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Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 27th April 2021.
It has been an important week in all three racing codes including two feature events headlining the weekend with the G1 Prix de l'Atlantique (2150m) at Enghien and the G3 Prix du Président de la République Handicap Steeplechase at Auteuil….
Flat
| Date | Tuesday 20 April 2021 |
| Venue | Chantilly (Turf) |
| Race | Race 3 – G3 Prix Sigy (1100m) |
| Type | Three-year-olds |
| Winner | Suesa |
| Jockey | Olivier Peslier |
| Trainer | François Rohaut |
| Breeding | Night of Thunder x Sally Is The Boss |
| Second | Isle of May |
| Third | Ideal Beauty |
| Suesa, a George Strawbridge owned filly remains unbeaten after three starts following an eye-catching three and half-length victory. She won the Listed Prix Yacowlef (1100m) at the same course and distance last November and this success gave Night Of Thunder a nineteenth stakes winner. He stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland for an increased fee of €75,000. The filly was purchased by McKeever Bloodstock for €17,000 at the 2018 Goffs Ireland November Foal Sale. The filly it out of the unraced Orpen (Lure) mare Sally Is The Boss. Last Tuesday was her first start for both the owner and trainer Francois Rohaut. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Toulouse (Good) |
| Race | R3 – G2 Prix Sheikh Mansoor Festival - Prix Nefta (2000m) |
| Type | Four-year-old fillies Purebred Arabs |
| Winner | Jalela |
| Jockey | Jérôme Cabre |
| Trainer | Thomas Fourcy |
| Breeding | Mister Ginoux et Nefertarie |
| Second | Elaf |
| Third | Zarra Star |
| Jalela, a four-year-old filly gained a second win in five starts. She found plenty from the front and made all in good style. This added to her smart record after a success in the G3 Prix Nevada II (160m) last October at the same course. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Toulouse |
| Race | R4 – G2 Prix de Carthage (2000m) |
| Type | Four-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Hattal |
| Jockey | Ioritz Mendizabal |
| Trainer | Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte |
| Breeding | Mahabb et Mizzna |
| Second | Ibn Gadir QA |
| Third | Melabi |
| Hattal justified strong market support keeping a promising record intact now with four wins from five attempts. The son of Mahabb clearly is talented as last July he won the G1 Derby des Pur-Sang Arabe de 4 ans (2000m) at Chantilly. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Toulouse |
| Race | R6 – Listed Prix F.B.A. Aymeri de Mauléon (1600m) |
| Type | Three-year-olds |
| Winner | Perseverants |
| Jockey | Julien Augé |
| Trainer | Christophe Ferland |
| Breeding | Zoffany x Perle Rare |
| Second | Mouillage |
| Third | Seventh Kingdom |
| Three-year-old son of Zoffany gained a second career success after making all to win this Listed prize. She managed to fend off the fast-closing runners by the shortest margin. This provided former Australia shuttler Zoffany with his 39th individual stakes winner. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Toulouse |
| Race | R7 – Listed Prix Caravelle - Haras des Granges (2100m) |
| Type | Three-year-old fillies |
| Winner | Light Stars |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Sea The Stars x Sureyya |
| Second | Lingering Dream |
| Third | Aspirante |
| The daughter of Sea The Stars showed ability to record a second win from three racecourse appearances after coming from last to first. Held up early, jockey Christophe Soumillon had to switch the filly to the outside but powered home quickly to reign in the field. Raced by the Aga Khan, this became a 75th individual stakes winner for Sea The Stars (Cape Cross). | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Toulouse |
| Race | R8 – Listed Le Vase d'Argent - 3e Etape du Défi du Galop 2021 (2000m) |
| Type | Four-year-olds and above. |
| Winner | Moderator |
| Jockey | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Charley Rossi |
| Breeding | Rio de la Plata x Monarquia |
| Second | Fantastic Spirit |
| Third | Kabir |
| Christophe Soumillon had another triumph on Sunday at Toulouse as he steered Moderator to success after being prominent throughout. Last year's Grosser Preis Von Stadler - 40 Swiss Derby (2400m) winner gave Rio De La Plata (Rahy) his seventh stakes winner, all coming at Listed level. | |
