French Champion Hurdle
- Thread starter icebreaker
- Start date
my original comment was slightly tongue in cheek as i'm not sure what the bare form of these summer jumps races across the channel is worth to begin with.
imo the trip was also unsuitable for UDS in those two races well, but in the opposite way.
Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
Good card there again at Auteuil today with a hot 3yo Grade 1 hurdle
Here are my thoughts - hopefully some winners in here lol
Race 1
Velikaia ran well on her first start here at Auteuil at the start of May. Prior to that she'd been unbeaten in two outings in the provinces (one in 2012 and one in 2013), her trainer does well with his runners here and had a big priced winner with Mister Emily a couple of weeks ago and this daughter of Malinas can repeat the dose here with leading jockey Jonathan Plouganou booked to ride. She's currently 12/1 with the British firms.
Race 2
Monsamou makes his first start over fences in nearly a year having contested some hot 4yo chases last Autumn. He's run against the likes of Gemix, Reve De Sivola and Lord Prestige of late over hurdles and should have come on for his Autumn return when tailed over over hurdles in a Group 3 contest here last month. He's currently 14/1.
Race 3
Bonito Du Berlais has undoubtedly been impressive in winning his hurdles starts so far but the filly Kotkikova can lower his colours in this highlight for juvenile hurdlers. The JP Gallorini-trained mare has won three of her four starts to date and had yesterday's Prix Bournosienne (a Group 3 contest but effectively the fillies version of this) winner Azura Du Kalon behind her when winning here last month and at 3/1 she represents the value in this with man of the moment Vincent Cheminaud in the saddle.
Race 4
The feature 4yo chase won by the likes of Long Run, Kauto Stone and Halley in recent seasons. Geluroni is a worthy favourite based on all known chase form having won the Spring feature and made a winning return here in September. He blotted his copybook somewhat last time out when falling here and the value looks to be with Dos Santos who finished third (today's rival Rasique finished runner-up) in that contest. Dos Santos saw off classy hurdler Hippomene here on his sole Parisian chase start having won at Vittel at the end of August and with the extra half furlong to suit he looks set to go well. He's available at 7/1.
Race 5
Not a race I'd be overly keen on getting involved in but Walk Sibo is of interest here. He should have come on for his pulled up effort last time out on his first start since March and having been racing mainly in better company over fences in 2014 he can go well down in grade here. Walk Sibo is a best priced 14/1.
Race 6
Shannon Rock's entire Autumn has been geared towards this so wouldn't be too worried about Milord Thomas and co finishing in front of him in recent starts. The selection has yet to finish outside the frame in these marathon chases and I was expecting him to be around the 6/4 mark, 11/4 is well worth a bet in this. Would give Suzerain a small squeak at 33/1 too coming off a hurdles prep having contested the top 4yo races last year and coming from an owner who regularly fields decent horses in these races.
Race 7
The favourite Alex de Larredya has plenty in hand on the ratings and impressed on his chasing debut for Francois Nicolle at Fontainebleau a fortnight ago. He should take this with ease on form though always a doubt going over the big fences for the first time. He's currently 6/4.
Race 8
If anyone is still following by this point then Reine Troodos ran well on her return to hurdling for Valerie Signoux at Cholet last time out. She should like the soft ground here and while she's been running in the provinces of late (including on the flat this Summer) she did run respectably here back in 2012 and looks set to go well at around the 15/2 mark.
Here are my thoughts - hopefully some winners in here lol
Race 1
Velikaia ran well on her first start here at Auteuil at the start of May. Prior to that she'd been unbeaten in two outings in the provinces (one in 2012 and one in 2013), her trainer does well with his runners here and had a big priced winner with Mister Emily a couple of weeks ago and this daughter of Malinas can repeat the dose here with leading jockey Jonathan Plouganou booked to ride. She's currently 12/1 with the British firms.
