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Preview: Prix Alain du Breil & Prix Ferdinand Dufaure.
The G1 Grand Steeplechase de Paris (6000m) is the feature race at Auteuil on Sunday and is supported by two competitive Group One events – the G1 Prix Alain Breil Hurdle (3900m) and the G1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure Chase (4400m) for four-year-olds. The two contests have produced some good winners over their history and often provide an early look at future G1 Grand Steeplechase de Paris (6000m) runners.
The G1 Prix Alain du Breil (3900m) is the spring championship event for four-year-old hurdlers and has some interesting names on the honour roll. Cheltenham Festival winner (2018 G1 Arkle Chase (3200m)) Footpad and G1 Grand Steeplechase de Paris (6000m) contender Feu Follet have won this race in the last five years and this season's contest looks to be another exciting renewal.
The François Nicolle trained trio Hermes Baie, Raffles Face, and Starlet du Mesnil are likely to be well-fancied in the betting market. Hermes Baie was a comfortable winner of the G2 Prix Amadou Hurdle (3900m) over this course and distance in April and will be looking for a hat-trick. Raffles Face will be aiming to reverse the form with his stablemate after a second in the G2 Prix Amadou Hurdle (3900m) whilst Starlet du Mesnil takes a well-deserved step up in class following a comfortable win in the Listed Prix de Marsan Hurdle (3600m) at Auteuil on 25 April.
Despite a clear domination in the betting market by François Nicolle, there are a few unexposed horses who may show rapid improvement to feature in the Group One event. David Cottin's Heniway brings plenty of experience compared to her rivals and will be looking to utilise that knowledge up in grade. Gallipoli cannot be dismissed based on his third in the G2 Prix Amadou Hurdle (3900m) and can take advantage of any mistakes made by the market leaders.
For the young chasers, the G1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure Chase (4400m) is an opportunity to showcase their talent before taking on open company in the following seasons. It has been part of the fixture list since 1951 and is the main trial for the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois Chase (4400m) in November, the championship contest for four-year-old chasers in France.
The race has attracted a large field in 2021, headed by Gold Tweet and Yes Indeed. Despite starting his career as a conditions hurdle winner at Vichy, Gold Tweet has gradually worked up through the grades and posted a career best performance when winning the G3 Prix Hopper Chase (3800m) at Compiegne on 29 April by twelve lengths. Yes Indeed holds potential to be an exciting future chaser and demonstrated his ability when fighting hard to score by three quarters of a length in the Listed Prix Philippe Menager Chase (4400m) over this course and distance in April.
From the François Nicolle stable, Le Listrac potentially maintains the best form-line in the race with a success in the G2 Prix Jean Stern Chase (4400m). He is joined by stable-mate L'Aubonniere, second in the aforementioned contest and the unexposed Lord Chart, second in the Listed Prix Miror Chase (3600m) at Auteuil behind Hurrick de Obeaux. Queen Du Berlais is a half-sister to two Group winners and caught the eye with a three-quarter length success in the G3 Prix Fleuret Chase (4400m) for trainer David Cottin.
