Pépinvast 4yo Hurdle Race: It was Haut Les Cœurs's turn

Saturday, April 10, 2021, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). -2nd to Hermès Baie, another AQPS, three weeks earlier, Haut les Cœurs (Saddler Maker) went clear in the €120,000 Pépinvast 4yo Hurdle (Gr3) as the favourite. It was the 2nd test on the road leading to the €250,000 Alain du Breil 4yo Hurdle Race (Gr1). Trained by François Nicolle, he won this with enough ease to become a threat to his victor Hermès Baie in the May 23rd championship. He let a runaway Illicite (Martaline) fade and then made his move in the last turn to finally leave 2nd-placed River Flight (Camelot) closing at 9 lengths, another 2 lengths ahead of Jeu de Paume (Wootton Bassett), who did well 5 days after his first chase, when he finished 2nd.

Bred by Nicolas de Lageneste's Haras de Saint-Voir, also his owner, Haut les Cœurs is out of Maitresse de Maison (Video Rock), also bred by Nicolas de Lageneste from a mare bred by the Deliberos family, Ténice (Quart de Vin), whose brother Arenice (Brezzo) won the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris for owner Francis Montauban.

A winner at Auteuil both chasing and hurdling before entering stud, Maitresse de Maison is also the dam of a Grand Steeple d’Enghien (Gr2) winner, Tir au But (Trempolino).