24 March 2019
Photos scoopdyga.com
The favourite in the Prix Hypothèse Hurdle Race (Gr3), Sunday at Auteuil, despite 308 days of absence, the champion hurdling mare De Bon Coeur (Vision d’État) prevailed again at the end of a sprint. Bred and owned by Jacques Détré and Nicolas de Lageneste’s Haras de Saint-Voir, the 6yo mare followed the front-running Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy), king of the autumn on Auteuil’s hurdles while the mare was taking some rest. As Galop Marin could not accelerate going out of the bend on a 3 900 metres trip probably a bit shorter than ideal, De Bon Coeur went to the outer rail in the final straight and she sprinted away, leaving her rivals at three lengths, the returning Crystal Beach (Network) finishing well in second, beating Galop Marin by two and a half lengths while Alex de Larredya (Crillon), who also proved unable to sprint for his return, finished 4th.
The return to the forefront of De Bon Coeur has delighted the Auteuil fans, who now expect to see her regain her crown in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, the championship she won last time out in June 2018.
Winner of the Prix Agitato Chase last time out, Kapdam (Kapgarde) dominated Thrilling (Network) in the Prix Le Touquet Chase, taking a neck on her rival after a long and uncertain duel. Thrilling did not jump the River that well on the 3,500-metres-long chase led by Campinas (Pastorius) at a good speed. In the final phase, however, she joined Kapdam and the two 4-year-olds passed the winning post with 12 lengths to spare on 3rd-placed Campinas.
Thrilling finished fourth in the Prix Duc d'Anjou 4yo Chase (Gr3) last time out, beaten by the three best males of the generation, with the exception of Polirico, who had unseated his rider at … the River!
Trained at Royan by Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, Kapdam was racing for the 4th time only, the 3rd time over the biggest obstacles. He’s owned by his breeder Richard Corveller, associated with Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and Jacques Bruneau. His dam Rainbowline (Martaline), also bred by the Meslay veterinarian, won six races under the training of Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé before entering stud, where this sister to champion chaser and Willie Mullins old timer Djakadam (Saint of Saints) first gave Kapdam and then three fillies by Saint des Saints! The oldest, who is now 3 years old, is in training with Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé.
The last race of the day, the Prix Mitsouko III AQPS Chase, was also restricted to 4-year-olds, but only halfbred AQPS. The favourite Fandango (Poliglote) almost ran out at the second jump. Immediately back in the race, he fell at the oxer, two jumps late. Flying Startandco (Cokoriko) and Furax (Martaline) shared the lead and after a tight finish, the former prevailed by a neck. A good finisher despite a messy last jump, Forland (Network) made a good impression in third place.
Flyingstartandco won the Prix Finot Beginners' Hurdle race back in September. He was bred in Nièvre by Jacques and Andrée Cyprès and their three children. The family is associated with Patrick Vandemoortele on the gelding's ownership, and he's partly leased to the trainer François Nicolle. The sire Cokoriko is a smashing recruit for the Haras de Cercy, created from the former National Stud local station at Cercy-la-Tour by Jacques Cyprès.
Flyingstartandco's dam Brownie and Co (Dom Alco) did not run but she's out of Expoville (Vidéo Rock), a winner at Auteuil and the dam, amongst others, of British Gr2 winner Vaniteux (Voix du Nord). It is a really good AQPS family from the Cypres bloodlines from which one can find Vieux Morvan (Voix du Nord) and Bilbao V (Bad Conduct). After Flying Startandco, Brownie and Co gave a Rail Link filly, now 3