Grand Steeple de Compiègne: Amour du Mathan in her garden

October 30, 2021, Compiègne Racecourse (Oise). - Twice placed in September chasing and then hurdling at Compiègne, the 6-year-old mare Amour du Mathan (Saint des Saints) proved to be the best in the run-in of the Grand Steeple de Compiègne (Gr2), run for the first time over a relatively sharp trip of 4,100 metres, that is 2m4 1/2 and over a deep ground. Homebred by Jean-Marie Baradeau, the mare always travelled close to the leaders, especially the main one, Roi Mage (Poliglote), who finally gave way to finish 4th. Trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, Amour du Mathan then hed off a good Flying Startandco (Cokoriko), beaten less than two lengths, one head in front of the winner's stablemate Grandeur Nature (Lord du Sud), one of the two 5-year-olds in the race with Saint Turgeon (Turgeon), who fell about halfway.

It was the winner"s 36th race and her 5th victory, the best to this day. Her form at the Putois racecourse reads 33214231. One can hardly be more consistent. She has met more trouble at Auteuil, as she was brought down once on the River, then unseated her rider at the rail-ditch, and finally fell for good on her own over hurdles.

Amour du Mathan is the 4th of the ten foals out of Swahilie du Mathan (Turgeon), also bred by Jean-Marie Baradeau. The first one, Abaya du Mathan (Al Namix), also ran 35 times but was only able to win in the Provinces, while his younger sister has already won a Listed at Auteuil and was placed several times there at the best level. Fourth for her only race, over hurdles at Royan, her dam also gave a Poliglote 5yo mare winner at Lion d’Angers, then a Martaline filly still unraced at 4, a Bathyrhon colt, a Great Pretender filly, a Muhtathir colt in 2020 and a full sister to Amour du Mathan this term. Her own dam, Stone’s Glow, won 5 of her 51 races, both over flat and jumps, but never in 28 attempts between her last win, in July 93, and her last, in November 1995 at Chôlet.

At stud though, the US-bred Stone’s Glow (Arctic Tern) gave Odeillo du Mathan (Balleroy), a Prix Duc d’Anjou 4yo Chase winner (Gr3) and one of the best of his generation at Auteuil and Enghien five seasons after that, or Thisbee du Mathan (Turgeon), another good Auteuil winner.