ENGLISH TEXTS
field of 16 took to post however if the prep race was anything to go by, it was only ever going to be a one-horse race. Leader sport took his position as the favorite of the race by winning his first group race the time before on just his second steeplechase start in the prix Orcada. He has been ridden beautifully both times by Leo Paul Brechet, and the young jockey didn’ t miss a beat once again as he dropped him out, and brought him through the pack slowly, using his jumping to his advantage, he just had one to beat which he did by quickening away smartly in the heavy ground to win by 4 lengths. What I love about this race is you know this horse will be targeted at the grand steeplechase de Paris like so many four turning five-yearolds are, and I believe he could be a serious contender for the crown next year. Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm claimed their first grande course de haie this year courtesy of El Clavel, and they might have another contender for next year’ s race as Its Win O’ clock stamped his authority on a deep field as the best fouryear-old hurdler by winning the prix Renaud du Vivier. Ridden this time by James Reveley It’ s win o’ clock announced himself. Serious contender by winning the prep race very impressively by 9 lengths under Tangey Andreiux. He missed the race due to a broken arm but no replacement like a three-time champion jockey replacement and James didn’ t crack under the pressure having won this race three times before, he brought his mount over to the stand sides rail to hold off the rally Sain d’ esprit, the champion three-year-old from the year before. Noels delight couldn’ t be hidden when taking the sky sports racing interview when it came to this horse describing him as a work in progress with a big future whos career eventually lies over fences possibly running in both the Uk and France. The final group one on the card was of course the Haye Jousselin or as I refer to it as the French King George back in the UK. A race with a great history having been won by Al Capone a record 7 times, a tremendous feat which will never be matched again I believe and most recently won by the big champ that is Gran diose. He didn’ t line up this year, but five other group one winners did include former grand steeple winner Sel Jem who was at the head of the market having won his prep race impressively pleasing connections immensely to have a crack at this race for the first time. His main rival was the five-year-old son of Cokoriko, Kolokiko for Emmanuel Clayeux. This horse gave Clayeux his first ever group one last year and finished 2 nd in the Grand steeplechase de Paris in the spring to Diamond carl who is another horse that was out with injury. The other previous grade one winners were Juntos Ganamos, Amy du kiff and Kaadem. This is horse racing however and just because you have the best race record coming into the race doesn’ t mean you’ ll go and win. Enter stage right Toscana du berlais. He didn’ t know he was 20 / 1. He didn’ t know he was just a horse for the prep races. What he did know was that he is a tryer, he loves the ground and at seven years old proved he was at his very best when going over the extended three-mile trip. This was a first win in over a year and a half for the son of Shantou and spring boarded his young jockey Pierre Duborg back into the limelight after a few years away traveling in the search to find out who he was and is as a person. It was a brave move by the young man as first jockey for Chaille-chaille having just ridden Theleme to grade one victory he dropped it all in the blink of an eye to go to Australia and see the world and by the looks of it, he is riding better for it. Phew take a breath because you’ ll have needed it if you were involved in the national hunt industry. From Auteuil on Sunday night to the northern coastal city of Deauville for a four-day extravaganza of a sale. Ironically the other talking point to come out of the Haye Jouesslin was that British co owned Kolokiko might be aimed at the King George on the 26 th of December, a race reader will remember a certain Il est Francais finishing seconds in last year renewal. Why is that ironic you ask? Well, it’ s through his sire Cokoriko that’ s why. The final day of the four-day sale at arqana saw it begin with the sale of two stallions Doha dream and Chanducoq It was the latter that stole the headlines as a half-brother to Cokoriko he attracted lots of attention in the ring which led to him being purchased by Valentin Adams of Adam bloodstock on behalf of Haras de Cercy who also stand Cokoriko. He will be a interesting addition to their stallion roster as a son of Voix du Nord who also stood at Haras du Cercy before his untimely death at the age of 12. In his limited stallion career Voix du Nord sired greats
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