13 June 2022
Photo : scoopdyga.com
June 11, 2022, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). One expected Kyrov (Dark Angel) to avenge himself after his fall in the Alain du Breil 4yo Hurdle race (Gr1). He did well to finish third, actually, but another runner trained by François Nicolle prevailed here, as Hermès de Chamdoux (Cocoriko) went from maiden to Group winner, smashing the opposition to score by 10 lengths in this 52nd running of the €120,000 Racing TV Questarabad 4yo Hurdle (Gr3).
Always in the chase, Marie-Hélène Cassier's Hermes de Chamdoux had finished second to Inès du Chênet (Spanish Moon) last time out and took his turn here while her rival also ran well, staying on well ahead of Kyrov.
The homebred winner is out of Timberland (Hawker's News), who ran 4 times without managing to get a place but did much better at stud. Her first foal, Miss de Champdoux (Voix du Nord), did very well at Enghien, winning her last three races there, the Prix de la Gascogne Chase (Listed), the Grand Steeple-Chase d'Enghien (Gr2) and the Prix Léopold d'Orsetti Hurdle (Gr3) ! Her 2-year-old Doctor Dino gelding is in the nest Arqana Summer Sale.
The other living foals out of Timberland, that is Macglev (Fragant Mix), Kenzo de Champdoux (Saddler Maker) and Allure de Champdou (Saddler Maker), are all winners. She is herself a sister to the French National winner Gwenn.