French Novice Graded Races

C

Cantoris

At the Start
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
2,623
Trying to think laterally with Kimberlite King and interested in those graded novice hurdles Willie Mullins goes for in France, given the King loves soft ground. I've done a little research on the net but lost patience. Does anyone know where I might get a programme book. I'm so used to the Irish one and find it very handy. Is there a French version anywhere that splits races by category so I can easily see the graded novice hurdles. Thanks in advance.
 
Sure.

The French operate differently to us - they work on the basis of age mainly so Mullins ran both Hurricane Fly and Quevega in 4yo only hurdles (the form might take a boost on Sunday with Grivette who beat the pair running at Cagnes-Sur-Mer but I digress).

Once they turn 5 I think i'm right in saying it's pretty much open house with the hurdles, there's some nice ones out there like the Prix La Barka (which Mullins has run Glencove Marina, Cooldine etc. in and prior to that French Holly took in) which is in May. Kimberlite looks potentially top class particularly on soft/heavy ground which he's sure to get at Auteuil and Enghien (still on the Paris circuit but the races are generally that bit weaker - still top prize money though).

Would add that in French hurdles they tend to hack the first mile and a half or so and step it up from there - you'll see horses dropping out down the backstraight without ever looking like they've come under pressure. IMO Hurricane Fly's turn of foot is what makes him more successful over there than the other Mullins horses - he's quicker away from a hurdle not an out and out galloping type like most NH horses.
 
I responded to the PM before checking here. It's great to have some international expertise on here. I know nothing about French jumps races and if anyone fancies identifying a few races which might suit, that would be greatly appreciated. We might never get him there but would be nice to know. Does anyone know where I migth see some of these races too. If I have a race name I can check out youtube.

Ta
 
Slightly off topic but do you have any idea what the plans for Zaarito are Cantoris? Would have thought a maiden hurdle at Christmas was a target.
 
Galileo said:
Slightly off topic but do you have any idea what the plans for Zaarito are Cantoris? Would have thought a maiden hurdle at Christmas was a target.
Click to expand...

Had a hard race at Navan. Similar to Inca but we had four weeks to recover whereas Z had only three. he wasn't going to make crimbo from a week before. I'd expect to see him out over the coming few weeks with the Deloitte the obvious target. Am going down to the stables tomorrow so will check.
 
The main French racing site is France-Galop, they should have links to the main jumpos tracks Auteuil and Enghien from there which would tell you which the big races are
http://www.france-galop.com/index.php?id=1&L=1

The main French poster on YouTube for racing is King Presa, they tried to close him down though.... Try a few of these, search was 'kingpresa Auteuil'
http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_query=kingpresa+Auteuil&search_type=&aq=f

Jonathan Jay, now in Newmarket, used to train in France and he won a lot of good hurdle races with Tidal Fury over there - another soft ground horse. If you give him a ring he might be able to advise you. You can get his contact details off the NTF website

Dai Williams (now in Wales) has raced quite a few jumpers over there too
If you want to talk to him, his contacts are on the NFT site too, under DL Williams
I doubt he's raced anything at that level but he would know how to find the races
 
Last edited:
He was Horse of the Year a few years ago Tidal Fury HS. Plenty of good trainers in France, Francois Cottin who's one of the top trainers there had his first winner at Navan in 2003 apparently.
 
Back
Top