€225,000 Congress 3yo Chase (Gr2): Time is now for Kaadam

Saturday, November 11, 2023, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris) – Undefeated in two outings on the Auteuil steeplechase before going to the start of the €225,000 Congress 3yo Chase (Gr2), Kaadam (Saint des Saints) was the favourite despite his two-kilo penalty in this "Juvenile Grand Steeple" for 3-year-olds. Led at a brisk pace by Game of Storm (Motivator) with Royal Saga (Chœur du Nord) ahead of Karré d’As (Balko) and the grey from the Hubert Mauillon's Écurie Hub de Montmirail stable, the race was clear-cut. Kaadam closed in on the leader going into the last turn, which he negotiated behind the pacemaker, flanked by Royal Saga with Karré d’As just behind. These four runners had then taken the race, but Karré d’As and Kaadam found themselves alone in contention between the last two jumps. The gelding, however, made a clear difference once the final hurdle was cleared. He eventually won, bounding towards the post with a 4.5-length lead over a formidable Karré d’As, far ahead of her stablemate Saga Girl (Masterstroke), closing in from the rear, and Fabuleux Rico (Cokoriko), who was also ridden with restraint.

The winner was born in May 2020 in Mayenne. His breeder is Richard Corveller, for whom his dam Fiestine (Martaline), a product of the Chassagneux family also trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, ran. She won four consecutive races, including her chasing debut at Enghien at the end of the series, before finishing fifth in the Ferdinand Dufaure 4yo Chase (Gr1) won by Kotkikova. Fiestine had won the Roger Saint 4yo Chase (L) at Enghien the following autumn and then notably finished third in the Sytaj 4yo Fillies Chase (Gr3). Her brother Le Philanthrope (Doctor Dino), born in 2022, is entered in the autumn sales at Deauville.

Kaadam is the third foal out of Festine after Daradame (Kapgarde) and Kahsdam (Kapgarde), who won earlier in November the Triquerville Chase (L) at Auteuil. They are followed by two Doctor Dino fillies.