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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 7th September 2021.
This week's round-up covers Group action at Vincennes, exciting mid-week Listed contests at Longchamp and the sixth stage of the Crystal Cup...
| Date | Thursday, September 6, 2021 |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix d'Arenberg |
| Type | Listed two-year-old (1000m) |
| Winner | Corazon |
| Jockey/Driver | Mickaël Barzalona |
| Trainer | George Boughey |
| Breeding | Markaz x Disko |
| Second | Dizzy Bizu |
| Third | Illustrating |
| Corazon provided Markaz a first stakes success in what was a determined effort to fend off Dizzy Bizu under a strong Mickaël Barzalona ride, with the fast-finishing Illustrating grabbing third. The two-year-old filly improved the already growing reputation of trainer George Boughey with this impressive turf debut and there are now a couple of future targets including the G2 Flying Childers (1000m) at Doncaster on Friday (September 10) which may come too quickly for her. She doesn't have a G1 Prix de l'Abbaye (1000m) entry. The filly's dam, Disko (Kodiac), was a juvenile winner who ran fourth in a Newmarket Listed event. Markaz stands at Derrinstown Stud for a fee of €3,000. | |
| Date | Thursday, September 6, 2021 |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix de Liancourt |
| Type | Listed three-year-old |
| Winner | Sibila Spain |
| Jockey/Driver | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | Christopher Head |
| Breeding | Frankel x L'Ancresse |
| Second | Omnia Munda |
| Third | Light stars |
| The talented Sibila Spain – who ran close to securing Group One glory when leading for a long way in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) – put her career back on track with a dominant success in this easier Listed contest. A daughter of Frankel, she was immediately sent to the front, displaying her usual early pace, and built up a huge lead rounding for home. She was entitled to get a little tired towards the finish but registered a comfortable two-and-a-half-length victory. The G1 Prix de l'Opera (2000m) on Arc weekend is her main target. | |
| Date | Thursday, September 6, 2021 |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix de Lutece |
| Type | G3 three-year-old (3000m) |
| Winner | Esope |
| Jockey/Driver | Stéphane Pasquier |
| Trainer | Hiroo Shimizu |
| Breeding | Galiway x Polemique |
| Second | Tides Of War |
| Third | Gabello |
| The Hiroo Shimizu-trained Esope was given a good front-running ride in a steadily-run affair, securing a first stakes success. Stéphane Pasquier was allowed to dictate matters on his own terms from the start and kicked for home at the 400m marker. He never saw another rival in a race which may prove lacking in strong form. Galiway stands at Haras de Colleville for a fee of €12,000. | |
| Date | Friday, September 3, 2021 |
| Venue | La Teste de Buch |
| Race | Prix Millkom |
| Type | Listed three-year-old (1600m) |
| Winner | Mouillage |
| Jockey/Driver | Jean-Bernard Eyquem |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Toronado x Hazely |
| Second | Leopards Park |
| Third | Izlaz |
| Mouillage scored a deserved Listed success after a pair of placings in the same company this campaign. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt had to work hard to secure the lead 200m from the finish, before repelling the late thrust of Leopards Park. His dam was a 3200m winner which offers hope of further progress upped in journey at some stage in his career. Toronado stands at Haras de Bouquetot for a fee of €8,000. | |
| Date | Friday, September 3, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix H. Ceran-Maillard |
| Type | Mounted five-year-olds (2175m) |
| Winner | Girly Beco |
| Jockey/Driver | Guillaume Martin |
| Trainer | Maxime Bezier |
| Breeding | Tiego d'Etang x Verveine Gede |
| Second | Granvillaise Bleue |
| Third | Galla de Manche |
| Girly Beco caused an upset to qualify for the final at Vincennes on September 19. The daughter of Tiego d'Etang had shown little during this term, including in similar mounted contests prior to this shock win. She took up the running 200m from the finish, winning with something in hand and it will be fascinating to see if she can kick on from this pleasing run in the final. It is worth noting that two of her four career victories have now come racing barefoot. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | La Teste de Buch |
| Race | Prix Occitanie |
| Type | Listed three-year-olds (1900m) |
| Winner | Keyflower |
| Jockey/Driver | Eddy Hardouin |
| Trainer | Mauricio Delcher Sanchez |
| Breeding | Kheleyf x Heather Flower |
| Second | Lingering Dream |
| Third | Trixia de Vega |
| Keyflower provided her sire Kheleyf with a 22nd individual stakes winner when a gutsy winner of the Prix Occitanie at La Teste de Buch. Eddy Hardouin had a willing partner who showed bravery to stay on powerfully between rivals nearest to the stands' rail, winning with something to spare. The three-year-old held solid place form in Listed company prior to this success. She is the second foal out of unraced dam Heather Flower, herself out of a winning sister to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victor Hurricane Run (Montjeu). Kheleyf stood at Haras de Faune this season for a fee of €1,800. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Critérium des 5 ans |
