14 November 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
November 14, 2021, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - One could expect a duel between the two best 4yo hurdlers in France, the AQPS Hermès Baie (Crillon), winner of the two prep races, and the winner of the top 3yo hurdling contest last season, Thélème (Sidestep), twice beaten this term before this Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle (Gr1). Yet the duel never happened as the former unseated his rider Bertrand Lestrade when he brutally veered right by the post, one lap before the actual finish ... Thélème, therefore, was left on his own, and although Colbert du Berlais (Poliglote) tried to challenge him between the last two hurdles, the Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé-trained, Pierre Dubourg-ridden and James Gordon's JDG Bloodstock Services-owned gelding finally prevailed easily. he won by 8 lengths over Colbert and Martator (Martaline), third at one good length.
Trained in Royan-La Palmyre by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, Thélème was second for his debut and couldn't run in the Robert Lejeune 3yo Hurdle (Gr3) after that as he was withdrawn on the course that day. Yet he won the Georges de Talhouët-Roy 3yo Hurdle (Gr2) easily after that, closing in after travelling at the rear, and duly repeated in the Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle (Gr1). Back this season after Spring out, the SCEA Bissons-bred was beaten twice by Hermès Baie before this new romp.
Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé had not won this race since 2007 when Shekira prevailed.
Thélème is out of Utopia Jem (Okawango), a mare sold for € 5,000 in December 2019 at Deauville. Theleme was unsold at €3,000 at the Osarus yearling sales, and his dam's 5th foal, a Whipper filly born in 2021, is in the Deauville Arqana breeding sale in less than a month.