Pépinvast Hurdle history: a second step to be taken cautiously

April 9, 2022, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - With Kyrov out today, Hawai du Berlais (Martaline) was once again the favourite in this Pépinvast 4-year-olds' Hurdle (Gr3), three weeks after her first defeat.

It is another filly, however, named Ine Anjou (Balko), who took the lead early, accelerated going into the last straight and made a winning return impossible for the favourite. Ridden by Olivier Jouin and trained by Mathias Solier, she was carrying 4lbs less than Hawai du Berlais and kept half a length on the post. Golden Son (Martaline) once again finished well in third, over three lengths behind the two fillies.

It was Ine Anjou's 4th race only, the second this term after being beaten by the one and only You’re the Boss in the Ventriloque Hurdle race on her return. The winner hadn't let her play it her way then. Since then You’re the Boss too fought one better, L’Eau du Sud, who was receiving 4lbs. All that to point out that the rankings are still pretty confused in the wake of the prince Kyrov.

Ine Anjou was bred by Gildas Vaillant, who lezsed her to Mustang SARL. He also bred the great chasing mare Princesse d’Anjou. Ine Anjou's dam, however, was bred by the Vuillard family, who named her Line Garry (Ballingarry), out of the champion mare Line Marine (Agent Bleu), a Grand Steeple winner. Line Garry never ran but she's already given Saint Anjou (Saint des Saints), winner of 8 races, mostly handicaps over hurdles and chasing.

Since Ine Anjou, the dam foaled her full brother in 2020, and a Goliath du Berlais filly in 2021.

History

At the start of the 20th century, the Société des Steeple-Chases de France decided to give rename certain second-rate races on the Auteuil program, such as the Prix des Hêtres, Prix de la Marguerite, Prix de la Tour, Prix des Fossés, Prix des Environs, Prix du Fleuriste, Prix du Mimosa and others in the same vein. It personalised them by naming them after some more or less famous jumps horses, deceased members of its board, or famous stud farms. This was how the Pépinvast stud farm came to have its name given in 1903 to a hurdles race for 4 year-olds run on 21 March at Auteuil, which was won by the filly Panaria in the colours of Baron Roger. Open to horses aged 4 and over between the two world wars, in 1943, the Prix de Pépinvast was restored to its original conditions of a hurdles race for 4 year-olds only.

The race was not held in 1946, 1947, 1971, 1978 or 1985.

The race's roll of honours features champions such as Belle Gitane (1955), Chakhansoor (1969), Ermitage (1970), Grandak (1981), Kadalko (1992), Villez (1996), Saint des Saints (2002), Nickname (2003), Maia Eria (2004), Don Lino (2008), Bel La Vie (2010), Bonito du Berlais (2015) and De Bon Cœur (2017).

Wildriver is the last winner of both the Pépinvast and the Alain du Breil hurdle races, back in 2018. Oddly enough, none other had managed to do so since Nickname in 2003. Females have won the last three editions of the race, from 2017 to 2019.

Pépinvast

Pépinvast is the name of a stud farm in the Manche region, at Valcanville close to Barfleur, which was set up by Paul Le Marois (the uncle of Jacques Le Marois) shortly before his death in 1889. His widow continued to breed high-quality horses at Pépinvast, fetching good prices at the Deauville market for two decades. The first time she put yearlings up for sale at Deauville in 1893, Mrs Le Marois sold Omnium II for FF14,100, having acquired the foal for only FF6,000 the previous year during the sell-off of Léonce Delâtre’s stock. She made quite a tidy sum from this transaction, but for the purchaser, the young Evremond de Saint-Alary (aged twenty-five), it proved to be an extraordinary coup, as Omnium II rewarded him with seventeen victories including the Prix du Jockey Club, bringing in winnings of FF669,525 and become the cornerstone of his breeding operation at Saint-Pair-du-Mont.

As a result, Pépinvast became established as one of the leading sellers, continuing to produce high-quality horses such as Royal Mint (FF20,100), the winner in 1896 of the Prix de la Forêt for Evremond de Saint-Alary; Xylène (FF31,000), victor in the 1904 Poule d'Essai on behalf of Hubert de Pourtalès; and Blagueur II (FF3,500), winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris for Arthur Veil-Picard in 1911. After the First World War, however, Pépinvast was shut down.

Owners

• Daniel Wildenstein (4 wins): Neipperg (1974), Grandak (1981), Beaux Arts (1982) et Villez (1996).
• Maria-Félix Berger (3 wins): Tancredo (1966), Chakhansoor (1969) et Panela (1973).
• Gabriel Brun (2 wins): Mademoiselle Petitpas (1943) et Harka (1944).
• Ernest Burkhardt (2 wins): Dédée du Pomerai (1950) et Toupette d’Or (1951).
• Noël Biron (2 wins): Titien (1963) et Ermitage (1970).
• Mme Daniel Wildenstein (2 wins): Nil Bleu (1991) et Nickname (2003).
• Bernard Boutboul (2 wins): Kadalko (1992) et Double Détente (1994).
• Jean-Pierre Raymond (2 wins): Barents Sea (2000) et Blingless (2012).
• Magalen Bryant (2 wins): Gaelic Ocean (2007) et Device (2016).

Trainers

• Jean-Paul Gallorini (8 wins): Grandak (1981), Nil Bleu (1991), Pamparetto (1995), Villez (1996), Nickname (2003), Dindounas (2006), Don Lino (2008) & Caesar’s Palace (2011).
• André Adèle (5 wins): Belle Gitane (1955), Tancredo (1966), Chakhansoor (1969), Panela (1973) & Cheval de Roi (1976).
• Bernard Sécly (5 wins): Ercole de Roberty (1979), Roy Antony (1989), Kadalko (1992), Double Détente (1994) & Kimbi (1998).
• Georges Pelat (4 wins): Titien (1963), Ermitage (1970), Adadas (1972) & Neipperg (1974).
• Henri Delavaud (3 wins): Mademoiselle Petitpas (1943), Harka (1944) & Aegidia (1956).
• Henri Gleizes (3 wins): Le Mont d’Amain (1948), Trompette Major (1984) & Saint Amour II (1965).
• Jehan Bertran de Balanda (3 wins): Barents Sea (2000), Kadabi (2009) & Blingless (2012).
• Guillaume Macaire (3 wins): Saint des Saints (2002), Bel la Vie (2010) & Device (2016).

Riders

• Lucien Gautier (4 wins): Le Mont d’Amain (1948), Dédée du Pomerai (1950), Toupette d’Or (1951), Suzannah (1953)
• Dominique Vincent (4 wins): Roy Antony (1989), Pamparetto (1995), Kidder (1999), Tiger Groom (2001).
• Jean-Yves Beaurain (3 wins): Kadalko (1992), Double Détente (1994), Kimbi (1998).
• Christophe Pieux (3 wins): Maia Eria (2004), Don Lino (2008), Blingless (2012).

Nathalie Desoutter is the only winning female-jockey thanks to Dindounas (2006).