| Type | G1 walk up for five-year-olds (3000m) |
| Winner | Galius |
| Jockey/Driver | Yoann Lebourgeois |
| Trainer | Séverine Raimond |
| Breeding | Love You x Star de Villeneuve |
| Second | Gangster du Wallon |
| Third | Ganay de Banville |
| Galius secured a fifteenth career victory, with a Group One win at the first attempt under a good, tactical ride from Yoann Lebourgeois. The Séverine Raimond-trained performer was taken to the front with a circuit of the Parisienne venue to complete, steadily increasing the tempo before having just enough in hand to see off the late challenge of Gangster du Wallon. This was an emotional triumph for the trainer, who gained a first Group One. She had previously invested in the dam of Galius, Star de Villeneuve, at the end of her racing career. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Victor Regis |
| Type | G2 walk up for three-year-olds (2175m) |
| Winner | Italiano Vero |
| Jockey/Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Ready Cash x Baraka d'Henlou |
| Second | Inferno Piper |
| Third | Idefix de Centule |
| Italiano Vero bounced back from a disqualification in August with a comfortable all-the-way success for a sixth Group win of his career for Philippe Allaire under a confident David Thomain ride. The son of Ready Cash crossed the line in a kilometre time of 1'12"2 and continues to impress among the leading three-year-old trotters, a view backed up by his trainer. Philippe commented after the win that he is an exemplary colt, who is often compared to the superstar Face Time Bourbon. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Uranie |
| Type | G2 walk up for three-year-old filles (2175m) |
| Winner | Ivensong |
| Jockey/Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Ready Cash x Amy Crown |
| Second | I Love Me |
| Third | I Want You |
| Philippe Allaire and David Thomain completed back-to-back three-year-old Group prizes on the card with Ivensong who is another progeny of Ready Cash scoring in style. She sat midfield before circling rivals at the end of the back straight and maintained the forward move to put the race to bed at the 100m marker in a kilometre time of 1'12"0, Ivensong equalled the three-year-old record on the 2175m track. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix RMC (Prix de Beaugency) |
| Type | G3 walk up for six-to-ten-year-olds (2850m) |
| Winner | Detroit Castelets |
| Jockey/Driver | Matthieu Abrivard |
| Trainer | Jean Luc Dersoir |
| Breeding | Neoh Jiel x Rosanna Bonheur |
| Second | Feliciano |
| Third | Calle Crown |
| Detroit Castelets bounced back from a disqualification to register a fourth Group victory and a third success over track and trip. The consistent mare Feerie Wood injected an increased pace entering the back straight for the final time committing a long way from home though just couldn't last in a whirlwind finish. Detroit Castelets and Feliciano finished with a flourish, attacking off the home bend, benefiting from the strong tempo with the former just edged forward at the line, winning for the first time since Laval in 2019. | |
| Date | Saturday, September 4, 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Critérium des 4 ans |
| Type | G1 walk up for four-year-olds (2850m) |
| Winner | Hastronaute |
| Jockey/Driver | Matthieu Abrivard |
| Trainer | Yannick Henry |
| Breeding | Booster Winner x Une Etoile Bleue |
| Second | Hanna des Molles |
| Third | Hohneck |
| Hastronaute caused a surprise when delivering a front-running victory in the four-year-old classic generational championship. The son of Booster Winner maintained a good pace throughout, fending off all challengers in game fashion when looking likely to be collared in the home straight. This was a career best by a big margin. In a remarkable career, he was claimed by Yannick Henry when winning a minor Beaumont-de-Lomagne event for Sébastien Guarato in July last season. Subsequently he has progressed up the ladder but this victory surpasses any expectations. This was a family victory with Yannick Henry's brother-in-law, Matthieu Abrivard, in the sulky. | |
| Date | Sunday, September 5, 2021 |
| Venue | Craon |
| Race | Prix Super U Craon (Prix Louis de Guebriant) |
| Type | Listed Cross-Country Chase for 5yo+ (6000m) |
| Winner | Doralou des Bordes |
| Jockey/Driver | Alexandre Orain |
| Trainer | Christophe Dubourg |
| Breeding | Vendangeur x Tornade des Bordes |
| Second | Bomari |
| Third | Cap Mix |
| There was a spectacular conclusion to the sixth stage of the Crystal Cup European cross-country challenge for 2021, with five horses touching down almost together at the final fence of the 6000m stamina test. Doralou des Bordes kept on strongly to see off a determined Bomari on the run-in to enhance a superb track record. This was the winner's third victory at the Pays de la Loire region in western France and a first win in the race for Christophe Dubourg. The Frenchman has capped a remarkable year having bred his first Grade One winner in 2021, when the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene (Denham Red) won the G1 Irish Arkle Novice Chase (3500m) at Leopardstown in February. Doralou des Borde's dam is a daughter of Gamine Royale (Garde Royale), who produced Olivia des Bordes, a Listed chase winner at Auteuil. The next stage will be the G1 Gran Premio Merano (5000m) held at Merano in Italy. | |