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frogsracing
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Monday, 05 July 2010 13:42 |
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Le Frog could not quite believe what he read in the public address published last week by Spanish owner Anthony Forde following his failed attempt to see his French 1,000 Guineas winner Liliside finally placed 5th rather than 6th placing to which she was demoted. Forde did not ask for her laurels back. He simply wanted the France Galop stewards to agree that the filly should have been placed 5th rather than 6th for interfering only once in the final stretch, not twice as originally stated at Longchamp. A video proved that he was right to do so (check it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1geeX_BZBA).
Everybody knows that the Appeal Commission of France Galop is a joke and that these guys never ever change whatever their fellow members of "The Club" have decided. "Right or wrong, my party", period.
However this time, one of the owners summoned at the appeal commission had added insult to injury by actually saying aloud to Forde’s party: "This is a game for aristocrats, it is not made for soup mongers".
Well if that isn't sheer class prejudice, what is? Even though the person in question is not actually a France Galop steward, he’s bred to become one of them. And by the way, if you only keep the horses owned by aristocrats in the French 1,000, only one belongs to a titled European. She finished 7th. Not exactly the champion’s party, is it?
This incident should not be blown out of proportions. Yet it should not be allowed to pass unremarked. Such ludicrous comments made by horseracing’s so-called "finest peers" remind me of J. B. Morton’s Oswald Thake – and this is not a compliment.
If only it had been said to a fellow Frenchman, able to share such a strange sense of humour, Le Frog wouldn’t mind that much. But to someone who spends money on our nation’s sport, promotes our races and pays our lads’ wages, well, a complete apology is the least the whole episode deserves.
It is therefore with a great sense of shame that Le Frog apologizes on behalf of this loon to every foreign participant to our races, whether they are "soup mongers" or Highnesses, for both are worth the same on and under the turf.
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Monday, 16 August 2010 08:42 |
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Sunday 15th August 2010, Deauville (www.paris-turf.com) On third day of the sale, the percentage of horses sold was 68 % in comparison to 73 % in 2009. The top price was €240,000, for a son of the sire of the moment Dubawi, whereas last year it was €205,000. The average price did not show a huge drop from €78.000 to €72.000 this year.
Top Lots
Lot 215 Colt by Dutch Art ex. Zut Alors
Sir Robert Ogden bought this first product out of the talented Zut Alors for €180,000.
Lot 222 Filly by Shamardal ex. At Once
This filly was consigned by the Haras du Cadran and was purchased for €120,000 by Sylvain Vidal on behalf of Gérard Augustin-Normand. Her dam was Listed placed and Group 3 placed in Germany. “Shamardal has produced a lot of winners, and the dam of this filly, by Kendor who is a stallion that I like a lot, was a very talented filly This filly is very athletic and looks to be a true 2 year old. Her pedigree should cross well Le Havre.”
Lot 225 : Colt by High Chaparral ex. Bahama Love
Carlos Lerner raised his hand at €135,000 for this first product of a winner from the maternal family of Titus Livius. “I like his sire a lot, who should become a top class stallion. This colt is a nice horse and is the first offspring out of his dam which I also like a lot. I expected to pay in or around €100,000. He is for a client of mine, Martin Gloor.”
Lot 233 : Colt by Orpen ex. Como
Alban de Mieulle, on behalf of Umm Qarn Farm (Sheikh Nasser Bin Abdullah Al Thani, in Dubai) purchased this colt for €135,000. He is a brother of Listed winner and Coventry Stakes placed, Pencil Hill. “He will go into training with Freddy Head.He has a good pedigree and is a very pleasant type. He is the only one that we planned to buy today.”
Lot 267 : Filly by Dubawi ex. Lucky Lune
François Rohaut, on behalf of Gérard Laboureau, acquired this filly consigned by Haras de la Louvière for €140,000. She is a daughter of the talented Lucky Lune (Priolo), Listed winner in France and the USA. “She has the pedigree and the physique. She is well made, not very big, just as I like them. The victory of Makfi didn’t help the price, but Dubawi produces nice horses!”
Lot 274 : Filly by American Post ex. Miller’s Lily
Marc-Antoine Berghgracht (MAB Agency) bought this full sister to Liliside for €135,000. “I bought her for Anthony Forde, the owner of Liliside, and she will go into training with François Rohaut, because we don’t change a winning team! I think she is better looking than Liliside and I hope that she will provide us with more reasons to celebrate.”
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Tuesday, 26 October 2010 18:21 |
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Tuesday 19th October 2010, Deauville (www.jourdegalop.com) In winning the €80,000 Prix des Réservoirs-Haras d’Etreham (Gr3-2yo Fillies-1600m), Espirita (Iffraaj) showed a real touch of class. In a good position throughout the race Élie Lellouche’s charge accelerated impressively on turning into the straight to leave her rivals in her wake and come home the 3 length winner without ever really having to dig deep. Footsteppy (Footstepsinthesand) got up to beat the favourite Nova Step (Dubawi) on the line for second place. Espirita was initially supposed to run in the Prix d’Aumale (Gr3), but was injured beforehand so a change of plans was required.
Bred at Haras de La Perrigne, on behalf of Élevages de Courteilles, Espirita is out of Iffraaj (Zafonic), who is also the sire of Wootton Bassett winner of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1). Horizon Bloodstock bought Espirita for only €37,000 at the August Yearling Sales in Deauville.
