14 April 2017
Photo : scoopdyga.com
The classic season continues on Sunday at Chantilly with three important prep races on the road to the major events.
Sunday, April 16, Chantilly. - Three major Group 3 races are scheduled for Sunday's meeting in Chantilly. All three lead directly to the French classics.
The Prix de la Grotte-Étalon Kendargent (Gr3), for 3yo fillies over the mile, leads to Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai of the Pouliches (French 1,000-Gr1). They are six to start including the returning Toulifaut (Frankel), who was one of the best 2yo fillies last season and will have to face Lady Frankel (Frankel), another daughter of the English champion Frankel who won easily for her debut for German breeder Dietrich von Boettischer and his Gestüt Ammerland. Toulifaut now runs for leading Japanese owner Katsumi Yoshida. In the equivalent colts’ race, the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3) is also a prep race for the French Guineas with seven competitors from Chantilly, La Teste near Arcachon, Pau, Angers and the Sarthe department!
The Prix de la Lancette (unraced 3yo fillies) and the Prix du Mont-Cenis (unraced 3yo colts) are also ran on 1,600 meters and even though they’re just beginners’ races they could reveal some of the season’s rising stars. The top Arqana yearling of 2015, Parabellum (Dubawi), sold €2.6m at Arqana August Yearling Sale and owned by Godolphin, will start from there, for instance…
Third major meeting of the Sunday meeting, the Prix Noailles (Gr3) brought together seven 3yo colats competing over 2,100 meters (1m2 1/2f). We all are, of course, looking forward to the return of Akihiro (Deep Impact), a Wertheimer-bred colt amongst the top sensations of last season with two convincing wins, including one Prix des Chenes (Gr3-pictured), beating subsequent Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Gr1) winner National Defense (Invincible Spirit). Trained by Andre Fabre, he galloped in public last Monday at Maisons-Laffitte. Fabre, whose yard seems to dominate the French 3yo bunch so far, trains three of the five runners having won last time out. Soleil Marin (Kendargent), who has just won a Listed event for the trainer’s wife Elizabeth, is one of them. He will now run for Godolphin.
First race at 2:05pm (French time). All races live for free on our website, click "live" on the top section of our homepage.