Prix Léon Olry-Roederer : An open field

Seven runners have been confirmed Sunday at Auteuil in the Prix Léon Olry-Roederer Hurdle (Gr2), the final high-level hurdle race of the year. In the absence of the dual title holder Galop Marin, who will not attempt to achieve a new double after his second success in the Grand Prix d'Automne (Gr1) three weeks ago, his challengers find themselves on their own for a last hurrah.

Respectively second, third and fourth in the Grand Prix d'Automne Hurdle championship, the 5-year-old mare Paul's Saga (Martaline), Bergerac (Spirit One) and the English-trained Agrapart (Martaline) will face Raffles Sun (Poliglote), who just won the Prix de Besançon Hurdle (L) at Compiègne, and Srelighonn (Martaline), winner a year ago at the same meeting of the Prix Georges Courtois Chase (Gr2). This time though, he only won a month ago over hurldes at Moulins in the Center of France.

His sablemate with François Nicolle, who scored a six-timer Thursday at Compiegne, the 5-year-old Guaduloup (Kapgarde) has not won over hurdles since his debut in Senonnes but he did OK lately over the smaller obstacles, while Bosseur (Coastal Path) will be the dark horse of the race after an encouraging comeback following more than two years off the radar. Trained by Anne-Sophie Pacault for Nicolas de Lageneste's Haras de Saint-Voir, he was among the best of his promotion in his younger age.