2 July 2020
Photo Staunton Street : scoopdyga.com
The best hurdler of the time, the 5yo mare L’Autonomie is not entered in the €115,000 La Barka Hurdle race (Gr2), which features this season as a replacement for the Grande course de haies (French Champion Hurdle, Gr1), moved to the Autumn, like the Grand Steeple.
With such a scare out of the way, many pretenders will try to reach the throne left unattended.
The one who lost the most when L’Autonomie seized power is Galop Marin (Black Sam Bellamy), who now boasts the best rating -by far- with a 174lbs-mark. Staunton Street (Martaline), on the contrary, is a newcomer. He won the €105,000 Grande course de haies de Printemps (Gr3), the top hurdling handicap, and made a good account of himself for his debut in the elite at Compiègne, when second to L’Autonomie … This is exactly the way used by Paul’s Saga (Martaline) a year earlier and she’s now consistently effective at this level and made that clear again when taking the Léon Olry-Roederer Hurdle Race (Gr2) last year on heavy ground.
The 8 last editions of this race went to British or Irish raiders. This year, however, only one contender comes from across the Channel, that is the outsider Garo de Juilley (Ungaro), who hasn’t run since March.
- 1. GALOP MARIN (g8, IRE by Black Sam Bellamy ex Great Jane, by Great Palm) Rating / Weight: 174 / 11-5
Winner of the last two editions of the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle Race (Gr1), he is now one of the best hurdlers in the country and makes the frame at almost all of his races. Third for his return in the Juigné Hurdle Race (Gr3) in March behind L’Autonomie and Côtée Sud, he tried in vain to hang up L’Autonomie then in the Léon Rambaud Hurdle Race (Gr2) and failed to keep up with her in the end. He has been away for 48 days.
- 2. STAUNTON STREET (g6, FRA by Martaline ex Nagaoka, by Goofalik) Rating / Weight: 159 / 10-10
This six years old gelding ran only 14 times to date, over four seasons. Consistent in his results, he was forced to face the best hurdlers again after a 13lbs hike on the scale of weights for winning the Grande Course de Haies de Printemps Handicap Hurdle (Gr3), under 10st10lbs. He had failed just before this success in the Juigné Hurdle Race (Gr3) against the same kind of horses but the ground was very heavy that day and he was much more convincing lately when 2nd to L’Autonomie at Compiegne.
- 3. PAUL’S SAGA (f6, FRA by Martaline ex Humoriste, by Saint Cyrien) Rating / Weight: 165 / 10-8
Winner last year of the Grande course de haies de Printemps (Gr3), the biggest handicap Hurdle race of the French program, she succeeded then against the very best as she finished the season with a win in the Carmarthen Hurdle Race (Gr3), a second place in the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle Race (Gr1), and finally another win in the Léon Olry-Roederer Hurdle Race (Gr2). She has been a bit disappointing over hurdles so far this term but ran well for her chasing return lately at Compiègne.
- 4. MY MAJ (g11, FRA by Majorien ex Janemarie, by Cricket Ball) Rating / Weight: 139 / 10-8
This old-timer, always at his best when wintering at Cagnes-sur-Mer, has just won again at Compiègne over hurdles in the Dawn Run Hurdle Race (L), fighting all the way to the post, beating Pop Art du Berlais and Echo de Champdoux, to whom he was giving 2lbs. He’s once again bound to face the very best horses around.
- 5. POP ART DU BERLAIS (g7, FRA by Poliglote ex Populonia, by Polish Precedent) Rating / Weight: 126 / 10-6
11th in the Grande Course de haies de Printemps (Gr3), the biggest handicap Hurdle race of the French program won by Staunton Street, who was giving him 4lbs, he did not give a much better feel in his next two outings in Compiègne. He hasn't won since 2017 and is now struggling to succeed in this category.
- 6. ECHO DE CHAMPDOUX (g6, FRA by Saddler Maker ex Pamella, by Subotica) Rating / Weight: 132 / 10-6
A winner over hurdles and then chasing at Auteuil, he has switched again to hurdling this season and finished second, albeit at eleven lengths, to Staunton Street, from whom he was receiving two kilos, in the Grande course de haies de Printemps (Gr3 ). He failed after leading at Compiègne in the race won by My Maj since then, however.
- 7. DOS SANTOS (g10, FRA by Smadoun ex Sainte Astrid, by Saint Cyrien) Rating / Weight: 141 / 10-6
Winner of the Hypothese Hurdle Race (Gr3) at 5 in 2015, he later switched to chasing and became a regular feature of the top Auteuil contests. Away from November 2016 to May this year, he made a good comeback over hurdles at Compiègne, and he confirmed by taking a second place chasing on the same course.
- 8. DEPORTETOI (g6, FRA by Deportivo ex Marmuhta, by Muhtathir) Rating / Weight: 139 / 10-6
Fifth in the Grande Course de haies de Printemps (Gr3) under 10st 12lb, he finished fourth after in another handicap over hurdles, but at Compiègne, and is trying his luck here at the best level for the first time.
- 9. GARO DE JUILLEY (g8, FRA by Ungaro ex Lucie de Juilley, by Goldneyev) Rating / Weight: - / 10-6
Exported from France after an early career over the flat, he had a successful career over jumps across the Channel, which culminated in late 2018 with a Group 3 victory over hurdles at Chepstow. Less convincing recently, he fell at the first jump last time out in March at Kempton in a good handicap.
- 10. PORTO POLLO (g5, FRA by Manduro ex Silky Steps, by Nayef) Rating / Weight: 154 / 10-3
He was one of the best of his generation at 3 and still proves to be very consistent at this level, both over hurdles and chasing, but he is struggling to win now against the best. Back for a new season in the Léon Rambaud Hurdle race (Gr2), he finished well to take third place in the run-in and finished well again at the 3rd place in the Hypothèse Hurdle Race (Gr3) at Compiègne.
- 11. AMOUR DU MATHAN (f5, FRA by Saint des Saints ex Swahilie du Mathan, by Turgeon) Rating / Weight: 146 / 9-11
Consistent in the best 4yo chases last year, she was unlucky at the river, where she unseated her rider for her first test against her elders this year, in the Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre Chase (Gr3), then again at the rail-ditch-and-fence in the Troytown Chase (Gr3). Seventh in the Murat Chase (Gr2), she was much better last time out over hurdles in the Christian de Tredern 4&5yo Mares’ Hurdle Race (Gr3).