26 March 2017
Photo scoopdyga.com
Winner of the Prix Juigné Hurdle (Gr3) for his first test against older horses, 5yo Device confirmed on Sunday in the Prix Hypothèse Hurdle (Gr3) by defeating Saint Call and Blue Dragon. Magalen Bryant's new champion is now at the helm of the French hurdling brigade but the road is long until the Grande course de Haies d'Auteuil-French Champion Hurdle (Gr1), on June 11th.
Sunday, March 26, 2017, Auteuil racecourse (Paris). - As he led the field into the last turn, Blue Dragon (Califet)'s aggressive tactics seemed to pay off in the Prix Hypothèse Hurdle (Gr3) since the only other runner still stalking him by then, Alex de Larredya (Crillon), was needing a breather. However, favourite Device (Poliglote) began then his move with Saint Call (Saint des Saints) flanking him and Blue Dragon's chances got much slimmer when he jumped the 2nd hurdle last awkwardly, alsmost unsetaing his rider David Cottin in the process. From then on, it was all between Device and Saint Call, who finally lost by a short neck with Blue Dragon recovering well to finish third only a length behind, with Alex de Larredya a good fourth at five lengths for his seasonal return.
Magalen Bryant's silks also won the 4yo Prix Le Touquet Chase with the talented AQPS Dalahast (Ballingarry) for trainer Philippe Cottin and his son David in the saddle. Dalahast had already impressed for his Auteuil chasing debut, when he won by 18 lengths... However, the Mrs Bryant's champion chaser Milord Thomas will not race this Spring as his trainer Dominique Bressou declared last week that he had a tendon.
9yo Extreme Sud (Enrique), also trained by Philippe Cottin and ridden by David, beat favourite Caresse d'Estruval (Poliglote) despite giving her 12Lbs in the Prix Colonel La Horie Amateurs' Chase. Ridden by Tom Hamilton, he could now be aimed at the Prix du Président de la République Chase (Gr3), the French National, with its € 225,000 purse, scheduled on April 17.
Extreme Sud is owned by co-breeder François-Xavier Delfour, along with NBB Racing (Nicolas Bertran de Balanda, the horse's former trainer), co-breeder Anthony Baudouin (Haras du Hoguenet) and Philip Prevost Baratte, who manages a pre-training and sales stable in Normandy.
The "President" Chase is also on the agenda for the young jumpers involved on Sunday in the Prix Lutteur III Chase (L), with 4 of the first 6 home aged 5yo only, including the winner Mister Bali (Califet), owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
The Prix Auricula 3yo Hurdle went to Santa Adelia (Smadoun) for owner Benoît Gabeur, breeder Éric Aubrée and trainer Guillaume Macaire. The filly was ridden with Bertrand Lestrade, replacing James Reveley, injured in Britain on Saturday. The filly's dam New Delice (Saint Preuil) entred stud duty as a maiden in 2006 to give this first filly only eight years later!
Second-placed Stormy Ireland (Motivator) was beaten only a neck for trainer Dominique Bressou, whose Echiquier Royal (Martaline) won the masculine equivalent race, the Prix Rush Hurdle, a week earlier. Stormy Ireland is bred and owned by Franck Beugnon (Haras d'Orfausse).
Unsold at € 40,000 at 2014 Arqana Autumn sales, Saint Calvados (Saint des Saints) caused a sensation in the Prix Virelan, a 4yo Hurdle race, for his debut in Auteuil. Trained by Sébastien Culin for Jean-Pierre Dubois and Andrew Lewis Brooks, he's now unbeaten in three hurdle races at Fontainebleau, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Auteuil. His second dam, Maren Kassel (Noir et or) won six times winner at Auteuil, over hurldles and chasing.