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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 29th September 2021.
Auteuil conducted a high-class programme last week alongside top-grade action from Vincennes plus Amiens, Saint-Cloud, Lyon-Parilly and more feature…
Flat
| Date | Wednesday 22 September |
| Venue | Saint-Cloud (Soft) |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix Coronation (1600m) |
| Type | For three-year-old fillies |
| Winner | Es la Vida |
| Jockey | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | Francis-Henri Graffard |
| Breeding | Soldier Hollow x Exotic Rose |
| Second | Almeida Girl |
| Third | Maracay |
| Daughter of Soldier Hollow, Es la Vida made all in determined fashion and looked one to note as she went through the gears in the home straight keeping rivals at bay to score by 0.75L. This performance confirmed her promise after bouncing back from a 12th in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) having delivered an excellent third at Longchamp prior in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary (2000m). All three career wins from this filly have come at Saint-Cloud. | |
| Date | Thursday 23 September |
| Venue | Lyon-Parilly (Soft) |
| Race | R2 – Listed Critérium de Lyon (1600m) |
| Type | For two-year-olds only |
| Winner | Mangoustine |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Frédéric Rossi |
| Breeding | Dark Angel x Zotilla |
| Second | Toimy Son |
| Third | Roccia Nera |
| The Frédéric Rossi trained, Mangoustine remained unbeaten in two starts last week when winning by one length to gain Black Type status on only the second career attempt. This provided her sire, Dark Angel (Acclamation) his 78th stakes winner. Dark Angel is currently second in the leading sires table in Europe (By winners). | |
| Date | Monday 27 September |
| Venue | Craon (Heavy) |
| Race | R5 – Listed Prix du Point du Jour (1650m) |
| Type | For three year old and above |
| Winner | Sky Angel |
| Jockey | Mickaël Barzalona |
| Trainer | Henri-Alex Pantall |
| Breeding | Dark Angel x Mayhem |
| Second | In Crowd |
| Third | Musetta |
| Godolphin owned, Sky Angel managed to get the better of In Crowd over the final stages on Monday at Craon to give another Listed winner for stallion, Dark Angel. | |
Jump
| Date | Tuesday 21 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Very Soft) |
| Race | R1 – Listed Prix Calabrais (3600m) |
| Type | Handicap hurdle for four-year-old fillies and five-year-old mares |
| Winner | Valenteene |
| Jockey | Nicolas Gauffenic |
| Trainer | Sylvain Dehez |
| Breeding | Saint des Saints x Turteene |
| Second | Kolina Has |
| Third | Neli Has |
| Valenteene surprised the market in a dramatic handicap hurdle when those that fell from the third obstacle forced the winner to settle well behind the runaway leader, Kolina Has. Nicolas Gauffenic steered the four-year-old alone on the outside down the far side. Kolina Has still held a comfortable twenty length lead entering the home straight with 600m to go. Valenteene had ten lengths to find after jumping the last, but gradually eroded the advantage and stole the prize. | |
| Date | Tuesday 21 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Very Soft) |
| Race | R6 – G3 Prix de Compiègne (3900m) |
| Type | Hurdle, for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | L'Autonomie |
| Jockey | Angelo Zuliani |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | Blue Bresil x L'Automne |
| Second | Polirico |
| Third | Galop Marin |
| The 2020 winner of the G3 Prix de Compiègne followed up this year by competing in last Tuesday's feature race at Auteuil maintaining high class ability on seasonal return when jumping well and travelling beautifully throughout, quickly putting significant ground away from rivals to deliver another impressive win and record a fifteenth career success. | |
| Date | Saturday 25 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Soft) |
| Race | R1 – G3 Prix de Chambly (3600m) |
| Type | Hurdle for three-year-old fillies only |
| Winner | La Chenevière |
| Jockey | Théo Chevillard |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | Montmartre x Baie des Veys |
| Second | La Boétie |
| Third | Matilda du Berlais |
| La Chenevière maintained her promising career profile as she travelled and jumped in style throughout to record a second win in five starts with the daughter of Montmartre also holding two placings as well. Théo Chevillard made a bold yet successful move to keep the three year old on the far side in the home straight to be a three and half length winner. | |
| Date | Saturday 25 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Soft) |
| Race | R2 – G3 Prix Robert Lejeune (3600m) |
| Type | Hurdle for three-year-old colts and geldings only |
| Winner | Sans Bruit |
| Jockey | Felix de Giles |
| Trainer | David Cottin |
| Breeding | Triple Threat x Swedish Dancer |
