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News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 3rd August 2022.
This week we look at some potential exciting targets for horses such as Verry Elleegant, Mare Australis and Sealiway whilst we also round-up another epic battle between superstar trotters Etonnant and Vivid Wise As...
Flat
It was disappointing to learn on Friday Champion eleven-time Group One winner from Australia, Verry Elleegant would not contest the Prix Rothschild (Gr1), run yesterday at Deauville. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard was not satisfied with her work on Thursday. After consulting with the owners, Jomara Bloodstock Limited a decision was made that her targeted debut in France will be the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr1) on Sunday 21 August, a race she was already scheduled to contest.
Undefeated in two outings at Deauville following successes in the Prix de Meautry and Prix de Ris-Orangis (both G3), Garrus will next return to Deauville and contest the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1) next Sunday. Connections have indicated they believe the horse has developed a liking for the straight Deauville track and whilst this is his toughest test to date, he deserves a tilt at an elite level race.
Second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulines (G1), Texas, has since raced once and finished down the field in a further G1 – the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1). He will next contest the Prix Daphnis (G3) at Deauville on 20 August.
Mare Australis was a disappointing seventh in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) and whilst the 'Arc' remains his target, he will be entered and run in a prep race prior to competing at Longchamp on the first Sunday in October.
Sealiway has not been seen since finishing fifth tackling the Prix d'Ispahan (Gr1) in May. He went for a brief break and will re-enter work at trainer Francis-Henri Graffard's yard with either the Prix Foy (Gr2) or Irish Champion Stakes (Gr1) as his return race.
Spanish Intent ran fourth in the Prix de la Porte Maillot (Gr3) and with a distance preference being over 1400m will most likely aim to race next at Le Lion-d'Angers in the Prix Paul Saulou (Class 1) ahead of Listed races at this stage of her career.
Victim of a fall after the post during the Prix Eugène Adam (Gr2) after finishing second, Zagrey will now not be seen before the beginning of October. The horse suffered an injury to his buttock region and the aim will be to have him ready for Arc weekend, however if this is not achievable, he will be turned out until 2023. He was the winner of the Derby du Midi (L) at Bordeaux in May.
Mister Saint Paul was engaged to run in the Prix Eugène Adam (Gr2) but was declared as a non-starter. Trained by Étienne and Grégoire Leenders he is expected to race at some point this month with a potential start in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Gr2) over 2000m at Deauville on August 15. He is looking for a soft track and if there is no rain another option may be the Prix Daphnis (Gr3) on 20 August though this would mean a drop back to 1600m
Daisy Maisy, third in the Prix Chloé (Gr3), will be given a short break following four races so far this season. The next targeted event will be the Prix Coronation, a Listed race for fillies at the end of September at Saint-Cloud over 1600m or the Prix Matchem (L) run over the shorter 1400m one week later but facing the colts. Earlier this season she finished second in the Prix de la Grotte (Gr3) before managing fifth and sixth in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane Longines (both races G1).
Skazino is set to return to the track in the Prix de Reux (Gr3) at Deauville. He hasn't been seen since running eleventh attempting the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1) in June.
Winner of the Prix de Malleret (Gr2), Raclette is to be supplemented to run in the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr1) over 2400m at York on 18 August. At this point, there is no intent to run her in this years' Prix de l'Arc de Triumph (Gr1).
Welwal, winner of the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3) at Longchamp in April who then went on to finish sixth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Gr1) and tenth in the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1), is to be sent to Australia in the same ownership of Al Shaqab Racing. He will be trained by Chris Waller with the aim of running in the Golden Eagle in October at Rosehill. It is a race open to northern hemisphere three-year-olds. He is currently in quarantine in England and is expected to travel to Australia shortly with a need to acclimatise.
Trotting
Idao de Tillard will be one of the stars of this Criteriums day at Vincennes in September. Absent from the Summer meeting at Enghien, he took advantage of a break, having been in work since last autumn. After three weeks off he has recommenced fast work with his initial target being the first of the qualifying races for the Critérium (des 4 ans) in the Prix Phaeton on 29 August.
The great clash of the year continued on Sunday when Etonnant and Vivid Wise As met again, this time at Mons in Belgium for the Grand Prix de Wallonie (G1). As expected, it turned into a race between the two rivals. Winner of the Elitloppet, Etonnant, took revenge on the winner of the Prix René Ballière and the duel between these two horses now has the Richard Westerink-trained runner one up against his arch-rival. This was his fourth Group One and joins his sire Timoko as the winner of the Belgian feature race (2013). Cicero Noa finished third. Time recorded was 1'12''6, well outside of Admiral Sacha's record (1'10''4).
The 11th stage of the Trophy Vert took place at Carentan on Sunday. Gaelic du Rocher won the race from Falco Fun with Expert Delta Quinoa third where series leader board currently shows:
Caliméro du Thiole – 51 points
Girolamo – 30 points
Galago du Cadran – 26 points
Biarritz is in the south-west of France, on the Atlantic coast near the Spanish border. Each summer a Festival is conducted on the small track (circumference approximately 800m) and last Friday the final meeting for 2022 took place with the feature race – the Grand Prix de la Ville de Biarritz. The race was won by Donato Bello, formally trained by the late Dominik Cordeau who himself was a big supporter of the carnival. He is now prepared by Denis Brossard and during the presentation stated this race was always to be Donato Bello's target.
Upon conclusion of the meeting rankings showed:
Leading Driver – Frederic Clozier – eight wins
Leading Trainer – Yannick Henry – twelve wins
Leading Jockey – Sébastien Pasquier two wins and three places from six rides
Leading Apprentice – Lana Henry – three wins
Leading Amateur – Jonathan Bordenave five wins from eight races
Jumping
Élisabeth Allaire has recorded her first victory as a jumps trainer with Speed Lucky winning at Le Lion-d'Angers last Thursday in the Prix Jean de la Sayette. She has previously tasted training success gaining a win with Go Fast on the flat at Argentan.