Weekly Round-Up of French Racing and Trotting - 14th September 2021.
This week's round-up covers the races from Arc Trials day at Longchamp, a first Listed winner for trainer Luc Gabeur at Compiegne and a return to form for champion Cleangame..
Flat
| Date | 9 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix des Chenes |
| Type | G3 – Two year olds – 1600m |
| Winner | Ancient Rome |
| Jockey/Driver | Mickael Barzalona |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | War Front x Gagnoa |
| Second | Scherzo |
| Third | Claim The Crown |
| Ancient Rome confirmed his ability with a comfortable two length victory in the G3 Prix des Chenes (1600m), drawing clear of Scherzo in easy fashion. He has been given an entry in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1400m) and could be a Classic prospect for 2022. Ancient Rome is the seventh winner out of G3 winning dam Gagnoa, who is a half sister to G1 Epsom Derby (2400m) hero Pour Moi. | |
| Date | 9 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix d'Aumale |
| Type | G3 – Two year old fillies – 1600m |
| Winner | Fleur d'Iris |
| Jockey/Driver | Mickael Barzalona |
| Trainer | André Fabre |
| Breeding | Shamardal x Zara |
| Second | Zellie |
| Third | Bahasa |
| It was a juvenile Group Three double for Mickael Barzalona and André Fabre on Thursday with Fleur d'Iris taking the G3 Prix d'Aumale (1600m). The filly had demonstrated plenty of ability when finishing second in the G2 Prix du Calvados (1400m) at Deauville and has been entered for the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m), where she will re-oppose with second Zellie. She is the second foal out of Zara who was a multiple Group One winner in Brazil. | |
| Date | 9 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix Joubert |
| Type | Listed – Three year old fillies – 2800m |
| Winner | Adhafera |
| Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
| Trainer | Jean-Claude Rouget |
| Breeding | Sea The Stars x Rusty Slipper |
| Second | Love Child |
| Third | Forever Be |
| The form of the G3 Prix Minerve was given a boost with third-placed Adhafera recording a narrow victory in the Prix Joubert (2800m). It was the filly's first Black Type win and she is likely to be targeted at either the G3 Prix Belle de Nuit or the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air. She may stay in training as a four-year-old. Her dam Rusty Slipper won six races in the USA including at Graded level and Adhafera is the second foal. | |
| Date | 10 September |
| Venue | Saint-Cloud |
| Race | Prix Turenne |
| Type | Listed – Three year olds – 2400m |
| Winner | Manobo |
| Jockey/Driver | James Doyle |
| Trainer | Charlie Appleby |
| Breeding | Sea The Stars x Tasaday |
| Second | Kertez |
| Third | Merveillo |
| It was a successful step up in class for the UK trained Manobo as he claimed his first Listed victory in the Prix Turenne (2400m). Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Godolphin colt has been given plenty of time to develop and impressed with a ten length victory on third career start. He is out of a Group Two winning Godolphin homebred mare and was the 85th individual stakes winner for sire Sea The Stars. | |
| Date | 12 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix Niel |
| Type | G2 – Three year olds – 2400m |
| Winner | Bubble Gift |
| Jockey/Driver | Gerald Mosse |
| Trainer | Mikel Delzangles |
| Breeding | Nathanial x Bubble Back |
| Second | Baby Rider |
| Third | Pretty Tiger |
| Bubble Gift benefited from the late withdrawal of the Aidan O'Brien trained favourite Bolshoi Ballet when taking the traditional three-year-old G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) trial by a nose from Baby Rider. The colt had struggled to show his best form in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) when sixth but stayed well on this occasion, reversing the placings with Baby Rider. Connections will discuss whether he will take his place in the Autumn showpiece. | |
| Date | 12 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix Foy |
| Type | G2 – Four year olds and upwards – 2400m |
