4 July 2020
Photo scoopdyga.com
Saturday, July 4, 2020, Auteuil. - The final stages of the 2m6f-long Drags Chase (Gr2), the main race of the meeting, was particularly lively since three leaders succeeded each other between the last turn and the finish: a front-running Via Dolorosa (König Shuffle) had just given up command to Crystal Beach (Network), who had been a bit keen early on due to a 2nd start, and the JDG Bloodstock champion chaser looked to have made the most of it, but that was without counting in the tough Roxinela (Muhtathir), who came back in the run-in and finally won by a length while Al Roc (Great Pretender), long ridden unpretentiously by Kevin Nabet, was also finishing well to snatch the 2nd place.
Note that the French National (Gr3) winner D'Jango (Balko) fell early on and that Srelighonn (Martaline) went off course because of a broken bit before the last bend. Edgeoy (Saddler Maker), always noted with the leaders, couldn't keep up the pace in the end and finished fourth.
Placed in almost all of her top races last year, Roxinela ended her 2019 season in style by winning the Georges Courtois Chase (Gr2) and had made a promising comeback in the Murat Chase (Gr2). Unplaced afterwards at Compiègne in the Héros XII Chase (Gr3) won by Edgeoy, she had finished second of the Rigoletto Chase (L), at Compiègne again, far behind course specialist Hell Boy.
François-Marie Cottin trained this Gheorghe and Roxana Codre homebred mare, out of the brave Grivette (Antarctica), winner at of the Alain du Breil Hurdle Race (Gr1) at Auteuil.