€120,000 William & Alec Head Chase: Doctor Kaleo bursts onto the scene

Although not part of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters Series, the William and Alec Head Chase (Listed) regularly attracts horses that have proved to be very successful in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Group 1), such as Carriacou, Storm of Saintly... to name but two recent examples. This race was previously known as the "Prix William Head". For the first time, it was run under the name "Prix William and Alec Head" so as to pay tribute to Alec Head, the great horseman who passed away in June 2022. In this way, he's reunited with the name of his father at Auteuil, where both had shone as jump jockeys in their youth. In the 2023 edition, it was Doctor Kaleo who created a surprise by winning at rewarding odds (11/1). At the age of eight, it proved to be his first success at this level! After being given a quiet ride, he courageously came with a strong run which enabled to carry the day at the death, and this was at the main expense of the Group 1 winning Altesse du Berlais. Doctor Kaleo carries the colours of Emilie Lafeu, his breeder. His trainer, Alain Couétil, said that the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris was a possibility, subject to conditions being suitable for the horse.

WHAT THEY SAID...

Alain Couétil (Senonnes, 53, trainer of Doctor Kaleo, 1st)

"I'm not surprised that the horse won. On his last outing, in the Prix Air Landais (L), he jumped too well, which forced him to hit the front too early. Doctor Kaleo is an excellent jumper, and he showed it again today. He also proved to me that is a very good fighter, but I'm not really surprised. There’s no escaping that he has won a Grand Steeple qualifier, but we shouldn't get carried away, as  I don't intend to run the horse if the temperatures are too high. On the other hand, we mustn't forget that he is a horse that appreciates soft tracks. We will only run if all the parameters are met. The weather forecasters are predicting a wet spring, so maybe that will help us. If not, Doctor Kaleo will be out again in the autumn."

Thomas Beaurain (Le Guédéniau, 49, rider of Doctor Kaleo, 1st)

"Doctor Kaleo is a horse that likes to have a target to aim at. On his last outing, he hit the front too soon. As a result, he tended to idle a bit in front. This time round, his trainer Alain Couétil, asked me to ensure that the horse delivered a good finish. On the far side, the other runners in the race were motoring along, and I was able to place him in the slipstream of some of them. This enabled me to keep something up my sleeve [for the finish]. In the stretch, Doctor Kaleo showed a neat turn of foot which enabled him to win. The horse was foot perfect, and the fact that he was already acquainted with the course gave us an advantage over the others. The ground was also perfect for him. It's a great pleasure to deliver this victory for the Couétil stable and for his work rider Alexis Poirier. »

Hector de Lageneste (Royan, 17, co-trainer of Altesse du Berlais, 2nd)

"She ran particularly well on what was her first attempt on the outer course. She still has a lot of room for improvement, having had a six months break during the winter. We haven't been overly hard on her in the morning. She has progressively been getting better with her races. She is going to come on for the race and improve on her next outing. It's a good sign."