Clermont-Tonnerre: Owner-breeder Devin family and trainer Nicolle sign double as Happy Monarch leads home stablemate Starlet du Mesnil

Monday, February 28, 2022, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - The first stage of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris build-up, the Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre Chase (Gr3), was a triumph for the Devin family as the Grand Prix de Pau Foie Gras Biraben Chase (Gr3) victor, 7yo Happy Monarch (Saint des Saints), led home his stablemate at François Nicolle's yard, the grey mare Starlet du Mesnil (No Risk at All), both being bred and owned by the family.

Threatened all the way in the run-in by 5yo Rosario Baron (Zambezi Sun), finally third at 2 lengths, the two first home were separated by a mere neck. The Sytaj Mares' Chase (Gr3) winner hadn't run since last season and was nevertheless the favourite at less than 2/1. She was leading the field when she lost lots of ground at the main open-ditch, and she was very brave to come back and fight for the lead after the last, even looking like the winner with 100 yards to go. However, her elder, whose last win was only 36 days old, found an extra gear to take the lead on the wire.

Grand Steeple winner Carriacou (Califet) led the field up until the last turn and eventually faded. Outsider Bandero (Balko) finished 4th at 9 lengths.

Before these two Gr3 wins at Pau and then Auteuil, Happy Monarch had run 17 times and won 6 times. 5th for his debut in the Rush 3yo Hurdle behind stars in the making Pic d’Orhy and Goliath du Berlais, the Devin family homebred went chasing the following spring and won his first 4 races over the bigger obstacles, twice at Bordeaux and twice at Auteuil, where he took in June the James Hennessy Chase (L), beating Bernardo Bellotto and Amour du Mathan. However, he was out 18 months after that and failed to reproduce that kind of form after that, even out of Auteuil, and only last Winter did he seem to become himself again.

Winner of the Fleuret 4-year-olds Chase (Gr3), Ladies Choice (Turgeon)'s foal Happy Monarch is also a sibling of Lord du Mesnil (Saint des Saints), a chasing Gr2 winner in Great Britain, where he was exported at 5 as a maiden over jumps.