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News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 13th October 2022.
This week, the News In Brief includes G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner, Mangoustine, 2021 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero, Torquator Tasso and trotting star, Etonnant at Yonkers Raceway in the United States.
Flat
After finishing eighth in the Prix de la Forêt (Gr1) it has been announced Mangoustine will be retired and sent to stud. She will go to Les Monceaux, though a decision is yet to be made who she will be covered by. Undefeated as a two-year-old, her crowning moment came earlier this season winning the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) at Longchamp. When originally trained by Frédéric Rossi she found success in the Critérium de Lyon (L) and the Prix Miésque (Gr3). She was transferred to Mikel Delzangles and ran third in the Prix de la Grotte (Gr3) before her classic victory though has disappointed in two subsequent races.
When Scottish Anthem won the Prix de l'Étang de l'Etot (Maiden) last Friday at Compiègne, this gave his apprentice jockey, sixteen-year-old Adrian Le Lay Martin his first winner in France aboard a horse trained by André Fabre.
Zelda is headed to the United States and will make her American debut on October 14 at Aqueduct in the Glen Coves Stakes (L) over 1200m on turf. She is to be trained by Christophe Clément. Zelda will be ridden by French jockey, Flavien Prat (now based in the USA). Her brother, Chez Pierre, is a recent Listed race winner in America while he won his first two race starts in France at Chantilly in 2020. Zelda is a two-year-old Listed winner and at her past two starts finished sixth in the Prix de Bagatelle (L) and prior to that also sixth in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Gr1).
Third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Gr1) Breizh Sky will have his next race in France. This is the preferred option to attending the Breeders Cup meeting at Keeneland in November. He will be targeted for the Critérium de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) on October 22 therefore stepping up in trip from 1400m to 2000m. A soft track (almost guaranteed!) is essential.
Torquator Tasso, winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) in 2021 and third in this years' renewal has been retired from racing. He will stand in Germany at Gestut Auenquelle. A potential start in the G1 Japan Cup was considered but connections have opted to retire the Marcel Weiss trained horse. He finishes with a record of sixteen starts for six wins and seven placings.
The 2020 G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff is to stand at Haras de Montfort et Preaux at the conclusion of his racing career scheduled for later this season. He finished thirteenth in this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) and a start in the Breeders' Cup has not been ruled out. Apart from the 'Jockey Club' he was also victorious the following February in the Saudi Cup as a four-year-old. In addition, other G1 victories were in the Sheema Classic in Dubai and the International Stakes at York (UK). Trained by John and Thady Gosden he has won seven of nineteen starts. Haras de Montfort et Preaux was the stud where Le Havre stood prior to his passing in March. The studs' owner, Nurlan Bizakov, had two winners over the Arc weekend with Belbek in the Prix Jean Luc Lagadere (G1) and Souzak landing the prize in the Critérium Arqana.
Speedaara finished third attempting a Listed race at Craon in early September then followed up with a big victory at Pornichet winning her maiden by sixteen lengths last week. Following this big win, consideration is being given to contest the Prix Miesque (Gr3) at Chantilly at the end of the month.
Second in the Prix Daphnis (Gr3) and fourth over Arc weekend in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, the Jérôme Reynier trained runner Facteur Cheval will next be seen in the Prix Perth (Gr3) on October 22 at Saint-Cloud. Stablemate Skalleti is also entered in the Gr3 and this could be his comeback race. He has not been seen since finishing fifth in the Prix Ganay (Gr1) on May 1 at Longchamp.
Managing fourth on his comeback in the Prix Foy (Gr2), Mutabahi has been entered in the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr2), to be run at Longchamp this Sunday. Trainer Alex Pantall indicated this race was always an end of season target.
Trotting
Driver Anthony Barrier will partner with Etonnant next Saturday at Yonkers Raceway in the United States where he is to compete in the International Trot. To date this year, Etonnant has provided Barrier with five top level wins including the Elitloppet. Saturday's race will bring together some of the best trotting horses from around the world. Etonnant travelled to New York last weekend and has spent 42-hours in quarantine. The race is valued at US$1 million.
The fourth stage of the UET Trotteur-Francais at the German racetrack of Gelsenkirchen saw Ecureuil Jenilou and Eclat de Gloire again battle out the finish with a good tussle for the final 500m and for the fifth time from their past six encounters the Louis Baudron trained runner had the upper hand over that of Loris Garcia. On this occasion the gap between the two eight-year-olds was much tighter. Third was by Diablo du Noyer. The final will now be held at Mons in Belgium on 22 October where Eclat de Gloire will appear as the defending champion.
Last year progressive driver Benjamin Rochard drove more than 100 winners for the season. This year the twenty-six-year-old has already recorded more than 120 victories and is in the Top Ten drivers' table. At Cabourg last Thursday he added to that tally when driving a treble.
Trainer Erno Szirmay recorded a personal landmark at Cabourg last Thursday when Jazzman Debailleul scored giving him win number 500.
Following further tests, Earl Simon has sustained further injuries and will require an extended period of rest and care. In addition, his owner Gunnar Sundbaum has decided to move the horse from the stables of Jarmo Niskanen.
One week after winning at Redon and sitting on a career win tally of 49, Louis Beiléard added another victory to that tally last Saturday when driving Joyau du Trésor to success at Maure-de-Bretagne. His first winner was in 2012 with Secret du Trésor and this season has been his best having landed eleven wins.
