22 September 2019
Photo Galop Marin : scoopdyga.com
Monday, September 22 at Auteuil brings together some of the best jumpers in the country. Two Groups 3 Hurdle races lead the poster, but the action will be everywhere on the Parisian jumps.
The best 3yo hurdler of last year, champion Beaumec de Houelle, won the Prix Robert Lejeune (Gr3), a 3-year hurdle race. This time, the event brings together the first two of the Prix Aguado (Gr3) on June 9th. That day, Nirvana du Berlais (Martaline) beat For Fun (Motivator) receiving 4lbs from his rival. Only 2lbs separate them on the scale this time ...
They meet three challengers. Resplendor (Orpen) and Marchand de Venise (Martaline) have already run since the summer but both failed. Falstaff (Never on Sunday) has not raced since his fourth place in the Prix Go Ahead in April, when For Fun finished second, ten lengths ahead of him.
The other Group 3, the Prix de Compiègne (Gr3), is a hurdle race for horses aged 5 and over. Last year, Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy) started a campaign of four consecutive victories, including the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle Race (Gr1). The Papot family champion is back for a new season again his lustre has somehow faded last Spring. Sunday's rain will help his cause as he's supposedly better on the typical autumn grounds. Nine other runners are confirmed against him and he carries 69 kilos. Blue Dragon (Califet) carries 67. He also makes his comeback, but it is nothing compared to his return after nearly two years off, in the spring under the training of his former rider, David Cottin, who made him win again at his second attempt, before a third place in the Prix La Barka Hurdle (Gr2), behind two Willie Mullins-trained horses. No Irish raider this time, only about 100 days out.
The consistent Berjou (Holy Roman Emperor), also back from a Summer spell, holds the second-best rating in the race. He defeated Galop Marin in the Prix Olry-Roederer Hurdle (Gr2) in the spring before finishing third in the French Champion Hurdle (Gr1).
Another special case, Bipolaire (Fragrant Mix), one of the best chasers in the country, is back over hurdles, where he wins when given the right conditions, like on his return to Auteuil, in March.
Caiman Land (Passing Sale) won last time out, but that was over a year ago. Gifter, the Carrillon-Seigneur-Walsh-Lumet-Cyprès-owned7yo gelding won three of his four races at Auteuil, but he never raced in a Group 3.
Two 5-year-olds try their luck against the old guard: Highway To Hell (No Risk At All) runs for the first time this year but is undefeated in four outings, including the top Compiegne Hurdle race, the Prix Leopold d'Orsetti (Gr3), that he won at 4 against older foes in November!
The other 5-year-old is Raffles Sun (Poliglote), who won for her comeback in similar conditions in the spring.
Sampark (Walk in the Park), who is getting back in form after four years off the track, Izzo (Tertullian), who came back honourably after fifteen months out lately, and Curly Basc (Kapgarde) complete the field.
4 and 5 years old mares will first check their chasing ability in the Prix Sapin at 12h25. In the Prix Marittimo Hurdle race, Autocrat (Vision d'État) and four newcomers on the jumps scene he just defeated in the Prix Achille-Fould Hurle will try again.
The Prix Kargal 3yo Chase was won last year by the phenomenon Goliath du Berlais, and a bunch of promising 4-year-old AQPS compete for the Prix Fezensac Chase!