Premieres at ParisLongchamp

8 April 2018

Premieres at ParisLongchamp

Photos scoopdyga.com

It was a good day for new starts at ParisLongchamp for the re-opening of a racecourse closed over 900 days ago for an extensive make up. The first winner on the new racecourse is Do Re Mi Fa Sol (Wootton Bassett) for British owner Colin Bryce (also breeder of the filly's sire Woottton Bassett, under his Scottish stud fam Laundry Cottage Stud's banner), for trainer Francis Graffard under jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot. M. Bryce's colours also won the main handicap of the day with the same connections around Borderforce (American Post).

The first ever Group race run at ParisLongchamp, the Prix La Force (Gr3), ofr 3yo colts and gedlings over 9 furlongs, went to British raider Chilean (Iffraaj), trained by Martyn Meade for Manton Estate Racing. fast ahead, he held off everyone and kept the closing Study of Man (Deep Impact) and Stable Genius (Siyouni) at a good length over a heavy ground.

In the feale division of the same race, the Prix Vanteaux (Gr3), Barkaa (Siyouni) took off in the end to score by 4 lengths for leading French owner Gérard Augustin-Normand. Soustraction (Lope de Vega) was second beating the leading Princesschope (Panis), and hardly anyone made up any ground in the final stages once again. It was a 4th win for Barkaa, already on stage last Winter at Cagnes-sur-mer. The filly was bred by France Galop's Vice-President Jean-Pierre Colombu and is also woned by José Bruneau de la Salle.

The top race on the day, the Prix d’Harcourt (Gr2, head picture), for 4yos and up over 10 furlongs that leads to the Prix Ganay (Gr1, on April 29 with a doubled purse at €600,000) all but confimed the result of the preceding prep race, the Prix Exbury (Gr3), although it was run under a snowstorm only minutes before the meeting was canacelled, three weeks ago at Saint-Cloud. Once again, 9yo champ Air Pilot (Zamindar), homebred by Lady Cobham and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, won in fornt of Royal Julius (Royal Applause), who wasn't on stage at Saint-Cloud, then Way To Paris (Champs Elysées) and Star Victory (Tôt Ou Tard), respectively 2nd and 3rd in the Exbury ...

The Prix EBF-Zarkava (L) went to the grey Bébé d’Amour (Montmartre), the favourite, who found no match in the latter stages, only 142 days after her last race, a Listed win at Saint-Cloud in the EBF-Belle de Nuit (L).at Saint-Cloud.

Next meeting at ParisLongchamp with 9 races on Wednesday from 11h55.