| Date | Monday 26 April 2021 |
| Venue | Chantilly (Turf) (Good to soft) |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix Servanne (1200m) |
| Type | Four-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Marianafoot |
| Jockey | Mickaël Barzalona |
| Trainer | Jérôme Reynier |
| Breeding | Footstepsinthesand x Marianabaa |
| Second | Queen of Love |
| Third | Sestilio Jet |
| Marianafoot won the feature at Chantilly in taking fashion to give a twelfth victory from nineteen starts for the six-year-old. This success also produced a six consecutive win. | |
Jump
| Date | Wednesday 21 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil (Good) |
| Race | R2 – Listed Prix Wild Monarch – Poulains Hurdle (3000m) |
| Type | Hurdle, three-year-old colts and geldings unraced |
| Winner | Paradiso |
| Jockey | Kévin Nabet |
| Trainer | David Cottin |
| Breeding | Kapgarde x No News |
| Second | Cuzco du Mathan |
| Third | Matterhorn |
| Paradiso justified strong market support to score this Listed event by an eye-catching eight lengths to make a winning debut. Kévin Nabet rode the three-year-old close to the lead and was prominent which helped with the jumping throughout to then open up in style at the finish. | |
| Date | Wednesday 21 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil (Good ground) |
| Race | R3 – Listed Prix William Head Chase (4700m) |
| Type | Steeplechase, five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Général en Chef |
| Jockey | Felix de Giles |
| Trainer | David Cottin |
| Breeding | Martaline x Sortie de Secours |
| Second | Carriacou |
| Third | Goas Mat |
| David Cottin gained a quick fire Listed double as Général en Chef recorded a fourth win from nine career starts. Jockey Felix de Giles made a bold move inside the final 800m to be a clear 20 length leader down the back straight for the final time and he had the class to keep the clear margin. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil (Very Soft) |
| Race | R2 – Listed Prix de Marsan Hurdle (3600m) |
| Type | Hurdle, for four year olds only |
| Winner | Starlet du Mesnil |
| Jockey | Bertrand Lestrade |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | No Risk At All x Scarlett du Mesnil |
| Second | Lola Oak |
| Third | Here I Am |
| François Nicolle had a fantastic afternoon at the Paris track delivering a four timer, with this four-year-old filly gaining a fourth victory in six outings. The daughter of No Risk At All jumped well and displayed good ability to beat stablemate, Lola Oak. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | R3 – G3 Prix du Président de la République Handicap Steeplechase (4700m) |
| Type | Handicap steeplechase, for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | Fanfaron Spécial |
| Jockey | Felix de Giles |
| Trainer | Patrice Quinton |
| Breeding | Gentlewave x Ultra Spéciale |
| Second | Enfant Roi |
| Third | Bandero |
| Six-year-old Fanfaron Spécial had the perfect passage to gain one of the biggest chase events of the year after showing a brilliant attitude and jumping technique throughout. The large field of twenty were all still standing with 1000m to go. He reversed the form from the Prix Karcimont handicap chase (4400m) against Enfant Roi at the start of the month. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | R4 – Listed Prix Wild Monarch – Pouliches Hurdle (3000m) |
| Type | Three-year-old fillies newcomer's event |
| Winner | Matilda du Berlais |
| Jockey | Felix de Giles |
| Trainer | David Cottin |
| Breeding | Martaline x Nikita du Berlais |
| Second | Foxy Girl |
| Third | Saintamarin |
| The current dominance of David Cottin was shown on Sunday at Auteuil as the trainer had the first three home in this Listed newcomer's hurdle with Felix de Giles gaining a quick-fire double. The daughter of Martaline showed promise to make a winning debut though she did have to duel with stable mate, Foxy Girl all the way to the line. Both look horses to note. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | R5 – G2 Prix Jean Stern Steeplchase (4400m) |
| Type | Steeplechase for four-year-olds |
| Winner | Le Listrac |
| Jockey | Lucas Zuliani |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | Balko et Margonote |
| Second | L'Aubonnière |
| Third | Heloy Delabarrière |
