Grand Steeple de Compiègne Report: Matfog all clear

Sunday, November 1, 2020, Compiègne. - Long-held in the back of a hot race, in which several leaders have succeeded one another, the outsider Matfog (Style Vendôme) won at the end of the extended 3-miler Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiègne (Gr2) after duelling to the wire with Ajas (No Risk At All), who conceded only one head. Trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, the winner had looked in trouble in the last turn, where he made a big mistake, but he recovered in timer to catch up with Ajas, Corazones (Nidor) and Saint Goustan Blue (Blue Brésil), who were already competing for the lead after Polirico (Cokoriko) had faded, and then Edgeoy (Saddler Maker) had parted with his rider in the backstretch.
At the penultimate jump, it was still difficult to tell the outcome and it was only in the run-in that two rivals made the difference.
At seven lengths, in very heavy ground, Saint Goustan Blue finally took third place from Corazones.
Matfog hasn't raced a lot this year. Fourth in the Léopold d´Orsetti Chase (Gr3) on this course last November, at 4, he then unsuccessfully travelled to Cheltenham to finish 5th in a novice steeplechase in January. Away eight months after that failed raid, he reappeared on September 20 at Craon and finished fifth nine days later in the Gascogne Chase (Gr3) at Compiègne.

Matfog was bred by Al Shaqab racing and he started - already gelded - under the training of André Fabre with a victory at Fontainebleau in March at 3. He was switched to his new connections. His dam Crystal Reef (King's Best), bred by Juddmonte Farms, did not win but she is a sister to Reefscape, Coastal Path and Martaline… She also gave the good Doha Dream (Shamardal), winner of the Chaudenay (Gr2). After Matfog, the mare gave Ayeth (Zoffany), in training with Marcel Rolland after winning two minor flat races, the unraced 3-year-old The Pearl (Olympic Glory), who was entered in the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1) but is still unraced, a 2yr old by Sea the Stars in training with Fabre, and a Shalaa filly born in 2019.