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Tuesday 15th June 2010, Auteuil. (www.jourdegalop.com) On his first ride over jumps, Christophe Soumillon finished an honourable third in the €90,000 Prix Daniel Lescalle Hurdle (4yos-3,600m) at Auteuil, with Rag Tiger (Pentire), for Jean-Paul Gallorini. “He rode him perfectly”, announced the trainer. The top flat jockey was very impressed and delighted after the race. “I had a good run,” confided Christophe Soumillon, “I really enjoyed myself. Auteuil is very impressive! I must thank Monsieur Gallorini who started all of this by asking me to ride Mandali in the Grande Course de Haies (Gr1). The horse is very well and will be ready on Saturday. I am also in form and can’t wait to come back here.” After his ride, Christophe Soumillon headed on to Vincennes, where he was driving in a trotting race that evening.
Xavier de Chevigny – Surprise win for Quaniel
The €60,000 Prix Xavier de Chevigny Chase (AQPS 5yos+ - 4,400m) was won by Thierry Doumen’s Quaniel (SF-Thames). She finished 5 lengths ahead of Guy Cherel’s charge Renard (Discover d'Auteuil) who took second place. Two lengths behind in third was Riri Mag (SF-Vidéo Rock).
At 6 years of age, this was Quaniel’s first ever win from 19 runs in total. From her five starts in 2010, on the last four she has fallen once and been pulled up three times making this win quite unexpected.
Quaniel’s dam, Janville II (SF-Dear Doctor), was unsuccessful on her only two starts and has produced only one other offspring, Ohe Lancelot (Baby Turk) who has won two cross country races.
Boulonnais – Lucky to Be makes winning start
Lucky to Be (Poliglote) made a winning debut over fences in the €50,000 Prix du Boulonnais Chase (4yo-3,500m). Not quite the same class as the top hurdlers, he did not miss out on this chance to prove himself in his new discipline following in the footsteps of his older siblings Positive Thinking (Nikos) and Master Minded (Nikos). However his trainer Guillaume Macaire was not totally convinced, “Everything almost went exactly to plan today except that he eased up before the double-fence and made a mistake on landing. He recovered because he has the engine but you have to keep on top of him all the time. He will be better over longer distances and on softer ground.” After being held up throughout the race, Lucky to Be made up ground on the last bend to take the lead between the last two fences, once on the flat he was home clear and beat Shangani (Giant’s Causeway) by 3 lengths with Soleiade (Laveron) a further 4 lengths behind in third place.
Bred by Marie-Christine Gabeur, Lucky to Be is a son of Haute Tension (Garde Royale), who only ran twice over fences winning one hurdle race at Pau but who has only produced top class products at stud. Excluding Master Minded who has won 6 Group 1s, she has also bred Hautclan (Chef de Clan), three times Group placed, Positive Thinking (Nikos), Listed winner and three times Group placed, and Good Spirit (Smadoun), second in a Gr2 at Kempton Park.
Bois Rouaud – Promising performance from Nikita du Berlais
Third in the Prix Wild Monarch (L) on her debut, Nikita du Berlais (Poliglote) confirmed that performance when passing the line in front in the €46,000 Prix du Bois Rouaud Hurdle (3yos-3,000m). Robert Collet’s filly was still quite a long way back when taking the last bend and only looked in with a chance of winning on jumping the last hurdle. “She was very brave”, confided Erwan Graal,assistant trainer to Robert Collet. “She is a good filly and she confirmed her debut. She is still quite “babyish” and drifted a little in the finish. She is entered in a Listed but she may have a break now.”
Great Lady (Great Pretender) took second place three quarters of a length behind the winner, one and a half lengths ahead of Pépite Rose (Bonbon Rose) who made a mistake at the last hurdle.
Bred by Jean-Marc Lucas, Nikita du Berlais is the third produce of Chica du Berlais (Cadoudal), who was trained by Jean-Paul Gallorini to run only once over jumps when placed fifth at Auteuil. Her offspring include Bonita du Berlais (King’s Theatre), who won the Prix Georges Pelat et de Chambly (L) and finished fourth in the Prix Georges de Talhouët-Roy (Gr2). Nikita du Berlais has a 2 year old full brother and a yearling half brother by Turgeon.
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