7 October 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
Last year in the Prix Haras d’Étreham – Prix Magne 3yo Fillies Hurdle race (Gr3), which is run again on Wednesday at Auteuil, L’Autonomie won her first Group race. She's now at the head of her generation over hurdles. That day, however, she was succeeding De Bon Cœur and Whetstone, two great hurdlers. The Catherine Coiffier-owned filly proved since then that she was more than able to cope with that heritage.
Six fillies will try to follow her steps in the 2019 renewal of the race, with the best rating entered for a sister to champion chasers So French, Device and... Whetstone! She's named Want of a Nail (Kapgarde), runs for Magalen Bryant and was bred by Benoît Gabeur. Guillaume Macaire is the trainer She has yet to win her first race though after four second places and a third in the Prix Haras d’Étreham – Prix de Chambly (Gr3) won by Golden Park (who'd only won once in six races before).
Want of a Nail will meet again three of the fillies she's already beaten in the 'Chambly'. Gomeraland (Lord du Sud), bred and owned by Thierry Cyprès, a recent 2nd at Compiègne, and Color Chope (Amadeus Wolf), who just moved from one yard to another after a claiming win at Auteuil, complete the field.
This race is part of a program of five 3-year-old fillies races at Auteuil associated with Haras d'Etreham. The winning connections of the Prix d'Iena (L), Sagan (Gr3), Chambly (Gr3), Magne (Gr3), and Bournosienne (Gr2) will each receive a free nomination from Etreham. In addition, the Haras d'Etreham brings €20,000 to the prizemoney in the Prix Bournosienne Hurdle (Gr2), the final stage of the program run on Saturday, November 2nd at Auteuil, increasing it from €145,000 to €165,000, with an additional increase of €10,000 the following year to reach €175,000 from 2020.