News In Brief of French Racing and Trotting - 18th March 2022.
This week's news-in-brief covers French bred horses in the United States, Classic prospects and the retirement of Billie de Montfort.
Flat
In the United States, French bred horses have an outstanding record in the G3 Florida Oaks (1700m) at Tampa Bay having won four of the past nine editions including last weekend with Dolce Zel. Before being sold and exported, the daughter of Zelzal had two race starts in France winning her maiden at Longchamp last October over 1300m when trained by Alessandro Botti. She made a winning debut in her adopted land racing clear to win by a head.
Second in the Listed Prix Luthier (1500m) at Deauville in December, Midlife Crisis made his comeback at Chantilly, on March 8 finishing second in the Class 2 Prix du Valmondois (1300m). Trained by Hiroo Shimizu he will be directed to the Listed Prix Cor de Chasse (1100m) on March 28 at Fontainebleau.
After showing promise, the Jérôme Reynier trained Trixia de Vega will follow a path of Conditions races with the ultimate target being the Listed Maurice Zilber (1400m) on May 15 at Longchamp.
Winner of the Class 1 Prix Policeman (2000m) last year and undefeated in four outings at the Cagnes-sur-Mer meeting, Bobbymurphy is set to be targeted for a Class 2 in mid-April at Marseille-Borely with the season goal being the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy (2000m) in July.
Looking toward the Classics, Malavath, winner of the G2 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (1200m) before finishing second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (1600m) will be aiming for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with the lead-up being in the G3 Prix Imprudence (1400m).
Sixth in G1 Prix Marcel Boussac - Criterium des Fillies (1600m) after winning the G3 Prix la Rochette (1400m), Acer Alley is working toward the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) with intermediate races to be contested including the G3 Prix La Grotte (1600m) at Longchamp in April.
Another horse with Classic aspirations is Frankel colt Blue Boat winner of the maiden Prix Kendor (1400m) where he beat a subsequent G3 winner in Dreamflight. Blue Bolt will be programmed to race in both Classic G1 races – the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1600m) and Prix du Jockey Club (2100m). He is to commence this prep in a Conditions race at Saint-Cloud.
Winner of the Listed Criterium du Languedoc - Bernard de Marmiesse (1600m), Texas is another with Classic aspirations. Initially the G3 Prix du Fontainebleau (1600m) is targeted but time and preparation may see him require a run or two before reaching his peak.
Deauville Listed winner in November, Intégrant was disappointing in the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes (2000m) at Meydan (UAE) where he finished tenth. Plans this season for the four-year-old are now to be reviewed.
Trotting
Joconde Turgot is the daughter of Scarlet Turgot, winner of two mounted Group One races including the Prix du Cornulier in 2016 and €1.4m. Making her debut last Saturday at the grass track of Avignon in a driven race, she won stylishly for the Yannick-Alain Briand stable who also prepared Scarlet Turgot.
Grand performer Billie de Montfort ran her final race on Sunday in the G1 Grand Critérium de Vitesse de la Côte d'Azur (1609m) at Cagnes-sur-Mer. She delivered yet another honest race finishing third in the event won by Etonnant. Driven by her regular pilot Eric Raffin, this run added to her already impressive CV which includes the G1 Critérium des Jeunes (2700m) and G1 Four-Year-Old Fillies at Solvalla.
Mention must be made of Elite de Jiel's performance at Le Croise-Laroche in the Grade D Grand Prix Charles Desrousseaux (2825m) last week when recording 1'12''5. This is especially so given the track record of 1'11"9 is held by Cleangame (recorded in a G3 GNT race) and other good horses have won this race over the years including Apple Wise As 1'14''6, Fric du Chêne 1'13''5, Arthuro Boy 1'15''5 and Africaine 1'12''7 (previous race record holder).
