ENGLISH VERSION in group one glory with their young trainers. Back to the Friday though and it was big lot after big lot sold and the atmosphere felt electric with plenty of people having turned up with plenty of cash to spend on the right horses. I came away with two youngsters on by Moises has and one by Silverwave and I feel we got some value on day that value was hard to find. We will be back and look forward to it again at what I hope will become a permanent fixture in the sale calendar to look forward to. The Saturday began with looking at the collection of horses that were on offer that evening at the Arqana grand Steeplechase de Paris sale at Auteuil after racing. They had a collection of horses that were due to run on the Saturday and Sunday for sale along with two Goliath du berlais foals. The sale offered bits and bobs for everyone but the standout lot was Isaac of York who has group two four year old hurdle form at Auteuil having been 2 nd last time out and joins newly crowned champion trainer Dan Skelton when the hammer was knocked down at 500,000 euros. Another result which showcases the demand in top quality horses with form to match and the prices that can be reached when Auteuil form and a good physical match up. Auteuil on a Saturday is both a quieter day in terms of attendance and the quality of racing that is on. With just one group one on the card the Grande course du haie, the day allows itself to be a bit more relaxing and for me enjoyable as a race goer. There were also a great contingency of Uk and Irish people over from the sale before and for the sale after racing on the Saturday. That makes the owners lounge or the Karly flight restaurant adjacent the paddock two really good places to catch up with old and make new friends alongside drinking and eating your body weight in French wine, champagne, cheese and ham. Saturday’ s racing gave way to a new top class filly by Nirvana du berlais called Iryna del Flore for the Chaille- Chaille and Parmert training duo ridden by Gaetan Masure. She quickened away impressively up the home straight from Dedel who had already shown good, listed form at Auteuil. This was a markedly improved run for the Royan based filly who was having only her 2 nd start after finishing 5 th on debut at the track. The next impressive performance of the day and a horse of note for the future I believe, unless he has been picked up by connections was the Prix Ex Voto winner Moulins rouge. I noticed him when he was a fast-finishing eye catching 2 nd from the back of the field last time out at the course and the trainer couldn’ t speak high enough about him. They are confident in his ability and when you mention his program for the year they smile profusely at the mention of steeple chasing so remember the name because a star that’ s housed in Maison lafette has arrived. The highlight as of course the French champion hurdle which gave us the duel, match up, battle of the best call it whatever you want. It gave us Theleme vs Losange Bleu in a grade one for the first time ever. So far in their only match race it was 1 nil to losange bleu which was last time out in the Prix Leon Rembaud. Personally, I felt the ground was too quick for Theleme as he had won all of his group ones at 3, 4 and 5 years old in the winter until he finally won the champion hurdle in the spring of his 6yr old season. He is a big horse and with his history of tendon issues I was surprised they ran him, and I actually said on sky sports afterwards if the ground is quick in may then don’ t expect to see him. Luckily for us it had been a wet weak and he turned up for the match off wed all hoped for. Since Theleme has been off with injury Losange bleu stepped into his place as number one hurdler quite effortlessly he has won 15 of 25 races and never been worse than 2 nd In his career. This equates him to something of a legend like Jonbon in my eyes, but he’ s been in more races and is 4 years young which is outstanding. He’ s competed in 7 grade ones and won 5 of them only losing to Gala Marceau as a four-year-old and El Clavel in this race last year. He’ s ahorse who goes from the front, wears his heart on his sleeve and never runs a bad race. I am leader
141 # 19