| Second | Ain't Got Wings |
| Third | Paradiso |
| Sans Bruit followed up his course win to have a 50% winning strike rate in his career so far with three victories from six attempts. The son of Triple Threat made all the running and jumped in excellent fashion throughout the event pulling clear in impressive style to be a twelve-length winner. One for the notebook. | |
| Date | Saturday 25 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Soft) |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix Violon II (4400m) |
| Type | Handicap chase for five-year-old and above |
| Winner | Drop Flight |
| Jockey | Pierre Dubourg |
| Trainer | Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé |
| Breeding | Martaline x Cindy Flight |
| Second | Doux Dingue |
| Third | Galet des Fosses |
| Six-year-old, Drop Flight made all the running and negotiated the fences in a professional manner (Especially the big open ditch) setting a strong tempo for the journey. He left the back straight with a comfortable eight length lead and the Pierre Dubourg mount was not for stopping as he stretched clear to deliver a comprehensive twenty length victory. | |
| Date | Saturday 25 September |
| Venue | Auteuil (Soft) |
| Race | R4 – G3 Prix de Maisons-Laffitte (3600m) |
| Type | Hurdle for four-year-olds only |
| Winner | Hermès Baie |
| Jockey | Bertrand Lestrade |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | Crillon x Ludmika |
| Second | Thélème |
| Third | Jeu de Paume |
| Bertrand Lestrade made a notable move on the fair side tackling the final 1400m and steering Hermès Baie, on the inside as one of only two horses that did so. This was to prove successful with the star horse on the card resuming for the season in winning form after completing the previous campaign with a triumph in the G1 Prix Alain du Breil Hurdle (3900m) in May. | |
| Date | Sunday 26 September |
| Venue | Craon (Soft) |
| Race | R6 – Listed Grand Steeple Chase du Conseil Départemental de La Mayenne (4200m) |
| Type | Chase, for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Autorisation |
| Jockey | Clément Lefebvre |
| Trainer | Gabriel Leenders |
| Breeding | Authorized x Hold the Thought |
| Second | Chella Speed |
| Third | Démon de Fleur |
| Autorisation handled the variety of obstacles at Craon in style to gain Black type status at the age of six. This was his seventh career success from thirteen starts. He may well be one to keep in mind for Pau Winter season with good previous form their last campaign. | |
Trotting
| Date | Wednesday 22 September |
| Venue | Amiens |
| Race | R6 – G3 Grand Prix de la Fédération Régionale du Nord (2400m) |
| Type | International, driven for four- to ten-year-olds |
| Winner | Cleangame |
| Driver | Jean-Michel Bazire |
| Trainer | Jean-Michel Bazire |
| Breeding | Ouragan de Celland x Red Bell |
| Second | Rebella Matters |
| Third | Fakir du Lorault |
| Nine-year-old, Cleangame came from last to first following up his Vincennes G3 Prix d'Eté (2700m) success showing plenty of class easing slightly in the final strides for Jean-Michel Bazire. Cleangame is consistent now producing 38 wins from 59 career outings. | |
| Date | Thursday 23 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R3 – G3 Prix de Taverny (2700m) |
| Type | For three-year-old fillies only |
| Winner | Icône de Castelle |
| Driver | Alexandre Abrivard |
| Trainer | Laurent-Claude Abrivard |
| Breeding | Rocklyn x Miss Castelle |
| Second | Italienne |
| Third | I Want You |
| Icône de Castelle raced handily throughout and held a good position down the far side which allowed the driver, Alexandre Abrivard to take up the running with 800m to go. The filly continued to run with promise accelerating in the home straight to pull clear for a sixth career win. | |
| Date | Sunday 26 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R6 – G3 Prix de Clermont-Ferrand (2700m) |
| Type | Driven for four-year-olds only |
| Winner | Hussard du Landret |
| Driver | Benoît Robin |
| Trainer | Benoît Robin |
| Breeding | Bird Parker x Anakine Du Bellay |
| Second | Harvest de Bulière |
| Third | Hadès de Vandel |
| Hussard du Landret went one place better after running well to be second on grass at Rambouillet. The four-year-old was in mixed form prior but is clearly hitting a peak level of ability posting a fifth career success at Vincennes on Sunday. | |
| Date | Sunday 26 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R7 – G3 Prix Georges Dreux (2850m) |
| Type | Mounted, International. For six- to ten-year-olds. |
| Winner | Boston Terrie |
| Driver | Alexandre Angot |
| Trainer | Melvin Kondritz |
| Breeding | Késaco Phédo et Nouvelle Idole |
| Second | Fado du Chêne |
| Third | Boss du Meleuc |
| Boston Terrie at the age of ten recorded a 12th career win in 81 starts to keep up the good form of this season. He came away in style for an easy triumph. | |