The reason for the uproar was this; as normal Christophe Pieux, jockey of Remember Rose (Insatiable), tried to get the best start possible. Alongside Lord Carmont, they were the closest to the elastics when they were released by the starter. It was at this moment that everything changed, seemingly frightened by the elastics passing his head, Remember Rose ducked sideways ejecting Christophe Pieux out of the saddle. A wave of shock went around the stand in Auteuil at the sight of Remember Rose galloping loose at the head of the pack. Trainer Jean-Paul Gallorini went straight to the weigh room after the race to ask to review the start: “If Christophe fell before the elastics were released then the race should be null and void. If not there is nothing we can do,” he declared. Hubert Monzat, the Director of France Galop, asked for the race to be replayed from the start on a loop on all the screens around the racecourse.

The images can’t lie; Christophe Pieux fell after the elastics were released and they did not come into contact with Remember Rose. The result was declared official; Polar Rochelais was declared champion and in doing so became the 12th AQPS horse to win the Grand Steeple.

This incident was not the only drama of this Grand Steeple; Slingshot (Kahyasi) was declared a non runner after a crashing fall at the practice fence. Horses pulled up in the race included Louping d'Ainay (Saint Preuil) who tore the ligaments of his fetlock and at 11 years of age looks to have had his last run on a racecourse though will hopefully enjoy a long retirement.

Jean-Paul Sénéchal’s other representative, Princesse d'Anjou (Nononito) put up a brave performance to finish in fifth place. Doumaja (Cadoudal) took second place two lengths ahead of Odeillo du Mathan (Balleroy) with Ramsès Bleu (Pistolet Bleu) a further six lengths back in fourth. Objectif Spécial (Ungaro) and Norville du Bois (Villez) brought up the back of the seven finishers from the fourteen horses that left the parade ring.

Bred by Solange Esnouf, who operates exclusively with Écurie des Dunes and Patrice Quinton, Polar Rochelais was born in the stables of his trainer at Dragey, who noted; “His dam, Olympiade de Brion (Night and Day) unfortunately died during foaling and he was raised by a foster mare.”

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