2 November 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
The first weekend in November, year after year, all lovers of Auteuil respond to the invitation of France Galop to meet on their favourite racecourse, despise the clouds and warm up applauding their champions. Heading the cards of these two days at Auteuil, the Autumn Grand Steeple-Chase, the Prix La Haye Jousselin Chase (Gr1), is once again the hottest race on the program.
This Sunday, a duel will oppose the winner of the Zeturf Grand Steeple-Chase of Paris Carriacou (Califet), ridden by Davy Russel, and the dual La Haye Jousselin winner Bipolaire (Fragrant Mix). Series abound in the race's chronicle. There are the extraordinary seven victories of Al Capone II between 1993 and 1999, but also the more recent doubles of Remember Rose, Rubi Ball, the three wins by the recently retired Milord Thomas (May he enjoy and long and healthy retirement, like Al Capone II, 31 years old today!). Those series show that the Prix La Haye Jousselin is a very different race from the Grand Steeple, run five months earlier. As different as the Autumn is different from the Spring.
The two favourites have been carefully prepared to peak for the €520,000 showpiece. Five rivals plan to crash the party though. Dalahast (Ballingarry) won twice lately and is now going into his first top level fight for owner Magalen Bryant, already three times in the roll of honour thanks to Milord Thomas. The metronome Poly Grandchamp (Poliglote) is still there, like the other Papot family representative, his sister Dalia Grandchamp (Kapgarde), also bred by Jean-Louis Guérin. Roxinela (Muhtathir) is always on the lookout in these big championships for her breeder-owner Gheorghe Codre, a native of Romania and a strong supporter of Auteuil for decades. The five-year-old AQPS mare Ebonite (Khalkevi) represents the association of the Cyprès and Couétil families, from the Nièvre and Normandy, a partnership also at the origin of Al Capone and many halfbred champions. Carnet d'Or Sivola (Assessor), finally, is the troublemaker in charge, one of those jokers that leave until the departure hover a question mark.
The actors are all there; the scenario remains to be discovered. Let the party begin !