | Noble Music |
| Jockey | Gérald Mossé |
| Trainer | Jérôme Reynier |
| Breeding | Sea The Moon x Noble Lady |
| Second | Vaucelles |
| Third | L'Absolue |
| Five-year-old mare, Noble Music continued to maintain her excellent consistent profile with a third career success in addition to the nine placings from fifteen overall starts. It has been a while since the mare has been raced over a trip this far, but it proved no barrier. The win gave Lanwades Stud-based sire Sea The Moon (Sea The Stars) his fourteenth stakes triumph. | |
| Date | Thursday 13 May |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | R5 – G3 Prix d'Hédouville (2400m) |
| Type | For four-year-old and above |
| Winner | In Swoop |
| Jockey | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | Francis-Henri Graffard |
| Breeding | Adlerflug x Iota |
| Second | The Good Man |
| Third | Sublimis |
| Last year's G1 Deutsches (German) Derby (2400m) winner and runner up in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) reversed the form with Sublimis after the pair brought home the field in the Listed Prix Lord Seymour (2400m) a month ago. The four-year-old son of Adlerflug delivered the sire with his seventeenth stakes level success. Olivier Peslier appeared to have plenty left despite a dominant win. | |
| Date | Sunday 16 May |
| Venue | Longchamp (Very Soft) |
| Race | R1 – G3 Prix de Saint-Georges (1000m) |
| Type | For three-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Ideal Beauty |
| Jockey | Mickaël Barzalona |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | Invincible Spirit x Discernable |
| Second | Berneuil |
| Third | Sestilio Jet |
| Ideal Beauty posted a second career win from seven starts in the opening race at Longchamp on Sunday when having a first visit to the Paris track. This three-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit is proving consistent after a run of multiple placings at Chantilly. This became the stallion's 131st stakes winner. | |
| Date | Sunday 16 May |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | R2 – Listed Prix Maurice Zilber - Fonds Européen de l'Elevage (1400m) |
| Type | For four-year-olds and above (fillies and mares) |
| Winner | Sagamiyra |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Mikel Delzangles |
| Breeding | Sea The Moon x Saghaniya |
| Second | Alpen Rose |
| Third | Tropbeau |
| Sagamiyra gained a five timer of victories maintaining a great run of form across multiple venues beginning with Niort last September, Angers, Compiegne, Saint Cloud and now Longchamp. This was a fair step up in class from a Class Two handicap to Listed company however she handled the grade rise with style by making all the running and a cleaver controlling ride from Christophe Soumillon. Another noteworthy performance from the Aga Khan homebred. | |
| Date | Sunday 16 May |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix de La Seine (2200m) |
| Type | For three-year-old fillies |
| Winner | Burgarita |
| Jockey | Mickaël Barzalona |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | Sea The Stars x Angelita |
| Second | Natsukashi |
| Third | Dary Ci |
| Burgarita came from almost last to first to remain unbeaten in two starts (both of which have come at Longchamp over 2200m and 2100m) when making good headway down the false straight. The daughter of Sea The Stars quickened away and is one for the notebook. This provided Sea The Stars with his 77th stakes victory. | |
| Date | Sunday 16 May |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | R7 – G1 The President of The UAE Cup - Coupe d'Europe des Chevaux Arabes (2000m) |
| Type | For four-year-olds and above. Pure Arab breds only |
| Winner | Hattal |
| Jockey | Ioritz Mendizabal |
| Trainer | Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte |
| Breeding | Mahabb x Mizzna |
| Second | Melabi |
| Third | No And No Al Maury |
| Hattal showed a good turn of foot to land the feature Arab event of the day to gain a second Group One success when stretching clear by two and half lengths. Last season's Chantilly G1 Derby des Pur-Sang Arabe de 4 ans (2000m) winner now holds five wins from six outings. This also gave another big race success to jockey Ioritz Mendizabal after his triumph in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1600m) two races before. | |
| Date | Monday 17 May |
| Venue | Chantilly (Good To Soft) |
| Race | R2 – G3 Prix Texanita (1200m) |
| Type | For three-year-olds only |
| Winner | Suesa |
| Jockey | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | François Rohaut |
| Breeding | Night of Thunder x Sally Is The Boss |
| Second | Louliana |
| Third | Bavaria Express |
| Suesa justified strong market support to remain unbeaten in four lifetime outings all coming at Chantilly for owner George Strawbridge. Once again, the three-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder looked impressive with Olivier Peslier only hands and heels to stretch three lengths clear. A trip to Royal Ascot and a tilt at the G1 Commonwealth Cup (1200m) may be on the cards. | |
Jump
| Date | Thursday 13 May |
| Venue | Le Lion-d'Angers |
| Race | R6 – Listed France Sire Prix Anjou-Loire Challenge Cross-Country Steeplechase (7300m) |
| Type | Cross country steeplechase for six-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Emeraude de Kerza |
| Jockey | Clément Lefebvre |
| Trainer | Gabriel Leenders |
| Breeding | Honolulu x Rangi |
| Second | Butterfly du Mou |