| Winner | Deep Bond |
| Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
| Trainer | Ryuji Okubo |
| Breeding | Kizuna x Zephranthes |
| Second | Broome |
| Third | Iresine |
| The Japanese trained Deep Bond impressed many with a comfortable one and a half length victory in the G2 Prix Foy (2400m), the traditional older horse trial for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m). He beat a strong field of rivals including G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m) winner Broome. The horse will be bidding for a first Japanese success in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m). | |
| Date | 12 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix du Petit Couvert |
| Type | G3 -Three year olds and upwards – 1000m |
| Winner | Berneuil |
| Jockey/Driver | Cristian Demuro |
| Trainer | Carlos & Yann Lerner |
| Breeding | Lope de Vega x Derivatives |
| Second | Collinsbay |
| Third | Wild Majesty |
| Berneuil caught the eye with a comfortable three and a half length success in the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert (1000m), a first Stakes victory for the Lope de Vega four year old. Berneuil comes from a strong dam family, out of Derivatives (Dansili) whose dam won the G1 Nassau Stakes (2000m). Derivatives has produced three individual winners from four foals. | |
| Date | 12 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix du Pin |
| Type | G3 – Three year olds and upwards – 1400m |
| Winner | Sagamiyra |
| Jockey/Driver | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Mikel Delzangles |
| Breeding | Sea The Moon x Saghaniya |
| Second | Axdavali |
| Third | Speak of the Devil |
| After a narrow defeat by Mother Earth in the G1 Prix Rothschild (1600m) at Deauville, Sagamiyra returned to winning ways with a length victory over Axdavali in the G3 Prix du Pin (1400m). She seemed to appreciate the drop back in distance and her success marked a big race double on the card for Mikel Delzangles, who also won the G2 Prix Niel (2400m) with Bubble Gift. | |
Jumps
| Date | 7 September |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | Prix des Platanes |
| Type | Listed – Three year old colts – 3600m |
| Winner | Imprenable |
| Jockey/Driver | Clement Lefebvre |
| Trainer | Gabriel Leenders |
| Breeding | Choeur de Nord x Cybelle |
| Second | You're The Boss |
| Third | Igloo d'Estruval |
| Imprenable has confirmed his status as a future Group winner with a hard fought neck success in the Listed Prix des Platanes (3600m). Jockey Clement Lefebvre had to remain calm as the early leader Imitateur put fifteen lengths between him and the field with Imprenable sat second. The three-year-old jumped cleanly throughout and will have learnt for the experience. | |
| Date | 7 September |
| Venue | Auteuil |
| Race | Prix Alain et Gilles de Goulaine |
| Type | Listed handicap – four year olds – 3600m |
| Winner | Becquathunder |
| Jockey/Driver | Theo Chevillard |
| Trainer | Nicolas Paysan |
| Breeding | Galiway x Khayriya |
| Second | Six One |
| Third | Celtic Girl |
| Becquathunder continued his run of strong form with a win in the Listed Prix Alain et Gilles de Goulaine (3600m). He has been racing consistently all campaign and deserved to try Listed company after a victory in a valuable Compiegne handicap in May. Although he only denied Six One by a length, the pair drew seven lengths clear of the third placed Celtic Girl. | |
| Date | 10 September |
| Venue | Compiegne |
| Race | Prix The Stomp |
| Type | Listed – Five year olds and upwards – Chase – 3800m |
| Winner | Roi Mage |
| Jockey/Driver | James Reveley |
| Trainer | Luc Gabeur |
| Breeding | Poliglote x Royale Majesty |
| Second | Amour du Mathan |
| Third | Garasil |
| It was an important day for young trainer Luc Gabeur as Roi Mage provided him with a first Listed victory, a month after his first training win. Despite never finishing better than fifth at Compiegne, Roi Mage seemed to have improved for a new trainer and impressed with an eight length victory. He will be targeted at the G3 Prix de la Gascogne at the same track. | |
Trotting
| Date | 8 September |
| Venue | Pornichet |
