3 March 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
It has been an eventful renewal of the Prix Juigné Hurdle (Gr3), the first step of the Auteuil season towards the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (Gr1) in May. The favourite Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy) fell early in the race and while nobody was hurt in the incident, the whole thing suddenly became wide open. Who would succeed champion De Bon Coeur (Vision d'État), the previous winner of this first inter-generation test for the best hurdlers at Auteuil?
As it happened, another 5yo mare, also meeting the older horses for the first time, did exactly that as Munir&Souede's Raffles Sun (Poliglote), trained by Dominique Bressou like the unfortunate favorite, clearly took over from then. Her rider Kevin Nabet spared her while constantly featuring in the leading group, to take the lead in the back stretch and never look back. Raffles Sun had finished 3rd in the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle (Gr1) last time out in November behind her promotion's two champions, the now injured Master Dino and the young sire Tunis, now based at the haras de Cercy in the Nièvre, "AQPS Land".
Two and a half lengths behind Raffles Sun, veteran Vangel de Cerisy (Vangelis) finished second for owner Carlo David Robba. He is now trained by David Cottin, his seventh handler to date, and was racing for the second time in a Group race, almost 4 years after finishing 12th in the Grande Course de Haies de Printemps Handicap Hurdle (Gr3). Yet since joining the booming yard of David Cottin's, the 10yo gelding has won two handicaps and finished 2nd in a third one. His rider Geoffrey Ré, who was riding him for the twelfth time on Sunday, gave him a perfect trip to hold off Tap Tap Boom (Foxwedge). The latter is a 5 year old gelding who fell in the Prix Renaud du Vivier. He had been claimed in June 2017 and has gradually improved to get his first podium placing in a Group race in this odd Juigné Hurdle. Tap Tap Boom races for France Galop racing steward Géraldine Reille-Villedey, associated with the trainers Butel & Beaunez, and Elmina SAS.
Raffles Sun is out of Gray Steam (Turgeon), winner over hurdles for her third and final race at Vichy for trainer Guillaume Macaire and owner Simon Munir, who kept her at stud. Raffles Sun is her first foal. Her own four-year-old brother Raffles Classic (Poliglote) ran once, unsuccessfully, last April in Saumur for the same connections. An Enrique gelding and a Great Pretender filly followed. Gray Steam's dam, Folklorique (Groom Dancer), was bred by Alec Head. She is the dam of seven winners including Gray Steel (Turgeon), winner and placed in several Groups 2 and 3 Hurdle races at Auteuil.