18 May 2024
Photo scoopdyga.com
Saturday, 18 May 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). – Fourteen runners lined up for the €390,000 Racing TV Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil Hurdle Race (Gr1), including six raiders from the British and Irish chasing scene. The race promised to be wide open, but despite a 55-day layoff due to a setback, the 5-year-old Losange Bleu (Martaline) was the favourite in the betting, looking to extend his winning streak. Homebre by the Papot Family, he lived up to expectations by leading early on. Although several rivals challenged him over the 3 miles and 1.5 furlongs (5,100m), he dictated the pace.
In the final turn, Dominique Bressou’s charge faced a surprising challenge from Mahler Mission (Mahler), who had recently unseated his rider in the Grand National at Liverpool. Losange Bleu, however, fended off this attack and then held off the strong finish of Hewick (Virtual) along the stands’ rail in the run-in. This came five months after his victory in the King George VI Chase (Gr1) at Kempton Park and a year after finishing fourth in this same race, won by Thélème.
In the end, Losange Bleu secured the top Hurdling race trophy with a length and a half to spare. 2ne-placed Hewick finished a good length ahead of a remarkable July Flower (Pastorius), who edged Mahler Mission by a neck.
Winner of the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle (Gr1) last year, Losange Bleu is out of Sweet Valrose (Cadoudal), who was twice placed over hurdles at Enghien and Auteuil at the age of 3, racing for Vicenzo Esposito. She later produced several winners before coming under the ownership of the Papot family. Losange Vert (Montmartre), her first foal for the Papot family, won the Prix Duc d'Anjou 4yo Hurdle (Gr3). After Losange Bleu, she produced Losange Vert Bleu (Night Wish), who won his first two hurdle races at Pau this winter and was second in the Prix d’Indy (Gr3) earlier this season.