French Racing - Review

Nine-year-old, Galop Marin showed age was no barrier to top-level success when making all in determined style on Saturday afternoon at Auteuil prevailing from the closing L'Autonomie to record an astonishing fourth consecutive victory in the G1 Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle (4800m).

Winning jockey, Morgan Regairaz made his intentions clear from the start as he went straight to the lead and set the pace with two laps of the Auteuil hurdle track needing to be negotiated. The tempo looked strong on the first circuit with L'Autonomie quickly taking up the leading position. UK raider, Thyme Hill was not at his best on the first lap, with his jumping letting him down.

At halfway, an appreciative applause from the crowd sent the field on their second and final circuit with twelve lengths from first to last as the heavy going began to take a toll with stamina gradually kicking in. Thyme Hill's jumping was improving but Galop Marin (who regained the front-running role) and L'Autonomie continued to dominate. Down the back straight, it was single file traffic with twenty lengths now covering the field.

Quickly it looked like a three-horse race as the top two and Paul's Saga opened clear. However L'Autonomie once again drifted violently to the grandstand rail towards the second last hurdle giving the upper hand to Galop Marin. The leading pair jumped extremely well throughout and after 4600m both continued to duel out the finish with Galop Marin proving strongest on the fair side showing a game attitude to prevail by an ever diminishing one and quarter length triumph to produce a fourth successive win in the Group One event.

Bred in Ireland by MM. Fleming & Molloy, Galop Marin was sold for € 13,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland sales and is a sister to good hurdlers Gaelic Ocean (Urban Ocean) and Gaelic Beauty (Garuda) who were both bred in France. Galop Marin has now earned over €1.5m and recorded fourteen wins over fences and hurdles.

The William Menuet owned and trained Let Me Love recorded a four timer taking the championship race of the four-year-old chase division on Sunday at Auteuil confirming the G3 Prix The Fellow Chase (4400m) form from September.

The four-year-old filly jumped with enthusiasm throughout and travelled nicely just worse than midfield throughout. Olivier Jouin made progress on the daughter of Authorized as they began the second circuit. She caught the eye on how well she was racing with the filly excelling over the big open ditch and taking up the pace setting role with 1000m to go.

Around six rivals appeared to have a good chance of winning as they exited the fair side, with Chorail Debelair looking the main danger on the outside. The winning filly continued her excellent jumping over the last two fences then had to fight with Sel Jem on the run-in which provided a head-bobbing finish when passing the post. Let Me Love had slightly more momentum in the final 100m to put the head in front and take victory.

Let Me Love is out of Lady d'Ogenne (Sassassian) who was a winner and twice second of the Listed Grand Steeple Chase de Craon (4200m) for the same trainer, William Menuet. Lady d'Ogenne is a sister to two good cross-country horses, Ocean Austral (Antarctique), winner of the Listed Grand Cross de Fontainebleau (6000m), and Uniketat (Vision d'Etat), winner of the Listed Grand Cross de Pau (6300m).

Kyrov enhanced his promising profile making it five wins from six outings when taking the championship three-year-old Hurdle (The G1 Prix Cambacérès - Grande Course de Haies des 3 Ans Hurdle (3600m)) at Auteuil on Sunday.

Jockey, Gwen Richard gained headway on the gelding at halfway down the fair side racing closest to the inside looking poised to challenge at any point. He pulled himself to the front as they turned for home and was the one to beat with two to jump. Other rivals were flat out and under pressure while the son of Dark Angel pulled right away after the final obstacle for an impressive nine length triumph.

Though It might not have been the expected horse from the François Nicolle stable who landed the spoils the trainer was able to maintain his excellent strike rate gaining a one-two with the favourite, Golden Son running second . A three-year-old to note.

Poly Grandchamp negotiated the 22 fences to perfection and produced a sixth career victory in the big race of the day on Sunday at Auteuil showing age was no barrier in the G1 Prix La Haye Jousselin Chase (5500m).

Jockey, Bertrand Lestrade settled the nine-year-old, in the second line, stalking the pace setters early before being taken back to the rear as the field entered the home straight for the second time. With a lap to run, Poly Grandchamp was only eight lengths off the leader, Feu Follet.

The pace looked strong enough considering the ground and journey and this helped the experienced nine-year-old as he came back to challenge for the lead with 1000m to go overtaking the main danger, Le Berry. This son of Poliglote had a two-length advantage with two to jump and with high-class jumping maintained the top position over the last. Despite showing signs of tiredness he battled with Carriacou who chased his shadow all the way to the line but could not prevail. Le Berry weakened quickly in the final 400m and only managed third of four who completed the course.

Poly Grandchamp now has six wins and eighteen placings from thirty nine career outings. A popular veteran.