Président de la République Handicap Chase: Road Mix Tavel, something old and something new

Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - Second last year in the Montgomery Handicap Chase (Gr3), the €225,000 Prix du Président de la République (French Grand National, Gr3) equivalent run in the Autumn, 7-year-old mare Road Mix Tavel (Al Namix) fell twice after that and she was returning from a 126 days leave. No wonder she was offered at 37/1 as the starter lifted the gate for this 3-miler. Moreover, she was ridden by 21-years-old Dylan Salmon, who’d never won at Auteuil, nor jumped the most formidable obstacles of the wide chasing course at Auteuil. However, these two were the ones flying away after the last to score over the AQPS AQPS Furie d’Ainay (Cokoriko), who led most of the race and finished at 8 lengths, beating a brave Captain Speaking (Linda’s lad), who stayed on despite a few mistakes.

Trained by Daniela Mele, the winning mare was bred by Jean-Luc and Chantal Pignet in Normandy. It was her 23rd race, who started her career in November at 3 with a third place at Compiegne over hurdles. Out for more than a year between 2019 and 2020, she always made the frame in chases, except twice, when she fell last season early in two consecutive handicaps …

Road Mix Tavel is the second foal out of Blue Road (Grape Tree Road), winner over hurdles at Auteuil for trainer Guy Cherel and owner Magalen Bryant. She alos gave a 6-year-old gelding, Raf Tavel (Al Namix), winner over hurdles at Compiègne exported to Britain. Then Blue Road gave a Hurricane Cat filly still unraced, a Cockney Rebel 4-year-old filly pulled up last year for her only outing, at Moulins, and a 3-year-old filly by Top Trip.

The second dam Bleu d’Avril (Pistolet Bleu) was placed in the Wild Monarch 3-year-old Fillies Hurdle (L). She’s a sister to the good chaser in Britain Royal Auclair (Garde Royale) and to the dam of Don Mirande, a winner of the Troytown Chase (Gr3).