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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 31st August 2021.
This week's round-up covers top-class trotting action from Vincennes, the final feature race of the Deauville summer meeting and a British-trained Group Three winner...
Trotting
| Date | 25 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Guy Le Gonidec |
| Type | G2 – Driven – Four year old fillies – 2700m |
| Winner | Hanna des Molles |
| Jockey/Driver | Alexandre Abrivard |
| Trainer | Laurent-Claude Abrivard |
| Breeding | Village Mystic x Ultimate Jet |
| Second | Havanaise |
| Third | Hatha Josselyn |
| Hanna des Molles qualified for the G1 Critérium des 4 Ans with a resounding victory in the G2 Prix Guy Le Gonidec (2700m). She set a new record for a four year-old filly over 2700m at Vincennes with a kilometre rating of 1'12"2. This marked a return to form for Hanna des Molles who has been unable to win since claiming the G1 Critérium des 3 Ans over the same course and distance in December 2020. | |
| Date | 25 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Jules Thibaut |
| Type | G2 – Driven – Four year old colts – 2700m |
| Winner | Hokkaido Jiel |
| Jockey/Driver | Pierre-Yves Verva |
| Trainer | Jean-Luc Dersoir |
| Breeding | Brillantissime x Victory Jiel |
| Second | Hohneck |
| Third | Hede Darling |
| Only half of the eight runner field completed without mishap in the G2 Prix Jules Thibaut and it was Hokkaido Jiel who triumphed. The colt has plenty of experience at the top level and placed third in the G2 Prix Phaéton (2700m) at Vincennes in May. Trainer Jean-Luc Dersoir believes they can go into the Critérium des 4 Ans with confidence though opposition from the fillies' is not be underestimated. | |
| Date | 28 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Pierre Gamare |
| Type | G2 – Mounted – Three year old – 2700m |
| Winner | Ici C'est Paris |
| Jockey/Driver | Christopher Corbineau |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Dollar Macker x Blue Valentine |
| Second | Indigo du Poret |
| Third | Inoui Danica |
| Ici C'est Paris returned after a two month break to win the G2 Prix Pierre Gamare with a new record of 1'14"4 for the race. He upheld the second placed form with Indigo du Poret and Inoui Danica who finished third and fourth respectively in the G1 Prix d'Essai (2175m) and is expected to feature in the G1 Prix de Vincennes (2700m), held at the Parisian racetrack in December. | |
| Date | 28 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Camille Lepecq |
| Type | G2 – Mounted – Six to ten year olds – 2175m |
| Winner | Clegs des Champs |
| Jockey/Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Thierry Raffegeau |
| Breeding | Legs du Clos x Proserpine |
| Second | Etonnant |
| Third | Boss de Meleuc |
| Cleg des Champs equalled his personal best kilometre rating (1'10"7) when powering to victory in the G2 Prix Camille Lepecq (2175m), delivering his ninth Group Two success. Connections were relieved to see their champion back on the track after an incident at home had caused the horse to fall and suffer injury ten days after his success in the G3 Prix Paul Delanoe (2175m) in June. Cleg des Champs is expected to improve for his reappearance run. | |
| Date | 28 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Yearling Cup 2021 |
| Type | G3 – Driven – Three year old – 2700m |
| Winner | I Still Loving You |
| Jockey/Driver | Alexandre Abrivard |
| Trainer | Laurent-Claude Abrivard |
| Breeding | Prince Gede x Song Of Love |
| Second | Instinct d'Am |
| Third | Invictus d'Ecajeul |
| I Still Loving You won the second Arqana Yearling Cup at Vincennes, using course experience to his advantage. The colt had already recorded a win at the track but had also been disqualified three times over a variety of distances. On this occasion, he was kept handy before accelerating into the final turn. Trainer Laurent-Claude Abrivard has identified him as one of their best three-year-olds. | |
| Date | 28 August |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix de Provence |
| Type | G3 – Driven – Five, six and seven year olds – 2700m |
| Winner | Ampia Mede Sm |
| Jockey/Driver | Franck Nivard |
| Trainer | Fabrice Souloy |
| Breeding | Ganymede x Polimpia Slide Sm |
| Second | Freyja du Pont |
| Third | Fairplay d'Urzy |
| Ampia Mede Sm made it an Italian double at Vincennes on 25 August with a victory in the G3 Prix de Provence (2700m). On her French debut, the mare had only achieved 75,000 euros in earnings and now boasts a total of more than 220,000 euros. The daughter of Ganymede beat a good field of French-trained horses and can continue to make an impact outside of Italy. | |
Flat
| Date | 29 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix de Meautry |
| Type | G3 – Three year olds and upwards – 1200m |
| Winner | Garrus |
| Jockey/Driver | Ioritz Mendizabal |
| Trainer | Charlie Hills |
| Breeding | Acclamation x Queen of Power |
| Second | Duhail |
| Third | Coeur de Pierre |
| British raider Garrus seemed to appreciate the return to easier competition when winning the G3 Prix de Meautry (1200m). He had been racing at the top level in the sprinting division and was last seen finishing midfield in the G1 July Cup (1200m) at Newmarket (UK). The five year old stayed on well up the stands side rail to deny Duhail by one and a quarter lengths with Coeur de Pierre back in third. Future plans have not been outlined although trainer Charlie Hills has suggested that a sounder surface would be preferable. | |
| Date | 29 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Prix Quincey |
| Type | G3 – Four year olds and upwards – 1600m |
| Winner | Dilawar |
| Jockey/Driver | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Alain de Royer Dupre |
| Breeding | Dubawi x Dolniya |
| Second | Now We Know |
| Third | National Service |
| The win of Dilawar in the G3 Prix Quincey (1600m) marked another Stakes success for trainer Alain de Royer Dupre, who retires at the end of this season. Held up at the back by Christophe Soumillon, Dilawar passed his rivals in the closing stages to score by a comfortable two and a half lengths. The four year old is out of G1 UAE Derby winner Dolniya and was the 211th individual stakes winner for champion sire Dubawi. | |
| Date | 29 August |
| Venue | Deauville |
| Race | Grand Prix de Deauville |
| Type | G2 – Three year olds and upwards – 2500m |
| Winner | Glycon |
| Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Le Havre x Glorious Sight |
| Second | The Good Man |
| Third | Sublimis |
| Glycon retained his unbeaten record over 2500m with a Group Two success in the Grand Prix de Deauville. He has shown vast improvement since stepping up in trip and was definitely the best of the five runners, beating The Good Man by half a length. It was a good weekend for owner-breeders Haras de Saint Pair with Pearls Galore winning the G3 Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary on Friday. Glycon will be kept at 2500m for the foreseeable future. | |
