€150,000 The Fellow Marquise de Moratalla 4yo Chase (Gr3): Kaadam blooms in Autumn

Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - It was a very lively race for the return of the good 4-year-olds over the 4,400 meters of the inner steeplechase track in this €150,000 Prix The Fellow Marquise de Moratalla (Gr3), four months after the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure (Gr1). The favourite after his victory in May on this very course and distance, Kolokiko (Cokoriko) made several mistakes. He almost unseated his rider one last time at the end of the backstretch. The leading group was still packed with the pacesetter Sissi du Mesnil (Kapgarde) still in the race despite her tendency to drift to the right, Ventura Highway (Kapgade), who was well placed after debuting at this level on the alternative route taken through the Prix La Périchole 4yo Chase in June (Gr3), Kaadam (Saint des Saints), who was doing the least possible, the 2nd in the "Ferdinand Dufaure" Kador de Ciergues (Masterstroke), and Ivoire de Ballon (Doctor Dino) on the outside. As Sissi du Mesnil fell at the double barrière, Kaadam found himself in the lead. He accelerated again after jumping the last with Kador de Ciergues and Ventura Highway to finally win by eight lengths over the AQPS, who left his rival five lengths behind to narrowly resist a good Koriste (Cokoriko), who was never far behind either. Despite the disappointment of Kolokiko, we find in the first four three of the four best in May.

Kaadam, bred by Richard Corveller, has not done much wrong so far, and since his victorious debut in April 2023 at Bordeaux over hurdles. Winner in September at Auteuil for his chasing debut in the Prix Weather Permitting, then winner of the Prix Congress 3yo Chase (Gr2), he seems to be back to his best level for this 2nd autumn at Auteuil.

The colt was born in May 2020 in Mayenne. His dam Fiestine (Martaline), bred by the Chassagneux family and trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, also raced for Richard Corveller. She won four consecutive races, including her chasing debut at Enghien, at the end of the series before finishing fifth in the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure (Gr1) of Kotkikova. She had won the Prix Roger Saint Chase (L) at Enghien the following autumn and then notably finished third in the Prix Sytaj (Gr3). Her brother Le Philanthrope (Doctor Dino), born in 2022, was sold for €48,000 at the 2023 autumn sales in Deauville, acquired by Equos Racing International.

Kaadam is the third product of Festine after Daradame (Kapgarde) and Kahsdam (Kapgarde), winner this same month of the Prix Triquerville (L) on the steeplechase of Auteuil. Two daughters of Doctor Dino follow.