Grand Steeple-chase De Paris

V

Venusian

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
1,265
With around 800,000 Euros up for grabs, making it more valuable than the Gold Cup and easily the biggest prize on offer this weekend, you'd think there'd be a bit of coverage of it in the racing pages of our national dailies, but not a bit of it.

Anyway, the race looks pretty open this year to me, and Mid Dancer is not going to have things his own way defending his crown. The going is expected to be pretty testing and this makes me lean towards past winner Princesse D'Anjou who stays extra well (fell last year).

Mid Dancer's stablemate Or Noir De Somoza (also a faller last year) is again preferred by Ricou so he must think he'll stay the distance, and he could be the main danger. These two met in the Prix Heros XII in October over 22f with PD'A just being edged out, but ONDS has never won beyond 22f, so for me the mare has to get the nod on Sunday.

No Uk representative this year, so, trainers, no bleating about low prize money please.
 
By PA Sport Staff

Willie Mullins sends a strong squad to Auteuil tomorrow with Pomme Tiepy leading the charge in the feature Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

The five-year-old notched up four wins on the bounce earlier in the year, including two wide-margin Grade Two successes, before coming to grief in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Pomme Tiepy could finish only a distant second behind Air Force One on her latest outing at Punchestown but Mullins hopes a return to soft ground will help recapture her sparkle.

He said: "She was a little disappointing at Punchestown and may not be quite herself after a hard season.

"She was second over fences here last year and we will just have to see how she gets on.

"If she runs well we may train her specifically for this race next year," he told www.wpmullins.com

The County Carlow handler sends out three in the Prix La Barka over hurdles, with Cooldine, Scotsirish and Jayo all taking their chances.

Ruby Walsh, who also rides Pomme Tiepy, has elected to partner Cooldine following his fine fourth behind Blazing Bailey at Punchestown while Davy Condon will be aboard Scotsirish, who switches back to hurdles after a chasing win last time.

Jayo will be the mount of David Casey in the two-mile-six-furlong heat.

"Cooldine will love the ground and the trip but has a lot of penalties under the race conditions," Mullins said.

"Scotsirish gets in with a nice light weight and provided the ground is loose he might gallop through it.

"Jayo might not look up to this on form but is improving all the time. The trip and ground will really suit."

Alan King also sends Cheltenham winner Nenuphar Collonges for the the race while Arthur Moore lets Mansony revert to hurdles in a contest that also features the Francois Doumen-trained Millenium Royal.

Away from the main events, Mullins also steps useful Flat recruit Hurricane Fly up to Grade Three level in the Prix de Longchamp.

The four-year-old beat subsequent Champion Stakes victor Literato in a Listed race last March and made a perfect start for Mullins when claiming a Punchestown maiden event in style earlier this month.

"This is a big step up in class and trip for him but on his homework the trip shouldn't be a problem," the trainer said.

"He would like better ground but if he can overcome his lack of experience he should be good enough to win."
 
Originally posted by Venusian@May 25 2008, 05:01 PM
Princesse D'Anjou wins, and thanks to Corals, I couldn't get on.

You can see a recording of the race here (just today)
http://www.chvideo.fr/homepage.aspx
Click to expand...
Not on a mac you can't :angy:

Ah yes Ven, we discussed Chestnut Charlie a few weeks ago! Thanks
Could you not have had a bet on Betfair?
 
What a great site!

Good to watch Exploit Caf winning the £450,000 Elitlopp (1 mile) at Solvalla yesterday in brilliant style, showing off his sensational turn of foot just as he did earlier this year in the Grand Prix De Paris.

Time for the mile was a tasty 1.52.3. He'd won his qualifier earlier in the afternoon in similar fashion, but not driven out, just enough to win and get the draw he wanted.
 
I'm sure I read somewhere that King Presa is based in the Falkland Islands.

Does anyone know anything about him?

As my daughter is teaching out in Stanley and just about everyone on the Islands knows everyone else, I'm a bit surprised that I haven't heard about him.
 
Back
Top