€278,000 Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle (Gr1): Sain d'Esprit keeps head down

Auteuil, France – November 17, 2024 – Eight runners lined up for the €278,000 Prix Cambacérès – Grande Course de Haies des 3 Ans (Gr1) hurdle race, and many were still in contention as the field rounded the final turn. The favourite, Kivala du Berlais (Saint des Saints), had been prominent throughout but quickly faded, as did Djin's (It's Gino), who had rallied well on the backstretch. However, the outsider Six Figures (Harzand) took the lead with Sain d'Esprit (Cokoriko) on his inside. Sain d'Esprit had also been close to the pace throughout. Yet, the colt Nietzsche Has (Zarak), the spring champion, proved the most challenging in the final stages when Sain d'Esprit tried to pull clear. The two colts battled it out in the run-in, and the outcome remained doubtful until the final strides. However, a good second in the Prix de Talhouët-Roy 3yo Hurdle (Gr2) on his previous start, Sain d'Esprit, this time, held on to win by a length. The pair finished fifteen lengths clear of the remarkable Six Figures.

Bred in the Nièvre region by Ecurie Artsam, Sain d'Esprit was making his fourth career start. He is owned by Jacques Détré and Ecurie Team Spirit, led by his son Patrice, who is also a shareholder in his own name. A winner on his debut in the spring, he reappeared in September in the Prix des Platanes 3yo Hurdle, where Apollon du Luy, seen the day before this "Cambacérès" in the Congress (Gr2) 3yo steeplechase, beat him by a head. Then came the Prix de Talhouët-Roy (Gr2), and finally this triumph.

The colt is out of Saine et Speed (Saint des Saints), a winner and Listed-placed over hurdles at Auteuil. She has been bred back to Cokoriko twice after this first mating, then to Karaktar, always at Haras de Cercy, in good Nivernaise fashion! A filly was born this year from this union. The 3-year-old gelding by Cokoriko was unsold at €48,000 at Tattersalls Ireland in June 2023.

Quotes from the Connections

François Nicolle (trainer of Sain d'Esprit, 1st) – Royan (Charente-Maritime) "He's a machine! I've been saying for three weeks that I was going to win this race; I wasn't wrong! He can go any pace, handle any ground, and jump well. He put in a good burst of speed to finish. Angelo Zuliani rode him very well. The colt will be much better over fences in the future. He will have a holiday, and we'll see him again next year, over hurdles or fences."

Angelo Zuliani (rider of Sain d'Esprit, 1st): "He's a very good horse. He impressed me on his comeback run, and he was right up there in the prep race. He has progressed with each of his starts. Today, he was ready to be ridden more aggressively."

Jacques Détré (owner of Sain d'Esprit, 1st): "This colt was still very immature in the spring. He has improved by five lengths with each of his starts. Today, he put in an exceptional performance. We haven't had a great year, and this victory makes us forget all the hard knocks!"

Marcel Rolland (trainer of Nietzsche Has, 2nd) – Chantilly Training Center (Oise): "The story ends well even if it would have been even better with a win. The horse showed his quality again. There are the first two and the others... He hangs a little in the finish: he's a bit rogue. The better horse beat us."

Yannick Fouin (trainer of Six Figures, 3rd) – Maisons-Laffitte Training Center (Yvelines): "I'm very happy with his performance! He lacks a bit of experience and maturity against horses who have been racing since the beginning of the year. He didn't make his debut until October. We'll leave him alone now; he's going to Alban Chevalier du Fau, one of his co-owners."