17 March 2024
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, March 17, 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris) – Favourite for his return and first challenge against older horses, the prodigious yet capricious Juntos Ganamos (Martaline) prevailed at the end of the €155,000 Masters Prix Troytown (Gr3)' 2m6f.
Four months after a mishap that saw him unseat his rider in the Maurice Gillois 4yo Chase (Gr1) against 4-year-olds only, the AQPS owned by Alain Jathière, Gérard Augustin-Normand, Margaux Cottin, Écurie Michaël Rizieri, Écurie Thomas Sivadier, and Stéphanie Nigge kept close to the leader Gallipoli (Gleneagles) and overtook him between the last two hurdles to win by seven lengths. A valiant Gallipoli finished second again, as earlier this season in the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters Robert Clermont-Tonnerre Chase (Gr3). Despite a slight blunder at the last hurdle of the back straight, Gold Tweet (On Est Bien) did well to secure 3rd place eight lengths behind. Second in last year’s Prix La Haye Jousselin Chase (Gr1), the returning Gran Diose (Planteur) finished 5th behind Grand Oncle.
The last two winners of this Troytown, Sel Jem and Rosario Baron, also won the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Gr1) two months later. Born to a handicap Chase winner at Auteuil, also a winner four times at Pau hurdling and chasing, Usted Me Cara (Turgeon), Juntos Ganamos was bred by Magalen Bryant. He was sold in May 2022 for €45,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock. His yearling brother by Saint des Saints was knocked down for €85,000 in November 2022 to SAS Saubouas Bloodstock at Deauville. He was gelded and sent in training with David Cottin, like Juntos Ganamos, for owner Génétique Obstacle. Olly and Aiden Murphy purchased a younger 3-year-old brother to Juntos Ganamos for €200,000 in June 2023 at Tattersalls Ireland.
What they said:
David Cottin (the trainer of Juntos Ganamos, 1st) – Chantilly (Oise region)
"The horse did what was expected of him, and he did it well! We're going to bring him along steadily via the Prix Ingré. I was very pleased with him today. He's only been at the stable for two months, having had a winter break in the countryside. He's an imposing horse who still needs to shed some weight. He was foot-perfect regarding his jumping. He has all the attributes of a Grand Steeple horse!"
Noel George (the trainer of Gallipoli, 2nd) – Chantilly (Oise region)
"We're delighted, and the horse is only getting better. Gallipoli will bypass the next prep race [of the series], as we'll be heading to either the Prix Ingré or going directly to the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. I think he's a horse that will be better on good ground, especially given his pedigree. At the beginning of the year, we didn't think we had a Grand Steeple horse on our hands."
Gabriel Leenders (the trainer of Gold Tweet, 3rd) – Jarzé (Maine and Loire region)
"I know that the horse has scope for improvement, as, because of the heavy rain, I couldn't really sharpen him up like I wanted. The horse ran well. When racing down the far side, no other horse in the race could give him a tow into the race regarding reeling in the front two, and he made a mistake going to the last fence down the backstretch. The aim is 19 May. Before that, he'll tackle the Prix Murat or the Prix du Mont-Doré at Compiègne. We even joked about running him at Aintree!"
Louisa Carberry (the trainer of Gran Diose, 5th) – Senonnes-Pouancé (Mayenne region)
"We knew he would need the run and that it was important for him to get back into the rhythm of competition. The horse did his job and jumped well. His jockey, riding him for the first time, learnt a lot about him, which is important. Gran Diose needed the run. On heavy ground and in a race run at a good tempo, you could see that he needed to get a race under his belt. If all goes well, he'll run again in the Prix Murat in three weeks' time. I'm expecting him to step up on this."