Docteur de Ballon beats the odds

The 7-year-old gelding Docteur de Ballon (Doctor Dino) and the mare Dalia Grandchamp (Kapgarde) took Saturday at Auteuil the first two places of the Prix Ingré Chase (Gr3), beating the odds in this last prep race towards the Zeturf Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Gr1).

Jumping the last hurdle, Crystal Beach (Network) looked like the winner, adding another mark to his record after his Prix Murat (Gr2) win last time out, but the JDG Bloodstock gelding, trained by Marcel Rolland, had to give way to the two outsiders who came in late to take over.

Successively, Milord Thomas (Kapgarde) and Crystal Beach had led the race, always "pushed" by Saint Goustan Blue (Blue Brésil), who unseated his rider at the rail-ditch and fence, and then Le Costaud (Forestier). Trained by Louisa Carberry the West, the winner is owned by his breeder Robert Gasche-Luc, associated with Michel Boulay.

Docteur de Ballon was running on Saturday for the eleventh time. He was ridden for the second time by Felix de Giles, who was already replacing the injured Peterjon Carberry for his winning comeback in the Prix Jean Granel Hurdle race (L). He is the first foal out of Nile Breeze (Phantom Breeze), who has since given Surdoué de Ballon (Turgeon), whose sire Turgeon, who died last week, is also his dam sire.