24 March 2024
Photograph by scoopdyga.com
Sunday, 24 March 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris) – Out since his triumph in the Renaud du Viver 4yo Hurdle Race (Gr1) last November, Losange Bleu (Martaline) faced his elders for the first time in his 5yo bow at Auteuil in the €135,000 Hypothèse Hurdle Race (Gr3). Despite being the favourite, he didn’t quite have the chance to gauge the quality of his older competitors as he immediately took the lead, solo in front, and was the first to clear all twelve hurdles of the 19.5f race, ultimately winning by two lengths over the 5-year-old AQPS mare July Flower (Pastorius), whom he had already beat in the autumn, and who had just finished 2nd in her return to Auteuil in the Juigné Hurdle (Gr3).
Victoire du favori Losange Bleu (Martaline) sur les haies du Prix Hypothèse (Gr3) pour la famille Papot, également éleveur du 5ans. Comme dans le Prix Renaud du Vivier (Gr1) en novembre, il bat la jument @TheFrenchChaser July Flower (Pastorius) @EcurieSeror pic.twitter.com/SDRGr1VTzC
— France Galop (@francegalop) March 24, 2024
As we await the return of Thélème, the discipline leader and the previous Hypothèse winner, and with less than two months to go until the €390,000 Racing TV Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (Gr1), the newcomers seem to be dominating the scene, but the game is far from over!
Losange Bleu’s dam, Sweet Valrose (Cadoudal), placed twice in hurdles at three, at Enghien and Auteuil, under the colours of Vicenzo Esposito. She then produced several winners before coming under the control of the Papot family. Losange Vert (Montmartre) was her first foal under this label and distinguished himself by winning the Duc d’Anjou 4yo Chase (Gr3). Following Losange Bleu, she gave birth to Losange Vert Bleu (Night Wish), winner of his first two hurdle races this winter at Pau and recent 2nd in the d’Indy 4yo Hurdle Race (Gr3).