| Third | Otchoa Rouge |
| Seven-year-old mare Emeraude de Kerza took glory in the biggest race of the season at Le Lion-d'Angers when fending off Butterfly du Mou by two and half lengths to produce a good finish after the marathon trip. She finished a great second in this Crystal Cup qualifier eleven months ago (pushed back by covid-19) behind Amazing Comedy, but this year made amends. | |
| Date | Saturday 15 May |
| Venue | Auteuil (Heavy) |
| Race | R5 – Listed Prix Saint-Sauveur handicap chase (4400m) |
| Type | Handicap Steeplechase, for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Sampark |
| Jockey | Clément Lefebvre |
| Trainer | Fabrice Foucher |
| Breeding | Walk in the Park x Sampaguita |
| Second | Darling des Bordes |
| Third | Diffly River Ann |
| Under top weight, ten-year-old Sampark followed up his course and distance success from a month ago to record a fifth success from twelve career attempts. He had to show a good attitude to see out the journey on the rain softened going and produced a noteworthy performance. | |
| Date | Saturday 15 May |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | R6 – Listed Prix Miror Hurdle (3600m) |
| Type | Hurdle, for four-year-olds |
| Winner | Hurrick des Obeaux |
| Jockey | Olivier Jouin |
| Trainer | Nicolas Devilder |
| Breeding | Saddex x Quick des Obeaux |
| Second | Lord Chart |
| Third | Kotkiwell |
| Hurrick des Obeaux took up the running mid-way down the back straight and never saw a rival subsequently. He took the field side around the final turn to try and find the best ground. The first three home jumped the last together and the winner had to dig deep to fend off the François Nicolle pair into the placings. | |
| Date | Monday 17 May |
| Venue | Compiègne |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix du Cher Hurdle (3800m) |
| Type | Hurdle, for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Garkapstar |
| Jockey | Felix de Giles |
| Trainer | Joël Boisnard |
| Breeding | Kapgarde x Spidelle Star |
| Second | Zurekin |
| Third | Polirico |
| Garkapstar maintained his excellent winning run by recording a sixth consecutive success by making all in impressive style when always ahead of the main group despite a blunder at the final obstacle which gave a brief chance to Zurekin who finished 0.75L behind. | |
Trotting
| Date | Tuesday 11 May |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R4 – G3 Prix Fama (2700m) |
| Type | Driven, for three-year-old fillies |
| Winner | I Love Me |
| Driver | Tony Le Beller |
| Trainer | Tony Le Beller |
| Breeding | Love You x Réédite Gédé |
| Second | Chloe Bar |
| Third | Ilga de l'Ormerie |
| The three-year-old daughter of Love You, I Love Me bounced back to form after two DQ's including in the G2 Prix Masina (2100m) at the end of April. She clearly has ability as this was a third career victory (a first at Group level) from nine attempts. | |
| Date | Tuesday 11 May |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R5 – G3 Prix de Faulquemont (2700m) |
| Type | Driven, for three-year-olds colts and geldings |
| Winner | Impressionist |
| Driver | Eric Raffin |
| Trainer | Louis Baudron |
| Breeding | Ready Cash x Une Lady de Nappes |
| Second | Charmant de Zack |
| Third | Ikacou des Cinty |
| Ready Cash appears to have another promising son on his hands after Impressionist enhanced his good career start recording a fourth triumph from nine outings. He had an excellent Winter Meeting with multiple visits to the winner's enclosure and returned to form after a DQ in the G2 Prix Paul Karle (2100m). | |
| Date | Saturday 15 May |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R4 – G3 Prix Guillaume de Bellaigue (2700m) |
| Type | Mounted, International for six- to ten-year-olds |
| Winner | Clegs des Champs |
| Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Thierry Raffegeau |
| Breeding | Legs du Clos x Proserpine |
| Second | Boss du Meleuc |
| Third | Daïda de Vandel |
| David Thomain clawed back the long lead of Boss du Meleuc with 700m to go. The nine-year-old, Clegs des Champs kicked clear rounding the final turn to be an impressive winner turning the Group Three into a procession. | |
| Date | Saturday 15 May |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R5 - G3 Prix du Perreux (2850m) |
| Type | Driven, European for five- and six-year-olds |
| Winner | Marcello Wibb |
| Driver | Christophe Martens |
| Trainer | Vincent Martens |
| Breeding | Raja Mirchi x Astoria Amour |
| Second | Ampia Mede Sm |
| Third | Zerozerosette Gar |
| Marcello Wibb sprung a slight surprise on Saturday taking a significant step forward after a Toulouse Class B third a month ago. Under a great drive from Christophe Martens a narrow success was secured with a notable kilometre rating of 1"13"8. | |
| Date | Saturday 15 May |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R7 – G3 Prix du Gâtinais (2850m) |
| Type | Driven, European for six- to ten-year-olds |
| Winner | Violetto Jet |
| Driver | Franck Nivard |
| Trainer | Fabrice Souloy |
| Breeding | From Above x Nocciolaia Jet |
| Second | Jerry Mom |
| Third | Féerie Wood |
| Under very wet conditions, seven-year-old Violetto Jet came storming home on the stand side to overtake the field in a wide open finish tackling this Group Three and bouncing back to winning form after two DQ including in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (4150m) two runs ago. He posted another smart kilometre rating of 1"12"8. | |
