26 April 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, April 25, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - At the last jump of a short three-miler which took them over the top obstacles of the Parisian famous course, two runners were still fighting over the 122nd edition of the €225,000 Président de la République Handicap Chase (French National, Gr3). Fanfaron Spécial (Gentlewave), who'd won the Lutteur III Chase 18 days earlier, and his rival Enfant Roi (Saint des Saints), out for 49 days, when he won the Karcimont Handicap Chase, beating Fanfaron by 20 lengths.
That day, however, the latter was carrying 4 kilos more than Enfant Roi, who also had. the benefit of a full Pau meeting whereas Fanfaron was only coming back after his Winter spell.
Besides a last win, the two horses have in common the AQPS studbook, to whom they belong, like the 4th-placed Gamin d’Oudairies (Kapgarde), who led most of the race with the top-weight. Between them a 3rd placed Bandero (Balko), the join bottom-weight of the handicap was ridden in the last minute by Thomas Henderson, who took over Nathalie Desoutter after a nasty fall earlier in the meeting.
Fanfaron Spécial is a 6-year-old gelding bred in Maine-et-Loire by Mrs Georges Ore-Nouteau, Annick & Benoît Chevalier. He's the first foal out of Ultra Spéciale (Robin des Prés), a flat winner and a sister to Objectif Spécial (Ungaro), winner of the "President" under 70.5kg/11-1 in 2009 ! He had been awarded to bloodstock agent Guy Petit for €62,000 at Arqana at 3. Winner of his two first races over hurdles and then the flat, already sporting the colours of Écurie des Érables (Olivier Philippe) and trained by Patrice Quinton, he took a few chasing places afterwards and went back to Deauville for the next sale. However, he didn't reach his €160,000 tag. It was an omen: since that day, he made about €200,000, half of it in the French National, a race in which he finished 4th last year when his stablemate D’Jango won (he finished 8th this season). Take the training fees and the trainer's, yard's and rider's fee, and he s probably about even.
As if Fanfaron Spécial was also good with numbers!