Weekly Review of French Racing.

French racing hosted multiple Black Type events over the past week across all codes – Jumping, Trotting and Flat. Highlights included Auteuil, Chantilly plus one of the biggest events at Compiegne: the G2 Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiègne.  

Jumps 

Guillaume Macaire and jockey Nathalie Desoutter were successful in the first of Auteuil's Black Type races on Wednesday in the Listed Prix Triquerville Chase (4400m) for four-year olds. Want Of A Nail showed determination and went one place better after finishing runner up in the Listed Prix Bayonnet over course and distance four weeks ago. 

Amour du Mathan (by multiple group winner Saint Des Saints) produced a perfect jumping display in the Listed Prix Fondeur Chase (4400m) for five-year olds. The mare had to fight hard with Happy Monarch from the final obstacle with a neck splitting the pair. 

Trainer Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé made it a treble at Auteuil on Wednesday afternoon as River Flight was victorious in the Listed Prix Robert Weill Handicap Hurdle (3600m) for three-year olds. This gave sire Camelot a twenty-sixth three-year-old stakes win and fifty overall stakes winners. 

Compiegne hosted one of the feature meetings of the year which included one of their biggest jump prizes – The G2 Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiègne (4900m). 

The morning highlight was the Listed Prix de Besançon Hurdle (3800m) for five-year olds and upwards. Winner Dauteuil Précieux jumped well throughout and had a battle with Staunton Street from the last hurdle. The Mireille Desvaux trained seven-year-old managed to just get on top in the final strides with Alban Desvaux doing the steering. 

Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé kept his good run going at Compiegne in the Listed Prix Roger Saint Chase (3800m) for four-year-olds as Grandeur Nature responded strongly for pressure despite struggling eight lengths behind the leading duo over the final obstacle. Thomas Coutant managed the best out of the gelding to find a burst of energy in the final 100m. 

The big race of the day was the G2 Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiègne (4900m) for five year olds and older. The Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and Thomas Coutant combination added to their impressive tally of feature victories this week with Matfog. A decent pace set by Polirico ensured the field were strung out for the majority of the contest. The winner was settled just worse than mid field but plugged on gradually to pass rivals down the home straight. His momentum allowed him to fight out another thrilling dual on the day with the David Cottin trained Ajas. A head was the official distance separating victory from defeat with Saint Goustan Blue third. The five-year-old gelding Matfog has an excellent record at the track and was a former (2019) champion of the Listed Prix Roger Saint Chase (3800m).    

Trotting 

Jean-Michel Bazire is a name we see practically in every edition of the Weekly Round Up. He maintained this tradition at Vincennes on Wednesday in the G3 Prix des Cévennes (2850m) for six to ten-year olds when the barefooted seven-year-old Dorgos de Guez won comfortably for the driver and trainer. Jean-Michel Bazire hinted that a possible early target at this stage could be Prix de Saint Léonard on 30 December. This G3 last week is recognised as the first highlight of the Winter Meeting.    

Flat 

UK raiders enjoyed plenty of success at Chantilly on Saturday when taking both Group feature events. 

Firstly, Ralph Beckett sent over Lullaby Moon to land the G3 Prix Miesque (1400m) for two-year old fillies. Showing good early pace on the Autumnal ground and jockey Richard Kingscote secured an inside passage as the filly found plenty to kick clear for a two-length success. She clearly enjoys the soft conditions with this a second Black type win after her victory in Redcar's (UK) biggest event – The Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy (1200m) four weeks ago. Lullaby Moon is the third Group winner for Darley's first season sire, Belardo (Lope De Vega). 

The G3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise (1200m) for three-year olds and above went the way of trainer Tom Dascombe with Brad The Brief fending off Coeur De Pierre in the final 200m. This gave jockey Richard Kingscote a big race double as the three-year-old son of Dutch Art gained a second Black Type level success after the Listed Hopeful Stakes (1200m) at Newmarket on soft ground at the end of August.