3 minute read
Flamme Du Goutier has been elevated for Black-Type races at the end of August.
This weekend, Vincennes will host the Prix des Elites. A mounted event for three to five-year-olds, the contest has been run since 1943 and is the equivalent of last week's Prix des l'Etoile run at Vincennes where a new record was established when Face Time Bourbon continued on his winning ways recording his eleventh Group One victory in a track record of 1'09"4 for the 2200m.
On Sunday, only a small, but select, number of three-year-olds have been entered for the race. Thirteen of the past twenty running's of the race have been won by the younger age group, whilst four-year-olds have three wins and five-year-olds four victories. The record for the race is 1'11"4 and this was set two years ago in 2018 by Elladora de Forgan.
Three-year-olds receive a fifty-metre start, so race over 2150m.
There is only one last start winner engaged in the race – five-year-old mare Flamme Du Goutier. What an eye-opener she has been at her past two races! Elevated to Black-Type races for the first time two starts ago at the end of August in the driven G1 Criterium des 5ans (3000m), she surprised everyone when finishing third behind Face Time Bourbon starting at a price of 141/1 on the PMU. Flamme de Goutier followed this up having her first start in a mounted race two weeks later in the G1 Prix de Normandy (3000m) [for five-year-olds] and won defeating Fleche Bourbon and Feeling Cash, both who reoppose in the race on Sunday. The win also gave jockey Antoine Wiels his maiden Group One victory.
The main dangers to Flamme de Goutier are fellow five-year-olds and the placegetters in the G1 Prix de Normandy (3000m), namely Fleche Bourbon and Feeling Cash.
Fleche Bourbon is the winner of two Group One mounted races – both as a four-year-old – the Prix du Président de la République (2850m) and this race last year when conceding fifty metres and starting an odds-on favourite on the PMU.
Feeling Cash has yet to win at elite level but has been placed an incredible eight times in Group One contests including the G1 Prix du Cornulier (2700m) in January and in this race last year.
Of the younger generation winner of the G1 Prix d'Essai (2200m) in June Hudson Vedaquais looks to be the best chance. The placegetters from that race - Hera Landia and Hispanien - are both listed to reoppose.
The race looks to be an interesting generational clash but on known form, it looks like being a year for the five-year-olds.
Flamme du Goutier was a surprise third in the driven G1 Critérium des 5 ans (3000m) where she impressed showing she is coming of age as one of the best five-year-olds in France and confirmed this winning the G1 Prix de Normandie (3000)m for her debut under saddle.
This Sunday, she will race in the Prix des Elites (2200m). This is a Group One under saddle for three, four-and five-year-olds over 2200 meters. What makes this race unique is the three-year-olds have a 50-meter advance, the same in the Prix de l'Etoile, in the sulky.
Flamme du Goutier is by Ready Cash and her dam Utopie du Goutier was a good race mare, winning over €150,000. In her pedigree she is a sister to champion Quido du Goutier. Orne in Normandy is where she was bred by Jean Cottin of Ecurie Saint-Martin and is trained there by Thierry Duvaldestin.
Thierry provided some insight into Flamme du Goutier and why connections chose to try the mare under saddle for the first time in the G1 Prix de Normandie.
'It's simply because of her good race in the Critérium. Théo (Thierry Duvaldestin's youngest son) drove a good race for his first Group One and thanks to him we had enough confidence to enter her in the Prix de Normandie. If she finished sixth or seventh that day, we would never have decided to run the Normandie. We had tried her over the distance so we knew that would work out. It was worth it, sometimes it doesn't take much to win a big race like this…if she had a different trip in the Critérium we probably wouldn't have raced in the Normandie despite the mare having the potential to win a race like that!'
Since the race, where she beat some of Sunday's rivals, her work has been restricted. Thierry explained
'She's only worked lightly after the race, she's been working behind other is horses, she doesn't need much right now. The races are close and all very high class…she has matured physically this summer. This mare has not been raced heavily and she has only had twenty-seven starts. Her owner wanted to take her to stud this spring and make her a broodmare, but I told him I was not finished with her and there were bigger things to come. He accepted to give us some more time. She does nothing but trot, she races without a check and is easy to train and race.'
Although five-year-olds having a strong record in the race, they do have to give away fifty metres to their three-year-old rivals and for Flamme du Goutier she is reducing in distance coming back from 3000m to 2200m.
'It's not her distance, but she's been very good in training since her last victory. We have nothing to lose. Once again, she will be the challenger. It is not impossible she will surprise us again…she is not very quick from the start and her preference is long distances. She is in such good form we have to give it a try.
He went on to rate his main five-year-old 'F' rivals
'…Three of the other "F" horses are very fast from start (Flèche Bourbon, Fado du Chêne and Feeling Cash). On this distance, you must be in the race almost from the start. Now, (jockey) Antoine Wiels knows her, he can try to start faster. Hopefully, she receives a good trip and can finish well again…the track will be good, the weather too…and they will have to trot (a reduction rate) 1'10-1'10''5 on Sunday. She's capable'
Flamme du Goutier will always hold a special place for her jockey Antione Wiels as she provided him with his first career Group One when he rode her to victory in the G1 Prix de Normandie (3000m) two weeks ago.
Antoine has collected almost 1000 race victories, but this was his first Group One success. It was the jockey's agent that landed him the ride on Flamme du Goutier. About the race, Antoine explained
'…we weren't one of the favourites, she raced very well in the Critérium but it's not easy to make monté debuts directly in a Group 1 race, especially without trying her in the specialty first. It's was a big gamble, but Thierry was right..'.
After a patient race, she beat the best of her generation, with many proven Group One and Group performers, notable under saddle – namely Flèche Bourbon and Feeling Cash.
'…I felt safe the whole way, in the middle of the uphill portion of the track I knew she'd take a cheque but coming into the final turn, I felt we couldn't lose. She has a lot of class…'.
It was an emotional victory for Antoine Wiels. The evening to the race his boss Jean-Paul Marmion, gave him a call to get feedback about his own horse Antoine had just driven and most importantly talk about the upcoming Group One.
'…He told me to take my time from start over the long distance, that I'd find my way and my mare was good enough to do well in this race…'.
Jean-Paul Marmion was right, she was the absolute best that day…and may prove to be best again on Sunday.
