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Sunday, Dec. 10th 2010. Le Frog is back on the Riviera to cover the last jumping meeting of the Cagnes-sur-mer season. Nightmare conditions prevailed here as it rained most of Saturday and the days before. The ground was very holding around a few obstacles but a Midday inspection and the running of the first race convinced riders, trainers and stewards alike to proceed.
Favourite Roi du Val (Astarabad) strolled home in the €140,000 Grand Prix de la Ville de Nice Chase (Gr3 – 4,600m) for owner-trainer Jean-Paul Gallorini who collected the prize with his wife Alexandrine and their young son Cesar.
Bought €72,000 by the trainer at the Arqana Autumn Sale last November (click here for his catalogue page) form the sought after Pelat family consignment, Roi du Val has thrived since his transfer as he was third in the €175,000 Prix Montgomery Chase Handicap (Gr3) and went on to win a major handicap at Auteuil. Ridden by Bastien Bénard at Cagnes, he went away in the final stretch to score by a distance in front of Zarkali (Starborough) and a brave Madra Ocean (Urban Ocean). Ograndy (Cyborg) faded after leading the race as no less than seven horses were either pulled up or fell, including Mercelin (Passing Sale), who lost his jockey early in a race he’d taken twice before.
Gallorini was rather pleased with his good self after this new victory of his new acquisition : “the horse was well bred and trained. I was lucky enough to fetch him before it was too late and he’s definitely a class horse. Maybe we will train him for the Grand Prix de Pau. That would make a nice double.”
Pibrac (Spadoun) cruised home in the last stretch of the €80,000 Grande Course de Haies de Cagnes Hurdle (L – 4,300m) for owner Jean-Paul Senechal and trainer Francois Cottin. Always in the money this Winter, the light chestnut was running at Cagnes for the fifth time since December 7th but he was way above his rivals in the shake up of the Riviera Champion Hurdle. Ridden with confidence by Philip Carberry, he took over the leader Mandali (Sinndar) in the bend and went away to win by 13 lengths. Mercelino (Passing Sale) finished like a train to take the third place ahead of Kerlouebec (Muhtathir).
Pibrac is the heir of a patchy family but he is the sixth winner out of the Phantom Breeze dam Palissandre, herself a winner on the flat.
A winner of both her chasing starts at Cagnes this Winter, Bahia do Brasil (Red Guest) almost missed the €65,000 Prix Christian de L’Hermite 4yo Chase (L – 3,800m) as the grey filly was lame due to a foot abscess on Saturday morning. Yet Yannick Fouin worked on it until late on Sunday morning and finally saddled the filly to score again in the meeting’s top 4yo chasers race. Held up in the back straight by an inspired Jeremy Da Silva, Bahia do Brasil let Sourire du Chenet (Green Tune) and Salon de Provence (Antartique) fight for the lead and came back in the last turn to hold off a fast finishing Vicbilh (Loup Solitaire) with very pleasing here, settling in well for third three lengths behind.
“Not bad for a non runner, uh ?," said a relieved Yannick Fouin. "She came back a bit lame from a piece of work Saturday morning and I thought it was over. The blacksmith worked on it but it did not do any good. We were back to the vet’s this morning and eventually, it went all right. I had told Jeremy not to bother going towards the outside and stick to the rail. They went a breeze in the back straight and it was a plus for us. The second was also held up and the spared petrol was a blessing for us in the end.”
Bahia do Brasil was bred by her owner Henri Sudrat out of the Hurdle Listed placed La Nicoise (Dress Parade) and she’s the best from this line so far.
The light chestnut Baan Rim Pa (Dyhim Diamond) was brave enough to hold off a determined attack from Vineuil in the latter stages of the €60,000 Prix Andre Massena 4yo Hurdle (L – 3,500m) and would make a very nice recruit for the Anglo-irish jumps. The Didier Prod’homme-trained gelding was always galloping near the front with Ridge d’Opale (Le Triton). Yet Anthony Cardine pushed the button in the last bend and his mount never gave way to a fast finishing Vineuil (Muhtathir), who looked like an easy winner at the last but only pushed her rival to the post. American Bowl (Hubert Terrien) was a good third here after two wins ion Cagnes hurdles this Winter. “He’s a real class horse and it made the difference in the end,” said the winning jockey. “He almost got me in the last turn when he spotted the stables but I somehow managed to get him back on track. It would have been easier had he not missed the last hurdle. He’s good enough to repeat at Auteuil.”
Baan Rim Pa was bred by Didier Prod’homme out of the winning mare Tora Tune (Green Tune) whose second dam Boreale (Bellypha) is also the second dam of Corre Caminos and Racinger.
Winner of the €32,000 Prix des Iles de Lerins Chase (5yo - 3,800m), the Richard Chotard-trained Salut Flo (Saint des Saints), bought privately by French bloodstock agent Hubert Barbe, managed to hold on to the post and could be seen next in England. "I'd like to bring him over there," said Chotard. "He could go to Sandown early next month and proceed to the Arkle at the Festival."
Racing resumes at Cagnes on Saturday January 16th for the start of the flat meeting.
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