€151,000 La Périchole 4yo Chase: Speed Emile's cautious path to the top

Tuesday, June 27, 2023, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - The last Group race of the spring season at Auteuil is the €151,000 La Périchole 4yo Chase (Gr3). Given its position in the calendar, one might expect a diverse list of winners. However, this is not the case, and even though there were only five starters this scorching year, we may well find future champions among them, following in the footsteps of past winners such as Storm of Saintly, Kotkikova, Saint Goustan Blue, Farnice, Feu Follet, and Le Berry...

The favourite Speed Emile (Estejo) did not disappoint under the colours of Jacques Bisson, in partnership with Palmyr Racing, Ann-Sophie and Daniel Allard, and the breeder Franck van Haaren. He moved up in the back straight to jump the main open ditch alongside the front-runner Jazz Manouche (Nom de d’Là), and then patiently waited to take over between the last two jumps.

Finishing second, nearly three lengths behind, Le Philosophe (Doctor Dino) might have posed a bigger threat had he not made a mistake at the final hurdle. Despite this setback, Jean-Michel Bazire's representative caught Jazz Manouche and secured second place by a short neck.

Speed Emile is no stranger to competing at the highest level. He finished third in last year's Congress 3yo Chase (Gr2), won by Juntos Ganamos, in only his fourth outing in this discipline. He started this season with two more placings before stringing together three consecutive victories, gradually climbing the ranks, cautiously avoiding the bigger battles.

His dam, Emily Strange (Ballingarry), only raced over the flat and won her second start out of six at 2 and 3. Speed Emile is her fourth foal and the only winner so far, but she is a sister to Boris de Deauville (Soviet Star). Her colt, It's Emilio (It's Gino), born in 2020 and gelded, was sold for €9,000 in Deauville last November.

A Cokoriko colt and an Indomito filly were born after him.