| Race | Grand National du Trot |
| Type | G3 – Driven – 2725m – Five to ten year olds |
| Winner | Fly Speed |
| Jockey/Driver | Jean-Philippe Monclin |
| Trainer | Jean-Marie Monclin |
| Breeding | Neutron du Cebe x Icaranda |
| Second | Eddy du Vivier |
| Third | Fric du Chene |
| Fly Speed has hit best form in recent months with two wins and two seconds from his last five outings. He had won the G3 Prix de la Chaussee d'Antin (2875m) at Enghien in July and was only narrowly denied in a Class A at the same track subsequently. Trainer Jean-Marie Monclin has been delighted with the improvement demonstrated by the six-year-old this season. | |
| Date | 10 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix Ceneri Forcinal |
| Type | G2 – Mounted – Four year olds – 2175m |
| Winner | Hilyrose d'Icelea |
| Jockey/Driver | Mathieu Mottier |
| Trainer | Charley Mottier |
| Breeding | Quopeck x Quicelea |
| Second | Hope En Victory |
| Third | Hirondelle du Rib |
| Hilyrose d'Icelea recorded a first Group Two victory for her young trainer Charley Mottier in the G2 Prix Ceneri Forcinal (2175m). The connections had been targeting this contest for three months and their conviction paid off, with the four year old recording a kilometre rating of 1'11"4. If she recovers quickly, the filly may be entered for the G1 Prix des Elites. | |
| Date | 11 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix d'Eté |
| Type | G2 – Driven – Four to ten year olds – 2700m |
| Winner | Cleangame |
| Jockey/Driver | Jean-Michel Bazire |
| Trainer | Jean-Michel Bazire |
| Breeding | Ouragan de Celland x Red Bell |
| Second | Davidson du Pont |
| Third | Dorgoz du Guez |
| Cleangame bounced back to superior form with a commanding victory in the G2 Prix d'Eté (2700m), winning the prize for the second year running. The gelding had been suffering from tendon injuries and was disappointing on his sole previous start in 2020. It marked a twenty-seventh career victory for the champion and connections are likely to see how the gelding recovers before identifying a new target. | |
| Date | 11 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix de Montier-en-Der |
| Type | G3 – Driven – Five and six year olds – 2850m |
| Winner | Ampia Mede Sm |
| Jockey/Driver | Franck Nivard |
| Trainer | Fabrice Souloy |
| Breeding | Ganymede x Plimpia Slide Sm |
| Second | Eric The Eel |
| Third | Holy Water |
| Italian mare Ampia Mede Sm added a fourth consecutive success in the G3 Prix de Montier-en-Der after her comfortable victory in the G3 Prix de Provence (2700m). She has only finished out of the top two once from nine starts in France and seems to have improved for the switch to French tracks. The five-year-old will now be stepped up in class. | |
| Date | 11 September |
| Venue | Vincennes |
| Race | Prix de Basly |
| Type | G2 – Mounted – Three Year old – 2175m |
| Winner | Indigo du Poret |
| Jockey/Driver | Eric Raffin |
| Trainer | Yannick-Alain Briand |
| Breeding | Dollar Macker x Une Pliue du Poret |
| Second | Ici C'est Paris |
| Third | Imbrogliu du Parc |
| The form of the G2 Prix Pierre Gamare (2175m) continued to be important as the top three re-opposed in the G3 Prix de Basly (2175m). It was the turn of Indigo du Poret to beat Ici C'est Paris, who had comfortably defeated the colt on his last two outings. These three-year-old colts are likely to continue to fight it out for honours during the remainder of the year. | |
AQPS
| Date | 9 September |
| Venue | Longchamp |
| Race | Prix de Craon |
| Type | G1 – Four and five year olds – 2400m |
| Winner | Guerrier Rose |
| Jockey/Driver | Christophe Soumillon |
| Trainer | Daniela Meke |
| Breeding | Rail Link x Prime Rose |
| Second | Gazelle d'Authie |
| Third | Genola |
| Guerrier Rose has not finished out of the placings in his seven race career and he broke through for a well-deserved G1 victory in the Prix de Craon at Longchamp on Thursday. He reversed the form with Gazelle d'Authie who had finished ahead of him in the G3 Prix de l'Union des AQPS du Centre-East (2400m) at Vichy prior. The pair were comfortably clear of the third-placed Genola. | |