Race 2
Monsamou makes his first start over fences in nearly a year having contested some hot 4yo chases last Autumn. He's run against the likes of Gemix, Reve De Sivola and Lord Prestige of late over hurdles and should have come on for his Autumn return when tailed over over hurdles in a Group 3 contest here last month. He's currently 14/1.
Race 3
Bonito Du Berlais has undoubtedly been impressive in winning his hurdles starts so far but the filly Kotkikova can lower his colours in this highlight for juvenile hurdlers. The JP Gallorini-trained mare has won three of her four starts to date and had yesterday's Prix Bournosienne (a Group 3 contest but effectively the fillies version of this) winner Azura Du Kalon behind her when winning here last month and at 3/1 she represents the value in this with man of the moment Vincent Cheminaud in the saddle.
Race 4
The feature 4yo chase won by the likes of Long Run, Kauto Stone and Halley in recent seasons. Geluroni is a worthy favourite based on all known chase form having won the Spring feature and made a winning return here in September. He blotted his copybook somewhat last time out when falling here and the value looks to be with Dos Santos who finished third (today's rival Rasique finished runner-up) in that contest. Dos Santos saw off classy hurdler Hippomene here on his sole Parisian chase start having won at Vittel at the end of August and with the extra half furlong to suit he looks set to go well. He's available at 7/1.
Race 5
Not a race I'd be overly keen on getting involved in but Walk Sibo is of interest here. He should have come on for his pulled up effort last time out on his first start since March and having been racing mainly in better company over fences in 2014 he can go well down in grade here. Walk Sibo is a best priced 14/1.
Race 6
Shannon Rock's entire Autumn has been geared towards this so wouldn't be too worried about Milord Thomas and co finishing in front of him in recent starts. The selection has yet to finish outside the frame in these marathon chases and I was expecting him to be around the 6/4 mark, 11/4 is well worth a bet in this. Would give Suzerain a small squeak at 33/1 too coming off a hurdles prep having contested the top 4yo races last year and coming from an owner who regularly fields decent horses in these races.
Race 7
The favourite Alex de Larredya has plenty in hand on the ratings and impressed on his chasing debut for Francois Nicolle at Fontainebleau a fortnight ago. He should take this with ease on form though always a doubt going over the big fences for the first time. He's currently 6/4.
Race 8
If anyone is still following by this point then Reine Troodos ran well on her return to hurdling for Valerie Signoux at Cholet last time out. She should like the soft ground here and while she's been running in the provinces of late (including on the flat this Summer) she did run respectably here back in 2012 and looks set to go well at around the 15/2 mark.
chroniclandlord
Senior Jockey
I see Zarkander had a big win there yesterday.
Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
That he did - quickened up well on the run in with the best young pro jockey in France Vincent Cheminaud riding.
Hopefully they'll take him back there in the Spring for the French Champion and its prep races.
Martin
Hopefully they'll take him back there in the Spring for the French Champion and its prep races.
Martin
Grasshopper
Senior Jockey
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2006
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Nice write-up, Martin. I am also sweet on Kotkikova, and she will be my biggest bet at the meeting.
It will be disappointing if Geluroni doesn't bounce back here; though not quite so disappointing as the field for the Jousselin, where you have to side with Shannon Rock almost be default. There's a few staying chasers who disappointed badly at the weekend, who could easily have taken this down, and hoovered-up a bundle of prize-money in the process.
It will be disappointing if Geluroni doesn't bounce back here; though not quite so disappointing as the field for the Jousselin, where you have to side with Shannon Rock almost be default. There's a few staying chasers who disappointed badly at the weekend, who could easily have taken this down, and hoovered-up a bundle of prize-money in the process.
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Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
Agree Grassy - though the way the French had Join Together off the bridle 6 or 7 out while all hacking away will stay with me for a while.
That said Join Together was winning a Hunt Members P2P less than six months later so who knows.
Martin
That said Join Together was winning a Hunt Members P2P less than six months later so who knows.
Martin