3E · 14H40 >
The hot favourite in the €24,000 Prix de l’Épronnière (2yo Males Maiden – 1900m Fibresand) after an unlucky first start at Marseille, Jean-Claude Rouget’s charge Barentin (Arch) lived up to all the hype surrounding him when leading the race from start to finish to win by a length. Afterwards the winning trainer said; “He dominated his rivals easily today but he is without a doubt more of a 3 year old. I am not sure whether he will run again this year he may wait for early next year instead.” Toss the Dice (Medicean) took second place a head in front of Bearheart (Aragorn).
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Tuesday, 19 October 2010 08:54 |
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Saturday 16th October, Auteuil (www.jourdegalop.com) "I was a little greedy in running him in Group races at the end of the spring", explained Guy Cherel, after the success of his charge Solix (Al Namix) in the €130,000 Prix Pierre de Lassus Hurdle (Gr3 – 3yos – 3900m). He benefitted from the unfortunate fall of Cyrille Combeau, rider of his stable companion Salder Roque (Muhtathir). Bel La Vie (Lavirco), winner of the Prix de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr3) finished a length and a half behind in second. He is also on course for the Prix Renaud du Vivier (Gr1), the big objective for 4 year old hurdlers at the end of the season. Prince Oui Oui (Poliglote) was a further length behind in third place.
Bred by Guy Cherel, who still owns 70%, Solix is out of Solimade (Loup Solitaire), who showed nothing on her three starts when also trained by Guy Cherel. However her first foal, Soliya, was Gr2 placed in England after being bought from a claimer she won at Auteuil for €33,401 by Hubert Barbe,
14 o
Tanaïs du Chenet (Poliglote) was the logical winner of the €85,000 Prix Magne Hurdle (L – 3yo Fillies – 3600m), an ideal prep race for the Prix Bournosienne (Gr3, 6/11). Trainer Marcel Rolland said afterwards; “I don’t know why we would choose the difficult option of the Prix Cambacérès when there is a Group race for females, the Prix Bournosienne, open to her. She comes from a family of late bloomers so we will give her the time she needs to mature.”
Salsa Melody (Kingsalsa) was the only filly capable of chasing the winner on the flat and she eventually finished second three lengths behind. Her trainer Guy Cherel also took third place thanks to Protektion (Protektor) who should both also take part in the Prix Bournosienne.
Bred by Marie-Laure Besnouin, Tanaïs du Chenet is the daughter of one of the top jumping mares Tchela (Le Nain Jaune), who ran 28 times without winning but was Group placed twice over fences. She has made up for that at stud as she has produced 16 foals including; Ma Royale, second in the "Grand Steeple" and the Prix Alain du Breil (Gr1) and winner of the Prix Ingré (Gr3) ; Saint du Chenet, winner of the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure (Gr1), Fleuret (Gr3) and Jean Stern (Gr2); Galant Moss (Tip Moss), second in the Prix Renaud du Vivier (Gr1) and third in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (Gr1) ; Jocelin (Épervier Bleu), second in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Deauville (L) ; and also Orthence (Épervier Bleu), second in the Prix Wild Monarch (L).
Guy Cherel followed up his success with Solix with another Group success, this time in the €175,000 Prix Montgomery (Gr3 – 5yo+ - 4700m) which he won with the 5 year old AQPS Rushwell (AQ - Shaanmer) who looks to be one to watch in the future. Held up in the second half of the field, Rushwell made up ground progressively after jumping the water under jockey Cyrille Gombeau. He then got the best of Don Mirande (Turgeon) between the last two fences and went on to win by 5 lengths.
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Friday, 12 November 2010 23:23 |
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Trying to update the World about French racing is an expensive pursuit and the Frog has struggled lately to provide a useful service. Since its launch in March 2009, frogsracing.com has posted no less than 869 reports but due to the lack of financial resources, the website has no choice but to call it a day for the time being.
The only way to provide sensible and useful news on racing and breeding is to be represented on the racecourses and at the sales on a daily basis. Otherwise, there is nothing worthy of note that has not been covered by the general racing media. Such a task requires a dedication that the frogsracing team can no longer sustain.
The Frog sincerely hopes that its fans have thoroughly enjoyed the service throughout these 21 months and would like to have helped you to understand a bit more about French racing and breeding.
Our thoughts go to our main contributors, the Aga Khan Studs and the Haras du Quesnay, the French Racing and Breeding Committee and the AQPS Association, Nacricare and the Osarus Sales, the trainer Rodolphe Collet and the bloodstock agent Hubert Barbe.
Weatherbys has been kind enough to give us detailed pedigrees of the top French horses and this contribution has been invaluable. The Frog thanks them too for their help.
Last but not least, Rolf Johnson and his Frogwatch column have given us a lot as they brought a good measure of humour and no-nonsense comments which racing often misses.
At its beginning, Frogsracing was also about humour in a far too serious world. There is still room for a good laugh in racing on a daily basis, even though some of the laughters can sound slightly ironic.
You cannot die laughing. Yet one can take a rest between two good laughs. And this is just what the Frog intends to do.
Any worry : +33 687 720 832
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