6 November 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Novembr 6, 2021, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - Already the winner of the last three editions of the Grand Prix d’Automne Hurdle race (Gr1, 4 800m), 9-year-old Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy) managed to make it four at about 15/2. The champion Irishbred owned by the Papot family, trained by Dominique Bressou and ridden by Morgan Regairaz hadn't won since th previous renewal of the Auteuil Autumn Hurdling classic. Well beaten in every prep race since then, as L’Autonomie (Blue Brésil) was dominating the circuit, he took over this time about halfway, let her slide by him in the last bend, stuck to the inside as the mare was, as usual, leaning to the outside rail, and finally kept a good length over the odds-on favourite. The AQPS Folsom Prison (No Risk At All) once again let the big guns exhaust themselves and finished well in 3rd at 13 lengths, beating a tiring Paul’s Saga (Martaline) and the English raider Thyme Hill (Kayf Tara).
Bred in Ireland by MM. Fleming & Molloy, Galop Marin was sold for € 13,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland sales by FIPS. Now aged 9 ans, he's out of Great Jane (Great Palm), a sister of the good hurdlers Gaelic Ocean (Urban Ocean) and Gaelic Beauty (Garuda), both bred in France. This mating is very close to Gaelic Ocean's as both their sires are out of Urban Sea, that is brothers to Galileo and Galileo! Galop Marin now earned over €1.5m and recorded 14 wins hurdling and chasing.
WHAT THEY SAID ...
From the Dragey-Rothon (Manche region) training centre
Dominique Bressou (Trainer of Galop Marin, 1st)
« That’s better now…It's a lot of pleasure, and a lot of emotion. Congratulations to his jockey and the whole team. This victory is that of many people. Even the person with whom the horse boarded during his rest period had something to do with it. Galop Marin is exceptional. He has never had any health problems. His legs have stood the test of time, and, and for a jumper, that's exceptional. However, what I can't explain is his dip in form during the spring. However, in the autumn, it’s the exact opposite as he's the equine version of caviar. »
Morgan Regairaz (Rider of Galop Marin, 1st)
"The plan was not to make the running. However, when the race got underway, I had no choice. I managed to obtain some cover down the backstretch, but he was chomping at the bit. When he retook the lead, he went into warrior mode and I knew that it was going to pan out well. He jumped very well and raced well within himself. I decided to keep to the inside. I had seen the finish of the Prix Magalen Bryant, as the fillies in that race elected to stick to the inside. He's a champion, and I was under more pressure more than I've ever been. Galop Marin deserves to enter the annals of history. He's a real crack performer and you need to be that in order to beat a mare like L'Autonomie."
Xavier Papot (Owner of Galop Marin, 1st)
"It hasn’t quite sunk in that we’ve won! It's incredible. This horse was 100 per cent and he gave 200 per cent. We deliberately let L'Autonomie cut out the donkey work, as we wished to counter her renewed effort. We had talked to Morgan a fortnight ago and we agreed that L'Autonomie shouldn't have things all her own way. We knew that the mare could be unpredictable and we needed to capitalise. He won, it's incredible!"
From the Saint-Augustin training centre (Charente-Maritime region)
François Nicolle (Trainer of L’Autonomie, 2nd)
"We got beaten by a crack performer! Galop Marin is a horse who really comes into his own in the autumn. The Grand Prix d'Automne is his race. I regret that L'Autonomie did not stalk Galop Marin for a little longer. Her jockey, Angelo Zuliani, told me that she pulled a lot during the race. However, I think we should have hung on to her, on the outside, a little more, and waited. We don't know yet if we will see her again next year."
From the Maisons-Laffitte training centre (Yvelines region)
Yannick Fouin (Trainer of Folsom Prisom, 3rd)
"The horse again ran to a very good mark. There was a question about the distance, but he showed that he stayed the trip stand, and he ran on well in the straight. He didn't steal his third place! We rode him to obtain the best possible placing and he finished with a flourish, showing his fighting qualities. He's heading in the right direction. As things stand, he'll be kept to hurdles."