3 minute read
Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 3rd August 2021.
This week's news-in-brief covers Listed success for Magny Cours, a new 1609m champion at Enghien and a British-trained winner at Clairefontaine...
| Date | 27 July |
| Venue | Compiegne |
| Race | Prix Pelleas |
| Type | Listed – Three-year-old colts and geldings only – 2000m |
| Winner | Caprice des Dieux |
| Jockey/Driver | Stephane Pasquier |
| Trainer | Nicolas Clement |
| Breeding | Declaration of War x Neko |
| Second | Alastor |
| Third | Media Stream |
| Caprice des Dieux recorded an easy five length win in the Listed Prix Pelleas over at Compiegne over 2000m, despite facing a small but competitive field. The colt was returning to Listed level after an eye-catching second behind Pretty Tiger in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam over the same distance at Saint-Cloud. The G2 Prix Dollar (1950m) at Longchamp on 'Arc Trials' Day has been mentioned as a possible target. | |
| Date | 28 July |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | Prix de la Chaussée d'Antin |
| Type | G3 – Five and six year olds only – 2875m |
| Winner | Fly Speed |
| Jockey/Driver | Jean-Philippe Monclin |
| Trainer | Jean-Marie Monclin |
| Breeding | Neutron du Cebe x Icaranda |
| Second | Gloria du Gers |
| Third | Gaudeo |
| It was a successful first attempt at Group Three company for Fly Speed in the Prix de la Chaussée d'Antin, beating Group placed Gloria du Gers. He held a handy position throughout and made steady progress in the final 200m to deny the fast-finishing Gloria du Gers by a length. Although not a traditional trial for the G1 Critérium des 5 Ans at Vincennes, many of the disappointed runners will be looking towards the feature race including the third-placed Gaudeo who is expected to take in the Prix Jockey en-route to the Critérium. | |
| Date | 31 July |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | Prix de Milan |
| Type | G3 – Four-year-olds only – 2150m |
| Winner | Hooker Berry |
| Jockey/Driver | Jean-Michel Bazire |
| Trainer | Franck Leblanc |
| Breeding | Booster Winner x Osaka Berry |
| Second | Helgafell |
| Third | Hohneck |
| Winner of the G3 Prix Raymond Fouard at Vincennes on 27 June, Hooker Berry added another victory to his tally in the G3 Prix de Milan, beating some of the best horses of the 'H' generation including multiple Group One winner Helgafell. Despite defeats in all of his Group One races to date, Hooker Berry has confirmed his position as a leading contender for the G1 Critérium des 4 Ans at Vincennes on 4 September. Helgafell's second marked a return to form after two straight disqualifications and the Charley du Noyer colt will be looking to reverse the form in the September Classic. Third placed Hohneck has not finished out of the frame since December 2020 and cannot be dismissed in any race of this nature. | |
| Date | 31 July |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | Prix de Washington |
| Type | G2 – Four to ten year olds – 1609m |
| Winner | Go On Boy |
| Jockey/Driver | Romain Derieux |
| Trainer | Romain Derieux |
| Breeding | Password x Balginette |
| Second | Vivid Wise As |
| Third | Violetto Jet |
| There is a new champion over 1609m in France with Go On Boy taking the G2 Prix de Washington at Enghien ahead of Italian speedster Vivid Wise As, who was undefeated over the French 1609m prior to Sunday. The youngest of the seven runners, Go On Boy produced a career-best performance to take the race with a kilometre rating of 1'09"6. It was only his second attempt over 1609m. The front two pulled clear of the third placed Violetto Jet. Driver-trainer Romain Derieux identified the G1 Critérium des 5 Ans at Vincennes as a likely target for Go On Boy. | |
| Date | 1 August |
| Venue | Clairefontaine |
| Race | Prix Luth Enchantée |
| Type | Listed – Fillies and mares aged four years and above – 2400m |
| Winner | Oriental Mystique |
| Jockey/Driver | Mickael Barzalona |
| Trainer | David Simcock |
| Breeding | Kingman x Madame Chiang |
| Second | Très Valentine |
| Third | Sea Watch |
| UK trainer David Simcock picked up a valuable prize with his well-supported filly Oriental Mystique in the Listed Prix Luth Enchantee. The filly had placed multiple times at Group level but was pressed hard in the late stages by Très Valentine who led throughout. Oriental Mystique is out of G1 British Champions Fillies And Mare Stakes (2400m) heroine Madame Chiang and has a half-brother by Lope De Vega also in training with David Simcock. It was Oriental Mystique's last race and she will now return to Lanwades Stud for a broodmare career. | |
| Date | 1 August |
| Venue | Clairefontaine |
| Race | Grand Prix de Clairefontaine - Prix Ferme Saint-Siméon |
| Type | Listed – Three-year-olds only – 2400m |
| Winner | Joie De Soir |
| Jockey/Driver | Augustin Madamet |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | Fastnet Rock x Highest Ever |
| Second | Timour |
| Third | Qaiser |
| Although the betting market anticipated an André Fabre one-two, it was not in the expected order. The improving Joie De Soir, winner of a 1900m conditions contest on AW at Deauville in December, stepped forward from her reappearance second at Compiegne to deny Timour. The three-year-old filly was able to settle behind the leaders and stayed on well in the final 100m to score by three lengths. Coolmore-owned Joie De Soir is out of an unraced Galileo mare and half-sister to G3 placed performer Villa d'Amore (Mastercraftsman). Her second dam Alpine Rose was a winner of the G1 Prix Romanet (1600m). | |
| Date | 1 August |
| Venue | Clairefontaine |
| Race | Prix du Pays d'Auge |
| Type | Listed – Four year olds and upwards – 1800m |
| Winner | Magny Cours |
| Jockey/Driver | Mickael Barzalona |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | Medaglia d'Oro x Indy Five Hundred |
| Second | Raabihah |
| Third | Celestin |
| It was another Listed win for Group-One placed Magny Cours who has beaten some top-class performers in his search for an elusive Group success. This time, he came against G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) fifth Raabihah and won comfortably by three-quarters of a length. Third in the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m) in Meydan in March, this was the six-year-old's second win of the year. Magny Cour's dam Indy Five Hundred was a Grade One winner on the turf in the USA and has produced two other Black Type performers including G2 placed Ecliptic (Kingmambo). | |
