2 November 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy) did not miss his yearly appointment with fame in the €350,000 Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle (Gr1), Saturday at Auteuil.
He led all the way along with Blue Dragon (Califet), but in then end, the champion of the Papot family took off between the last two hurdles and went away druving to win by 5 and a half lengths over 5-year-old mare Paul's Saga (Martaline), who'd beaten him on better weight terms in their previous encounter.
Bergerac (Spirit One), who came by Paul's Saga in the final turn, finished third ahead of English raider Agrapart (Martaline).
Galop Marin is one of the very few top French jumpers who's not bred in the country. Bred in Ireland by Mr Fleming and Mr Molloy, Galop Marin was purchased € 13,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland mixed sales by FIPS Agency. Aged 7, he's out of Great Jane (Great Palm), a sister to good hurdlers Gaelic Ocean (Urban Ocean) and Gaelic Beauty (Garuda) who was bred in France. The mating that gave Galop Marin is very similar to the one which has produced Gaelic Ocean as both their sires are out of the great mare Urban Sea, that is both brothers to the great Galileo! Galop Marin is now ahead of €1m in earnings in France and this was his 11th win altogether, and a second Grand Prix d'Automne.