Saturday, June 19th – Auteuil. If there was something farcical about the Grande Course, the 4yo version, the €270,000 Prix Alain du Breil-Grande Course de Haies d’Été des 4ans (French Triumph, Gr1-3,900m), ended in a very hot contest between the two favourites, Guillaume Macaire’s Bel La Vie (Fr-Lavirco) and Guy Cherel’s Salder Roque (Fr-Muhtathir), owned by American owner Magalen Bryant, a great Francophile. The former was unbeaten in three races in 2010 but had to take the initiative again here and was beaten a whisker by Salder Roque, who’d won the only prep race avoided by his rival. “Both horses are very good and it was very close,” said Cherel. “It is a great victory for Mrs Bryant,” said the owner’s agent David Powell. “She was a close friend to Mrs du Breil and this is her 600th win in France since she declared her colours here, in 1983.” Prix Cambaceres Hurdle winner Prince Oui Oui (Fr-Poliglote) finished well in third and his trainer Philippe Peltier noted : “He’s an Autumn horse really and I look forward to next season. The ground was uneven today and he made lots of mistakes, even on the flat. He can be better than that.”

Salder Roque was bred in Calvados by Mrs Robert Mongin out of La Oratava (Mendez), a winner over the flat in the South-East, and a Listed-placed bred by Eric Puerari. He’s his best foal so far even though the 23yo mare gave fifteen foals and no less than seven winners, mostly over obstacles.

Having unseated his rider at the start of the French Gold Cup three weeks earlier, Remember Rose (Ire-Insatiable) was favourite for a quick revenge in the €240,000 Prix des Drags Chase (Gr2-4,400m). Ridden by Christophe Pieux, Remember Rose was looking pretty good when seizing the lead in the backstretch. In the run-in however, 10yo Alarm Call (Fr-Solar One) sprinted to outstay the favourite and score by five lengths. “Remember Rose is a tough nut to crack but Alarm Call was in great form and we opted for this instead of giving up lots of weight in a Listed Steeplechase,” said the breeder-owner Naji Pahraon’s agent Paul Nataf to jourdegalop.com. Gallorini, who trains Remember Rose, said his horse came back with cuts on his hind legs and that he had been unable to sustain his effort in the end. All in all, Remember Rose missed his Spring.

In the Autumn, he could have to deal with the new chasing wonder Mail de Bievre. Maybe will he also have to deal with Soumillon as the flat jockey said that he’d like to replicate his Grande Course de Haies win over the bigger obstacles.

Cheltenham beware !

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