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 Wednesday, April 14th – Auteuil. The first four home in the €130,000 Prix de Jacques d’Indy 4yo Hurdle (Gr3-3,600m) met again in the €130,000 Prix de Pepinvast Hurdle (Gr3-3,600m). Once again, Bel La Vie (Fr-Lavirco) prevailed but it was close as the Guillaume Macaire-trained, Papot Family-owned Bel La Vie had to sprint to catch the front running Solix (Fr-Laveron) on the wire, winning by a mere head. The Jacques d’Indy Hurdle third Nikoline (Fr-Martaline) finished third again eight length back after jumping the last along the winner and the eventual fourth Kauto Stone (Fr-With the Flow).
“These races are tricky,” said Guillaume Macaire. “Long Run got beaten there last season and I decided to sned him chasing for good that day. This is a bit different with this one. He’s a talented hurdler and could have won the Prix Cambaceres Hurdle (The French 3yo Champion Hurdle, Gr1, when he fell at the last back in June last year). He went chasing at Enghien and won there at 3 but I’d rather leave my options open."
British chasing star Kauto Star’s brother Kauto Stone was rather disappointing but this race was only an alternative to the Jehan Bertran de Balanda-trained gelding’s debut over the bigger obstacles : “I hesitated between this race and the Prix Maguelonne Chase but we were only six here so I figured it was an easier task. The pace was too slow, the ground too fast and Kauto Stone will now go chasing.”
Champoreau – Cherel duet beats Macaire duet
Guy Cherel once again took home a 3yo Hurdle on Wednesday courtesy of Salsa Melody (Fr-Kingsalsa) who beat her stable mate Protektion (Fr-Protektor) in the €52,000 Prix Champoreau 3yo Fillies Hurdle (3,000mT). The third and fourth fillies Princesse Lucie (Fr-Poliglote) and Pepite Rose (Fr-Bonbon Rose), are both trained by the other young jumpers’ master Guillaume Macaire at Royan.
The winner and the third were both giving 4Lbs to their opponents for they had won previously over hurdles. Yet, Salsa Melody shrugged off that handicap and once again prevailed over Protektion, whom she’d already beaten last time out in the €52,000 Prix Auricula 3yo Fillies Hurdle (3,000m) on March 28th. “Salsa Melody is a talented filly with a big engine,” said Cherel to Paris-Turf. “She could have won over the flat actually. I want to take my time with her but still, I should send her to the Prix d’Iena Hurdle and the Prix Sagan Hurdle (L). Protektion finished well and has improved a lot since her debut (when 4th in the Auricula Hurdle). She will be an interesting proposition in the future.”
Salsa Melody’s dam, the unraced Helvetic Melody (Kendor) is a half sister to French Derby winner Celtic Arms (Comrade in Arms) whose 3rd dam Crimson won the Lowther Stakes (Gr3) and finished third in the Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr1).
Maguelonne – Katkopoly maintains perfect form
A €50,000 Chase for 4yos, the Prix Maguelonne (3,500mT) confirmed the Katkopoly (Fr-Poliglote)’s potential as the Cyriaque Diard-trained bay led most of the race to score comfortably, leaving her best follower Queen Maresca (Fr-Maresca Sorrento) settle for second place.
Katkopoly is now unbeaten in three races including two chases after her successful chasing debut at Fontainebleau. He’s out of the Listed Hurdle placed Kitka (Epervier Bleu), a half sister to the Prix Cambaceres 3yo Hurdle championship (Gr1) winner Kotkita (Subotica), herself a sister to champions Katko (Carmarthen) and Kotkijet (Cadoudal).
The gelding went stright from Pierre de Montesson’ Haras des Coudraies, just like the Prix Romantisme recent winner Katenko (Laveron).
“He was only at 60% last time out,” said the winning rider Sebastien Beaumard. “He’s got lots of juice and the sky is the limit. He will better suited by the bigger obstacles at Auteuil and won today leading the race although it’s not his cup of tea.”
Regis Schmidlin couldn’t do anything against the winner in the run-in aboard Queen Maresca but expects the Marcel Rolland-trained filly to perform better in a faster race.
Aged 5, Formosa Joana Has (Fr-Turgeon) also dominated in the €50,000 Prix Spirou 5+ mares Chase (3,700m) for her second test over the fences. Trained by Eric Leray in Senonnes (Mayenne), she hadn’t had enough to do according to her well-seasoned rider Cyrille Gombeau : “She went to the front by herself and sort of idled. I would have preferred to trail some opponent a bit longer but nobody was able to lead us for very long…”
Olivet – Balingo, at last
4yo hurdler Balingo (Fr-Ballingarry) finally delivered in the €48,000 Prix d’Olivet 4yo Hurdle (3,600m). Trained by Jehan Bertran de Balanda for breeder-owner Pierre Goral, the bay gelding had started as the favourite last October in the valuable Prix Pride of Kildare 3yo Beginners' Hurdle but refused in front of a hurdle as he was leading the pack early on. From then on, his handler had had problems getting him right back where he was supposed to stand. He came back over hurdles this season with an easy run and performed this time to beat Wallace du Berlais (Fr-Turgeon) and the promising Sybelino (Fr-Martaline), trained by Nicky Bertran de Balanda (who said soft ground and fences would suit him better), the winning trainer’s son who’s based near Lyon at the new Chazey training center.
“We did not start on the right foot with him and everything went wrong afterwards,” said Balingo’s handler. “I am therefore extremely pleased by this. Christophe Pieux gave him a perfect ride but he said he was a tricky partner that needed some nursing on the way.”
Luckily, Christophe “Battling” Pieux can do that too.
Balingo was unold €32,000 at the 2007 Arqana October sale (click here for catalogue page).
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