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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 18th August 2021.
This week's round-up covers new track records at Enghien and Saint-Malo, two Group One contests for Arabians and plenty of Black Type action from Deauville...
| Date | 10 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Al Rayyan Cup – Prix Kesberoy |
| Type | G1 – Pure bred Arabians – Three year olds – 2000m |
| Winner | Samlla |
| Jockey/Driver | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | Francois Rohaut |
| Breeding | Assy x Djakera des Forges |
| Second | Hakeem |
| Third | Penny |
| Samlla extended his unbeaten career record with a third victory in the G1 Al Rayyan Cup – Prix Kesberoy (2000m). It was his first attempt over 2000m after a success in the G2 Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes (1600m) at Chantilly and the three-year-old colt won comfortably by one and three-quarter lengths in a small field. | |
| Date | 10 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Doha Cup – Prix Manganate |
| Type | G1 – Pure bred Arabians – Four year olds and upwards – 2000m |
| Winner | Soko |
| Jockey/Driver | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | Olivier Trigodet |
| Breeding | Nieshan x Saka |
| Second | Mon'nia |
| Third | Hoggar de l'Ardus |
| Soko's victory in the G1 Doha Cup – Prix Manganate (2000m) marked a first Group One for trainer Olivier Trigodet and a Group One double on the day for jockey Olivier Peslier. The three-year-old defeated his older rivals by five lengths, with five Group One winners behind him. He will be targeting the Derby at Doncaster (UK) on 11 September. | |
| Date | 11 August |
| Venue | Saint-Malo |
| Race | Grand National du Trot |
| Type | G3 – Driven - Five to ten year olds – 2950m |
| Winner | Bugsy Malone |
| Jockey/Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Ready Cash x Night Captain |
| Second | Gout Baroque |
| Third | Enzo d'Essarts |
| Despite a fifty metre handicap, Bugsy Malone powered to victory in the ninth stage of the Grand National du Trot setting a new track record of 1'12"7 over 3000m. The well-supported Fire Cracker, Crack Money and Fleche du Yucca fought out the lead and Bugsy Malone was able to make up ground throughout the race. It was a particularly commendable performance from driver David Thomain, who only discovered he would be replacing Franck Nivard in the sulky at the start of the meeting. | |
| Date | 12 August |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | Prix de Genève |
| Type | G3 – Driven – Four year olds – 2875m |
| Winner | Hohneck |
| Jockey/Driver | Franck Nivard |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Royal Dream x Caranca |
| Second | Harvest de Buliere |
| Third | Hatchet Man |
| Hohneck produced a big performance to take the G3 Prix de Genève (2875m) at Enghien, en route to a tilt at the G1 Critérium des 4 Ans on 4 September. He replicated the performance of stable-mate Bugsy Malone at Saint-Malo by setting a new track record for the four-year-old category of 1'12"2. | |
| Date | 14 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix de Lieurey |
| Type | G3 – Three year old fillies – 1600m |
| Winner | Cloudy Dawn |
| Jockey/Driver | Vincent Cheminaud |
| Trainer | William Haggas |
| Breeding | Kodiac x In The Mist |
| Second | Just Beautiful |
| Third | Pamouschana |
| Cloudy Dawn built on a strong third in the Listed Prix Amandine (1600m) at Deauville to score by half-a-length in the G3 Prix de Lieurey (1600m) for UK trainer William Haggas. Purchased by James Wigan of London Thoroughbred Services for 90,000 guineas, she won three races over 1200m as a juvenile and is a great prospect as a broodmare. | |
| Date | 14 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Guillaume d'Ornano |
| Type | G2 – Three year olds – 2000m |
| Winner | Dubai Honour |
| Jockey/Driver | Maxime Guyon |
| Trainer | William Haggas |
| Breeding | Pride of Dubai x Mondelice |
| Second | Pretty Tiger |
| Third | Tasman Bay |
| It was a successful day for UK trainer William Haggas, with Dubai Honour taking the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (2000m) as part of a four-timer in both the UK and France. It was a week since the three-year-old colt had won a competitive handicap at Newmarket (UK) over 2000m and he produced a surprisingly big performance to overturn a strong field including G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) second Philomène who was back in fourth. No further plans have been decided for Dubai Honour. | |
