€185,000 La Barka Hurdle: Good times are back for La Chenevière

Saturday, 10th June 2023, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - The outcome of the €185,000 La Barka Hurdle Race (Gr2) remained uncertain for a long time, as the first two horses crossed the finish line together but well apart. It was only with the help of the photo finish that it could be determined that La Chenevière (Montmartre), in the center, had kept a neck over Héros d’Ainay (Sholokhov), who had fought off the favourite Ine Anjou (Balko) on the stands' side.

The race was led by Roberta Has (Saint des Saints), who went outside at both backstraight passages, while La Chenevière was kept inside. However, before entering the final turn, La Chenevière had been passed and was negotiating the bend in fifth position behind Roberta Has and Héros d’Ainay, followed closely by the British and Irish raiders Red Risk (No Risk At All) and Ashdale Bob (Shantou), with Ine Anjou bidding for her time nearby. It was between the last two hurdles, again on the inside, that La Chenevière regained ground to secure victory, while the others either faded or deviated towards the outside.

La Chenevière had not won over hurdles at Auteuil since her success in the Haras d’Étreham Prix de Chambly 3yo Fillies Hurdle Race (Gr3) in September 2021. However, she did win chasing on her Parisian comeback the following season, in the Agitato 4yo Chase, but the rest of her campaign over the bigger obstacles did not yield any other significant results. Once again directed towards hurdles, she found her form back this spring with a second-place finish at Compiègne, followed by an easy victory there before this latest triumph at Auteuil.

Bred by the Carion family, for whom she races, La Chenevière is the first foal out of Baie des Veys (Nickname), who ran four times without success for the same breeders. A 4-year-old colt by Masterstroke is still unraced, and a filly by Zarak was born in 2022. The third dam, Perle Morinière (Gairloch), produced two good handicap chasers, Luc Morinière and Duc Morinière.