Grand Prix de Pau : 5yo mare Laterana defeats old guard

Laterana (Saint of Saints) won the 133rd edition of the Grand Prix de Pau Chase (Gr3), on Sunday January 19 over 3m1/3 at the Pont-Long. The last time a 5yo mare won this, it was back in 2004 with Nériette. Owned by her breeders Magalen Bryant and David Powell, Laterana trailed the front-running Amirande (Astarabad), who gave way in the last bend. The favourite Forthing (Barastraight), winner of this race in 17 and 19, also trained by Cottin for Maggie Bryant, faded from halfway and was pulled up. The young mare, however, took things in hand in the last 5 furlongs or so, to get out of reach of her rivals soon enough. She passed the post four lengths ahead of the 6-year-old outsider El Gringo (Kamsin), trained by Isabelle Gallorini for Écurie Sagara, and once again very effective at Pau, where he had already won five of his seven outings.

Poly Grandchamp (Poliglote) made a good effort in the final turn but had to settle for third place more than three lengths behind, with the rest of the field unable to keep up.

Laterana had just won her first chase at Pau, where she had hit the headlines last winter over Hurdles. Her own brother Latérano won the top Pau 4yo chase in 2014.

Laterana is out of Latran (Pistoler Bleu), a winner of eight races over jumps, and placed in Group 2 and 3 chases at Auteuil at 4 for Magalen Bryant and trainer Jacques Ortet. She gave nine foals. The last one, The Quest (Saint of Saints), is a 4yo filly in training with David Cottin.

The next highlights of the winter meeting at Pau are Friday, January 31, with the Prix Camille Duboscq 4yo Hurdle race (L), and Sunday, February 2, day of the Grand Cross de Pau Reverdy ( L), but also the local top Hurdle race (L) and the Prix Antoine de Palaminy 4yo Chase (L).

The meeting ends on February 4, six days before the Northern jumps season resumes at Angers, then at Fontainebleau on February 13, Angers again on February 17, then Fontainebleau again for a reopening of Auteuil on February 24 with the Prix Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre Chase (Gr3), the first Parisian step on the road to the "Grand Steeple"!