| Date | 14 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Michel Houyvet |
| Type | Listed – Three year olds – 2800m |
| Winner | Sun of Gold |
| Jockey/Driver | Fabrice Veron |
| Trainer | Jean-Pierre Carvalho |
| Breeding | Golden Horse x Salve Aurora |
| Second | Qaiser |
| Third | Darzan |
| Sun of Gold relished the additional distance to take the Listed Prix Michel Houyvet (2800m) after a disappointing performance in the G1 Deutsche Derby (2400m). He travelled well throughout and accelerated past Qaiser on the outside in the final few metres to score by three quarters of a length. Trainer Jean-Pierre Carvalho thinks the colt is likely to improve further as a four-year-old. | |
| Date | 14 August |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | Prix des Londres |
| Type | G2 – Mounted – Five to ten year olds – 2875m |
| Winner | Dynamite Marceaux |
| Jockey/Driver | Christopher Corbineau |
| Trainer | Jonathan Groizeau |
| Breeding | Ready Cash x Nariane Marceaux |
| Second | Boston Terrie |
| Third | Egao Jénilou |
| Dynamite Marceaux achieved back-to-back victories in the G2 Prix des Londres (2875m) on Saturday 14 August. Corbineau steered the filly to the lead with one lap to go and won easily, recording a kilometre rating of 1'12, a new record for the race. Boston Terrie made up ground in the final kilometre to finish second. | |
| Date | 15 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix François Boutin |
| Type | G3 – Two year olds – 1400m |
| Winner | Who Knows |
| Jockey/Driver | Theo Bachelot |
| Trainer | Stephane Wattel |
| Breeding | Siyouni x Zain Al Boldan |
| Second | Oneforthegutter |
| Third | The Wizard of Eye |
| Who Knows had to battle hard in the final stages to fight off British-trained Oneforthegutter in the G3 Prix Francois Boutin. The filly had finished a commendable fourth in the G2 Prix Robert Papin (1200m) prior and seemed to enjoy the additional distance. The success marked a 51st individual stakes winner for sire Siyouni, who stands at Haras de Bonneval. | |
| Date | 15 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club |
| Type | G3 – Four year olds and upwards – 2000m |
| Winner | Wally |
| Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Siyouni x Full Of Beauty |
| Second | Monty |
| Third | Algiers |
| Wally added a fifth Black Type victory in the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron (2000m), beating experienced campaigner Monty by a short head. He has been producing consistent performances all season and recorded a career best when taking the G2 Gran Premio di Milano (2000m) last time. The five-year-old is yet to break through at Group One level but did run commendably when fourth in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan earlier in the campaign. | |
| Date | 15 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Nureyev |
| Type | Listed – Three year olds – 2000m |
| Winner | Gregolimo |
| Jockey/Driver | Ioritz Mendizabal |
| Trainer | Simone Brogi |
| Breeding | Galiway x Kendannemarie |
| Second | In Crowd |
| Third | Cash Equity |
| Gregolimo broke through for a well-deserved Stakes victory in the Listed Prix Nureyev (2000m), having finished in the frame on his last two attempts in Group company. He was allowed to go forward in the final straight by jockey Ioritz Mendizabal and won easily by a length and a quarter. The first foal out of four-time winner Kendannemarie (Kendargent), Gregolimo became the seventh individual stakes winner for young sire Galiway. | |
| Date | 15 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Minerve |
| Type | G3 – Three year old fillies – 2500m |
| Winner | Free Wind |
| Jockey/Driver | Frankie Dettori |
| Trainer | John & Thady Gosden |
| Breeding | Galileo x Alive Alive Oh |
| Second | Burgarita |
| Third | Adhafera |
| The form of Free Wind's second behind Golden Pass in the Listed Aphrodite Stakes (2400m) took a knock with the winning filly finishing last at Newbury on 14 August. However, Free Wind demonstrated plenty of improvement to score by one and a half lengths ahead of Burgarita in the G3 Prix de Minerve (2500m). Future plans have not been formulated but connections are confident that she would stay 2800m if required. | |
