Cambacérès Report: Theleme, even better

Sunday, November 8, 2020, Auteuil. - Just like Hotesse du Chenêt minutes earlier in the Haras d’Etreham Bournosienne 3yo Fillies Hurdle race (Gr2), the favourite of the €175,000 Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle race (Gr1), Thélème (Sidestep) brilliantly confirmed, without much hassle, his previous victory at this level. The representative of JDG Bloodstock, that is British owner James-Douglas Gordon, took over going into the final turn, jumped the 2nd last hurdle with the leader Raffles Face (Authorized), then dominated and accelerated in the run-in to score by ten lengths. After travelling behind them, Baladin de Mesc (Chœur du Nord) finished third at twelve lengths, with Le Listrac (Balko). One of the best challengers, Hermès Baie (Crillon) fell at the first hurdle, which he approached behind an opponent who swerved slightly in front of him.

Trained at Royan-La Palmyre by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, Thélème had so far only raced twice over hurdles but after finishing second for his debut less than a length behind Baladin de Mesc, he was withdrawn late in the Prix Robert Lejeune 3yo Hurdle race(Gr3). This did not prevent him from brilliantly winning the Georges de Talhouët-Roy 3yo Hurdle race (Gr2) before this triumph in the Prix Cambacérès.

It is a fifth victory in this race for trainer Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé after those of Kiko (2004), Bonito du Berlais (2014), Beaumec de Houelle (2018) and Nirvana du Berlais (2019). Owner James-Douglas Gordon, for his part, saw his colours triumph for the third time after the successes of Bonito du Berlais (2014) and Beaumec de Houelle (2018).

Thélème is out of Utopia Jem (Okawango), a mare sold for € 5,000 last December in Deauville, and whose fourth foal, a Cloth of Stars colt born this year is in the next breeding sales in Deauville.