17 October 2020
Photo scoopdyga.com
The €245,000 Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (Gr1) is the top French Hurdle race. Just like the Grand Steeple scheduled on Sunday, it is taking place this year five months later than usual, 22 weeks to be precise.
This is obviously an unprecedented event. Despite the very specific conditions in which this 142nd edition of the race takes place, also despite the overwhelming domination of the 5yo mare L'Autonomie (Blue Brésil) over the French hurdles, reiterated recently in the Compiègne Hurdle (Gr3), no less than eleven runners were confirmed at the start.
Despite all this, too, the memory of the last edition of the championship, in May 2019, hangs over this new version. That day, the defending champion De Bon Cœur, a stablemate of L'Autonomie who also seemed unbeatable at the time, couldn't catch the Irish-trained French-bred Bénie des Dieux, trained by Willie Mullins. Both are out now and new raiders from Britain will try to upset the result again.
Whatever happens, it's a new name that will be crowned hurdling champion of France on Saturday ...
- 1. EL GRINGO (g6, FRA by Kamsin and Cinecitta, by Diesis) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 161lbs
Trained at La Teste-de-Buch by Jérôme Larrigade, this 4th-placed in the Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle race (Gr1) in 2018 at Auteuil won his first Parisian Listed Hurdle race in March and confirmed by challenging L'Autonomie in the Léon Rambaud Hurdle race (Gr2) in the wake. He then finished sixth at Compiègne and finished honourably fourth for his comeback in the Compiègne Hurdle race (Gr3) over twenty lengths behind L’Autonomie.
- 2. AGRAPART (g9, FRA by Martaline and Afragha, by Darshaan) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 148lbs
Trained in Great Britain by Francophile Nick Williams, he notably won the Cleeve Hurdle race (Gr1) over 3m on soft ground at Ascot. He has yet to win in France but has done well every now and then, such as his second place behind Porto Pollo in March 2m5 1/2f of the Hubert d'Aillières Hurdle race (L).
- 3. RAMSES DE TEILLEE (g8, FRA by Martaline and Princesse d´Orthon, by Saint Cyrien) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 149lbs
Trained in Great Britain by David Pipe, he hasn't raced since March, when well-beaten in a Cheltenham Festival Novice Championship after winning two Group 2s.
- 4. CORAZONES (g8, FRA by Nidor and Céline Mon Cœur, by Sanglamore) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 146lbs
Trained at Chantilly by François-Marie Cottin, he has just won over Auteuil's hurdles for his comeback over 19.5f. He also finished sixth in June in the Hypothese Hurdle race (Gr3) against the same rivals at Compiègne.
- 5. THE WORLD’S END (g9, IRE by Stowaway and Bright Sprite, by Beneficial) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 157lbs
Trained in Great Britain by Tom George, he never ran over French hurdles and this is his comeback after an eight-month absence. A specialist of long distances across the Channel, he notably won the Long Walk Hurdle race (Gr1) for his penultimate outing. He has already won at the best level for a comeback.
- 6. GALOP MARIN (g8, IRE by Black Sam Bellamy and Great Jane, by Great Palm) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 170lbs
Trained in Normandy by Dominique Bressou, he is the winner of the last two editions of the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle race (Gr1). L’Autonomie made his life less easy this season, however, and it took a toll on him in the spring. He made a winning comeback in a steeplechase at Craon and recently finished third to the favourite, fighting to the end for second place.
- 7. CLONDAW CIAN (g10, IRE by Gold Well and Cocktail Bar, by Hubbly Bubbly) Weight: 10-10 / Rating: 128lbs
Trained in England by Sophie Leech, he has raced in France five times since March, notably in a steeplechase, and in the provinces. He is tackling a much stronger opposition here after finishing third in a handicap over hurdles at Auteuil.
- 8. PORTO POLLO (g5, FRA by Manduro and Silky Steps, by Nayef) Weight: 10-6 / Rating: 165lbs
Trained near Royan by François Nicolle, he was one of the best of his generation at 3 and remains consistent at this level, both over hurdles and steeplechase. He struggled to win against the best but found his day in the absence of L'Autonomie in the La Barka Hurdle race (Gr2) to finally win at the top level after two good performances in the Léon Rambaud Hurdle race (Gr2 ) and the Hypothèse Hurdle race (Gr3), and a good second place behind L'Autonomie, which he even seemed to challenge until the last jump in the last prep race.
- 9. PAUL’S SAGA (f6, FRA by Martaline et Humoriste, by Saint Cyrien) Weight: 10-6 / Rating: 161lbs
Trained at Chantilly by David Cottin, last year she won the Grande Course de Haies de Printemps Handicap Hurdle (Gr3), the biggest handicap in the speciality. She then managed to join the elite since she finished the season by winning the Carmarthen Hurdle race (Gr3), took second place in the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle race (Gr1), and finally won the Léon Olry-Roederer Hurdle race (Gr2). She failed twice over hurdles in the spring and then ran very well in Compiègne for her return to the steeplechase, before taking fourth place in the La Barka Hurdle race (Gr2) from Porto Pollo. She ran very well, finishing second, for her comeback at Auteuil and was recently declared a non-runner in the Compiègne Hurdle race (Gr3).
- 10. L’AUTONOMIE (f5, FRA by Blue Brazil and L’Automne, by Kahyasi) Weight: 10-1 / Rating: 172lbs
Trained near Royan by François Nicolle, she is the Auteuil top hurdler. She dominated in her generation, then against the older jumpers in the spring, even at Compiègne in the Hypothèse Hurdle race (Gr3), her last race of the summer. It has just won its eighth consecutive victory by dominating the Compiègne Hurdle race (Gr3), the final preparatory race. This is her first attempt in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, over a trip that is 4 furlongs longer than the Léon Rambaud Hurdle race (Gr2), her longest winning trip so far.
- 11. BYZANCE DU BERLAIS (f5, FRA by Martaline and Bonita du Berlais, by King’s Theater) Weight: 10-1 / Rating: 143lbs
Trained at Chantilly by Robert Collet, she too has been subject to the L'Autonomie law all last year and continues to feature against older horses, but a little below for the moment.