Weekly Review of French Racing.
It was another busy week in the French racing calendar with multiple venues hosting Black Type races across all codes – Flat, jumps and trotting.
Flat
Bordeaux hosted the Listed Grand Critérium de Bordeaux (1600m) on Thursday for two-year-olds. Harper handled the rise in grade in good style when going to the lead with 400m to go and scored by a cosy one-and-three-quarter-lengths. He remains unbeaten in two starts for trainer Andreas Marcialis. It was a fourth individual stakes triumph for Al Kazeem who started his stud career at The Royal Studs in 2014 before moving to his breeders' Oakgrove Stud for the 2016 season following early fertility issues.
Fabulous Dragoness justified market support on Thursday in Saint Cloud's feature – The G2 Prix Glorieuse (2400m) for Non-Pure-Bred Mares with trainer Yannick Fouin and jockey Pierre Charles Boudot teaming up.
It was a third stakes victory for dam Zarkava (winner of the 2008 Prix De l'Arc de Triomphe) on Friday at Compiegne as three-year-old daughter Zaykava coasted home in the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte (2000m) on heavy ground. Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, she looks to be a promising star.
Chantilly again hosted a valuable and important meeting with Saturday featuring four black type events.
Plainchant added another group success to her name with a hard-fought victory in the G2 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (1200m) and proved the stand side was the place to be.
Previously, she had won the G3 Prix Eclipse (1200m) over course and distance and looks to be a star two-year-old.
UK raider Last Empire for trainer Kevin Ryan took a narrow success in the Listed Prix de Bonneval (1100m). It was a first black type success after multiple placed efforts in Listed company in the UK and marked 152 stakes victories for sire Pivotal.
Godolphin went home with a winner in the Listed Prix Saraca (1400m) for two year olds as the Fabre and Barzalona combination teamed up with Erasmo who made up ground in the home straight after a strong pace left the field well stretched out. This gave Juddmonte Farms' Oasis Dream stakes victory number 122.
Rajani gained another course success in the Listed Prix Le Fabuleux (1800m) on heavy ground, denying favourite Ecrivain. This gave France's leading sire Siyouni with a further stakes success and this was further expanded to forty when St Mark's Basilica won the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket (UK) later that afternoon.
Trotting
The G3 mounted Prix Gordonia (2850m) was run at Vincennes on Friday and Corail D'Aure took an easy victory after Carla Du Chatelet broke into a gallop as the field turned for home. It was a one-two for the Abrivard family as Alexandre drove the winner and cousin Matthieu driving the second, Bulle de Laumont
Jump
Auteuil took centre stage on Sunday. The Listed Prix Noiro Chase (3500m) opened the programme with François Nicolle taking victory with I'm Walkin' despite almost unseating the rider Gaëtan Masure at the first fence. He drew comfortably clear for an authoritative six length success to break the maiden tag.
Le Berry achieved his fifth consecutive win in the G3 Prix Orcada (4400m) for trainer David Cottin. For four-year olds only, the grey gelding added his third G3 in succession after success in the Prix La Perichole (4400m) and the Prix De Fellow – Marquise De Moratalla Chase (4400m) both over course and distance.
