€135,000 Compiègne Hurdle Race (Gr3): Losange Bleu takes head start
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Saturday, September 28, 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - Absent for four months, precisely since his victory in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (Gr1), the 5-year-old Losange Bleu (Martaline) started as the favorite in the €135,000 Prix de Compiègne Hurdle Race (Gr3), facing five opponents, including four other 5-year-old competitors. The representative of the Papot family's silks nevertheless let his stablemate Jeu de Thaix (Authorized), an AQPS trained by Daniela Mele and not Dominique Bressou, travel in the lead. These two led the small group without being really bothered and at the exit of the last turn, while Jeu de Thaix had accelerated to try to take the lead, it seemed obvious that the victory would be played between these two horses. Only the 7-year-old Heloy Delabarrière (Chœur du Nord) managed to follow them to approach the penultimate hurdle. The suspense lasted until the run-in but Losange Bleu inexorably took the upper hand over Jeu de Thaix, whom he dominated by a length and a half while Heloy Delabarrière stayed on well to finish in 3rd place, ¾ of a length behind, nine lengths ahead of the only mare in the lot, Royale Milady Has (Chœur du Nord).
Losange Bleu is out of Sweet Valrose (Cadoudal), twice placed over hurdles, at Enghien and Auteuil, at the age of 3, for owner Vicenzo Esposito. She then produced several winners before joining the Papot family's breeding estate. Losange Vert (Montmartre) was her first foal for these connections and he won the Prix Duc d'Anjou (Gr3). After Losange Bleu, she gave Losange Vert Bleu (Night Wish), winner of his first two hurdle races this winter at Pau and recent 2nd in the Prix d'Indy (Gr3).