| Le Listrac continued his progression now with four triumphs from eight career starts. Lucas Zuliani has built up a good parentship with this son of Balko as last season he ran a good fourth in the G1 Prix Cambacérès - Grande Course de Haies des 3 ans hurdle (3600m). He is open to further progress after just three chase attempts so far. | |
| Date | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | R6 – G2 Prix Léon Rambaud Hurdle (4300m) |
| Type | Hurdle for five-year-olds and above |
| Winner | L'Autonomie |
| Jockey | Angelo Zuliani |
| Trainer | François Nicolle |
| Breeding | Blue Bresil et L'Automne |
| Second | Paul's Saga |
| Third | Galop Marin |
| The six-year-old star mare continued her fabulous record with a comfortable eight length victory. Thirteen wins from eighteen outings is a very smart record especially at the highest level and appears to be the one to beat in next month's French champion Hurdle. | |
Trotting
| Date | Tuesday 20 April 2021 |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | R6 – G3 Prix Cornélia (2850m) |
| Type | Mounted, for six-ten-year-olds |
| Winner | Freeman de Houelle |
| Driver | Eric Raffin |
| Trainer | Franck Leblanc |
| Breeding | Vigove x Rafina de Houelle |
| Second | Diamant de Tréabat |
| Third | Carioca de Lou |
| Six-year-old, Freeman de Houelle justified favouritism when making all after adopting the lead early on. With a circuit to go, he opened up his lead by five lengths and increased the margin down the back straight. As Eric Raffin turned for home, he was still eight lengths clear and was a comfortable winner recording a 1'12''2 over 2850m. His current record now is eight wins, nine placings from 31 career outings. | |
| Date | Saturday 24 April 2021 |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | R2 – G2 Sulky Summer Races 4 Ans – Qualifier one (Prix Gaston Brunet) (2875m) |
| Type | Driven, for four-year-olds only |
| Winner | Hatchet Man |
| Driver | David Thomain |
| Trainer | Philippe Allaire |
| Breeding | Goetmals Wood x Suricate |
| Second | Hety du Goutier |
| Third | Hohneck |
| Despite there only being six runners and impressive winner was found in Hatchet Man who was a class above the rest as he produced a wide margin victory. David Thomain was keen to secure the lead and ensured that the four-year-old set the pace. He managed to spread out the small field by twenty lengths after just half a circuit of the track. The son of Goetmals Wood is progressive now with eight wins from eighteen attempts. | |
| Date | Saturday 24 April 2021 |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | R5 – G2 Sulky Summer Races 4 Ans – Qualifier two (Prix Gaston de Wazières) (2875m) |
| Type | Driven, for four-year-old fillies only |
| Winner | Hirondelle Sibey |
| Driver | Eric Raffin |
| Trainer | Jean-Michel Baudouin |
| Breeding | Gazouillis x Célina du Châtelet |
| Second | Havanaise |
| Third | Héliade du Goutier |
| Hirondelle Sibey was held up in the early stages under Eric Raffin. However, the main group were packed together and the daughter of Gazouillis was about eight lengths behind the leader with a lap to go. As the field took the back straight for the final time, Hirondelle Sibey was three-deep but making good headway. The favourite though showed an excellent turn of foot to pass in the final stages scoring by a narrow margin. Hirondelle Sibey completed the last 500 meters fastest with a 1'07''3. | |
| Date | Saturday 24 April 2021 |
| Venue | Enghien |
| Race | R7 – G1 Prix de l'Atlantique (2150m) |
| Type | Driven, International for four to ten year olds. |
| Winner | Vivid Wise As |
| Driver | Alessandro Gocciadoro |
| Trainer | Alessandro Gocciadoro |
| Breeding | Yankee Glide x Temple Blue Chip |
| Second | Etonnant |
| Third | Délia du Pommereux |
| Seven-year-old son of Yankee Glide maintained his great form this year adding another Group One victory after his success in the G1 Grand Critérium de Vitesse de la Côte d'Azur (1609m) at Cagnes-sur-Mer six weeks ago. Vivid Wise As showed good early pace after the arms retracted behind the mobile. Alessandro Gocciadoro always kept him close-up with the field packed together throughout. It was a bunch finish with multiple chances in the final 200m but one last challenge from Vivid Wise As proved too strong to deliver an Italian success. It was a great performance with a kilometre reduction of 1'11''0, the second fastest time recorded in the Group One. | |