All three codes feature in this week's edition of the News In Brief including French jockeys at the Kentucky Derby meeting, the third round of the Trophee Vert and updates from Auteuil.
Flat
There will be a French presence at this year's G1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs (USA) on Saturday where five of the nineteen jockeys riding in the race were born in and commenced their careers in France – Mickael Barzalona (riding Summer Is Tomorrow), Christophe Lemaire (Pride), Julien Leparoux (Classic Causeway), Florent Géroux (Cyberknife) and Flavien Prat (Zandon).
Progressive filly Jouza commenced her career finishing third in a two-year-old contest and two months later won her maiden at Chantilly. As a three-year-old she has had one race, winning the Class 2 Prix du Long Rocher (1600m) at Fontainebleau last week. Her next start is targeted as the Listed Prix Finland at Longchamp on 19 May.
On Friday at Marseille-Borély, stallion Anodin, who stands at Haras de la Haie Neuve produced three winners – Force Tranquille, Blanc Bleu and Wellington Rose. Anodin is expected to cover 160 mares this current breeding season.
Santa Giulia finished fourth on debut and this was quickly followed by a win in mid-March at Chantilly. Trained by Fabrice Chappet, she has since left his yard and arrived at the barn of Chad Brown in the United States. Her pedigree includes a G1 winning dam while the family maintains a preference for firm tracks which is one reason for her export across the Atlantic.
L'Astronome won his past two races including last start at Longchamp over 2150m. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard he will now be targeted toward the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) to be run on 14 July.
Two international candidates for the G1 Poules d'Essai have been confirmed. The Dermot Weld trained filly Homeless Songs, winner at Leopardstown (Ireland) will contest the fillies, whilst the Ralph Bechett trained Angel Bleu, winner of the G1 Critérium International (1600m) at Saint Cloud last October is expected to race in the colt's division.
There are big plans for the undefeated Amy Murphy trained Lyon two-year-old winner Manhattan Jungle who will next start in the Listed Prix des Rêves d'Or before being aimed for the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Trotting
Ce Bello Romain, winner of the G2 Critérium de Vitesse de Basse-Normandie (1609m) at Argentan last Saturday will have his next start in the The G1 Copenhagen Cup (2011m) to be run at Charlottelund on May 15. Alcoy, who has finished fourth at his past two starts in G1 races at Cagnes-sur-Mer and Enghien is also expected to compete. The last French winner of the race was Kool du Caux in 2007.
Smart Italian horse Cokstile, winner of the G2 Prix Bourgagne (2100m) at Vincennes in January, added another big race to his name winning the G1 Finlandia-Ajo (1620m) at Vermo in Finland last weekend in a record time of 1'09''6. He will next compete in the G1 Elitloppet (1609m) at Solvalla in Sweden at the end of the month. This will be his fourth appearance in the race, having won it in 2020 (after Propulsion's subsequent disqualification).
Going to the races at Laon last Sunday driver/jockey Alexandre Abrivard had recorded 99 victories this season. Leaving the track that evening, that number had grown to 104 following five winners. This places him as a clear leader in the Sulky d'Or Championship. Comparatively, at the same point last year Eric Raffin had recorded 102 wins.
The third round of the Trophee Vert was run at Bernay on Sunday with Gaspar d'Angis winning from Fepson and Faithful Village third.
Winning the G2 Prix Rene Palyar (2225m) at Mauquenchy on Friday saw Ici C'Est Paris pass €500,000 in prizemoney, which is quite an achievement for a four-year-old with only four months of the season having been completed. He is now second in winning stakes behind Italiano Vero, his stablemate at Philippe Allare's stable.
Bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois, Ecurie D's career highlight to date has been the G1 European Championship for three-year-old's at Vermo (Finland) in 2019. Last year he travelled for a future of racing in the United States to be trained by Swede Ake Svanstedt. Since then, he has won twice including the final of the North American Breeders Crown in 1'09''6. This season he is scheduled to commence his return to racing in the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial ($175,000) at Meadowlands on 21 May.
Absent since the end of August following an injury to a posterior, Gelati Cut is ready to make his return to the track with the GNT at Le Croisé-Laroche (May 25) and Laval (June 8) being his immediate targets, however he will need to face a 50m handicap. Racing will be light during the summer with the Winter Meeting feature races being his goal.
Last Monday week at Le Croisé-Laroche, sixteen-year-old Andrea Roussel had his first success in the saddle riding Docteur de Muze. This was his 24th race and he is the son of François and grandson of Alain, where he has worked since the end of winter following an internship of a few months with Yves Dreux whilst he was based at Grosbois. He is the sixth generation of the Roussel family who has won a trotting race.
Jumping
The Prix Roger Duchêne (3600m), a race restricted to Apprentice Riders, gave Christopher Riou his first winner at Auteuil riding Monster Caroli, trained by Jérôme Delaunay. Riou has been associated with the stable for the past twelve months.
Winner of two of his five outings, including the Listed Prix Virelan at Auteuil, L'Eau du Sud has been sold to English connections where he will be trained by Dan Skelton.
Maiden jumper Iliko d'Olivate has also be sold and will be trained in England by Paul Nicholls.
A staying on second making debut at Auteuil behind Bo Zénith, three-year-old Blood Destiny has been purchased and exported to Ireland where he will be trained by Willie Mullins.
