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News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 18th October 2022.
This week the News In Brief includes, trainer Jérôme Reynier, jockey Hugo Besnier, the Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest at Bordeaux and Etonnant in the United States.
Flat
It has been confirmed Mishriff will have his final race start on 5 November in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland (USA) before returning to commence a stud career in France at Haras de Montfort et Préaux – Sumbe.
Trainer Jérôme Reynier has nominated Rose Premium to run in the Prix de Saint-Cyr (L) over 1400m next Sunday at Longchamp. Rose Premium last raced 28 August when finishing fifth in the Prix de Meautry (Gr3) at Deauville. Two starts back she won the Prix Moonlight Cloud (L) at Deauville over 1200m.
Daughter of champion Goldikova, Goldistyle won the Prix Maurice Zilber (L) and finished third in the Prix Rothschild (Gr1) at Deauville in August before finishing seventh in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and last fourth in Prix de Foret (both G1). It has been announced she will retire and commence her stud career as a broodmare next season.
Having just arrived in Doha (Qatar), jockey Hugo Besnier was successful in his two races at his debut meeting last Wednesday winning the first event of the meeting for his 'winter' boss, Hamad AlJehani. He then won the sixth race on the card. In France Besnier is indentured to André Fabre who granted a release over the winter period to enable him to ride in the Gulf State until March. Other French jockey's riding in Qatar this winter include Lukas Delozier, Soufiane Saadi, Jefferson Smith and Arnaud de Lepine.
After a Listed win at Longchamp in June followed by a good second to Raclette in the Prix de Malleret (Gr2), Lastotchka then finished seventh racing in the Prix Minerve (Gr3). She has been given additional recovery time and will next race in the Prix Belle de Nuit (Gr3) on Saturday at Saint-Cloud.
As the end of last season, Sabio Cen made his debut at Fontainebleau winning impressively. At the time he was trained by Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. Since then, he has changed stables and is now prepared by recent Group One winning trainer Christopher Head. Sabio Cen won the Prix Tourbillon (Class 1) at Chantilly in April and has not been seen since. He will remain turned out for the winter with a planned return in the spring attempting a Class 2. The original plan for 2021 was to run him in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) in June following his Class 1 victory however suffered a setback.
Jannah Flower, winner of the Prix Mélisande (L) and second in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Gr2) followed up these races finishing an excellent second in the Prix de Royallieu (Gr1). She has since received an entry in the Prix Royal Oak (Gr1) and may participate in the race as an end of season finale.
Four-year-old Kennella finished third at her past two outings in the Prix Quincey and the Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (both G3). She has been entered in the Prix Perth and the Prix de Flore, (both G3), to be run next Saturday at Saint-Cloud. It is undecided if she will return to the track as a five-year-old or commence her career at stud. Currently, the former is a preferred option.
Batwan was a surprise performer at the Meydan (UAE) festival the start of 2022 before progressing to finish second in the Prix de Ris-Orangis (Gr3). He will again be targeted to travel and race in the United Arab Emirates in 2023.
A decision has been reached by the France-Galop Board of Directors to honour the memory of two outstanding personalities of the French racing industry by naming important races after them following their recent passing. The Prix Nonette (G2) for three-year-old fillies will become the Prix Alec Head. This race is one of the features at the Deauville Summer Festival and is run over 2000m. The Prix d'Automne (Gr1) is contested during the feature jump weekend in November and will be renamed in memory of Serge Landon, former president of the Steeple and France Galop.
The entries of the Bahrain Trophy (Gr3) to be conducted on 18 November have been released. Representing France, Magny Cours who finished third in the race last year has again been nominated. He was also a most impressive winner at Chantilly this week on his comeback start.
The history books will show the first Stakes winner for newly crowned Charles III, King of England, was acquired with a daughter of Le Havre, Perfect Alibi, who was bred by the late, Queen Elizabeth II. Le Havre was a leading French sire who died earlier in the year. Perfect Alibi won the Beckford Stakes (L) at Yarmouth (UK) last Monday, is trained by William Haggas and ridden by Tom Marquand. Perfect Alibi is the first offspring from the dam, and she has a yearling by Dubawi and foal by Night of Thunder. She is by Camelot.
Trotting
In winning the 45ème Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest at Bordeaux on Sunday, Idao de Tillard recorded 1'12''5 and gave the visual impression he could have gone quicker. This time was better than that recorded by Aubrion du Gers of 1'12''7 in 2018 but remains slightly outside the current record held by Tjacko Zaz 1'12"4, run in December 2020.
Despite the work and effort in taking Etonnant to Yonkers Raceway in the United States for the International Trot on Saturday, it all ended abruptly one lap into the race (about 800m after the start) when he became hooked up with a horse racing on his inside. The last French horse to win the race was Reve d'Udon in 1990. Norwegian Cockstile was the winner of the US$1m race.