Clairefontaine 23/07/11

The latest in an occasional series, Obstacle-Fr, in which we investigate the goings on in the world of jumping over the Channel. Sometimes this enforces enduring a few flat races at mixed meetings, but the tourist friendly folks at Clairefontaine (three Euro admission, including colour racecard) staged no less than nine hurdle and chase races in this instance. It does not have the "jumpers for goalposts" charm of some French racecourses, but it is far more chilled out than British courses, and likewise in comparison to the very near neighbour (chortle) flat track at Deauville.

The course is walking distance from the station Trouville-Deauville, about a mile and a half, and easy to find. Turn off of the long straight Avenue De La Republique into Rue De Clairefontaine (next to the Carrefour supermarket, after a pair of petrol stations). The local buses, Busverts of Calvados, also have two routes that run near the the course, 20 and 21. Being basically a rural service, check the timetables, which they stick to quite reliably. There is supposed to be a free bus to the track, but the stated stopping points are a bit vague.

Facilities on the track are very comfortable, even with a decent size crowd like this one. There is a small terraced stand above the cafeteria, and plentiful terracing, including seats, above the main building, which holds the betting hall. The race distances are juggled using a combination of different starts and bends, and the racing area is deceptively large, as parts of the far end of the course are only used occasionally. So just when it looks like the field are about to disappear over the hills behind the course, trust them to suddenly veer right and head back to civilisation. The chase course is set up to handle figure of eight races, but all of those on today's card avoided the intersection and ran over a sort of dumb-bell shaped set up. The only real negative is that with it laid out inside the flat course, the jumps track is a touch remote from the crowd.

Looking out inland from the stands

Going: Tres Souple

Race 1: Prix Muriel Picard-Solvay Juvenile Hurdle, colts and geldings [2m 1f]

1: Tango De Juilley     2: Volcan Surprise     3: Babosso

Winner owned: Ecurie des Dunes, trained: P Quinton, ridden: Jerome Xuliani

This E30,000 race boasted a very short-priced favourite in Guillaume Macaire's sole runner, Upepito (having travelled in a ginormous horsebox), who had won over hurdles in his only previous race. He came through to lead confidently at the third, but was struggling to hang in three from the finish, and tied up badly nearing the final hurdle, eventually dismissed back to fifth. This left the race at the mercy of the next pair in the betting. After having begun his career with a fifth here, Tango De Juilley clearly found an extra furlong of race distance to his advantage, turning the tables on Volcan Surprise, who had been fourth, just ahead of him, on that occasion. The runner-up did well for a horse that appeared to have fallen earlier in the race, a identification problem that is caused by French jumps owners having a common affinity for the colour orange. Babosso finished a bit further behind the first two than in the earlier race, but would have lost third to the fast finishing Apollonios, who had previously been fourth in a E52,000 race at Enghien and in a claiming hurdle. It is a position that he has an unhealthy fascination for. Debutant Uraieule ran pretty well up to the second last, challenging for a place, but faded late on. He did not appear to be a lost cause, and was more prominent in the betting than a stablemate who had been third on the flat.

A lap to go, and favourite Upepito has a premature moment of jollification in front. The hidden horse could be one of several, let us guess at Volcan Surprise. Basic Runner (50% accurately named) and Up Stream lead the pursuit, from Sol Pre, and more camera shy French horses.

Race 2: Prix Un Zeste de Bijoux Juvenile Hurdle, fillies, Peloton A [2m 1f]

1: High Destiny     2: Grabado     3: Lady Bliss

Winner owned: Ecurie de Soleil SC, trained: C Scandella, ridden: Anthony Lecordier

The juvenile fillies hurdle was divided into two races, both proving that we in Britain do not have a monopoly on woeful three year old hurdles - the twelve runners had a win, a second and a third between them, amongst plenty of chances to fare better. What we do not have is ones with E30,000 prize money (for each division), but even if you have the right sort of horse to speculate on challenging for these, there are often some obscure clauses in the conditions (e.g. must be French-bred) to deal with. And High Destiny had won enough prize money when second on her debut to incur a partial penalty, but that would not concern a British trained horse at this time! High Destiny overcame her burden by out-staying Grabado on the long run-in, where the fact that they were travelling fairly slowly did not stop them edging away from previous hurdle winner Lady Bliss.

Race 3: Prix Atelier Gouty Juvenile Hurdle, fillies, Peloton B [2m 1f]

1: Soleil Dore     2: Biche Des Taillons     3: Safety Car

Winner owned: D Bressou, trained: D Bressou, ridden: Ludovic Solignac

This did appear to be the weaker of the two divisions, but Biche De Taillons, who had won comfortably in a same value race here, could not repeat her result. High Destiny had been second that day, and had upheld the form, but Soleil Dore was more inspired by the vote of confidence, and overcame a fourteen length defeat to the flopping favourite. The one newcomer in the race, Soledad, seemed a bit green before things got going but ran really well and would likely have been placed, at a minimum, had she not unseated at the final hurdle.

Race 4: Prix Sweet Garden 4 year olds Claiming Chase [2m 2.5f]

1: Hanawa     2: Valentina Girl     3: Giorgio

Winner owned: JP Senechal, trained: FM Cottin, ridden: Raymond Lee O'Brien

A race for unconvincing chasers, but there were a fair number of wins and places scattered amongst the results that the runners had been achieving, and as it was a race where riders with as many as 34 wins could claim a 4 kg allowance, most were ridden by jocks that qualified for that. It produced a bit of an upset, but Hanawa was coupled with Giorgio and Auteuil Longchamp (a horse, which ran only slightly quicker than two geographic features could have done), which collectively reduced their odds. In the end Auteuil refugee Hanawa was a comfy winner, but her rider did need to keep her going on the run-in, as the decisive attack had been made coming off of the final bend, and Hanawa came to the end of her tether with the post still tantalisingly distant. She was not claimed, but someone dived in for Valentina Girl (who was available for the same minimum price). After a spell of pulling up, Giorgio showed signs of recovering his better form of 2010, holding off Smabli, who blundered at the water and lost position on the heels of the leaders, before keeping on past the no-hopers that ended up adrift of him.

Race 5: Prix Atelier Flambard 4 year olds Handicap Hurdle [2m 2f]

1: Argovie     2: Kalta     3: Rhonaldinho

Winner owned: Ecurie de Reau, trained: A de Watrigant, ridden: Jonathan Plouuganou

With E34,000 on offer this was just below the biggest prize of the day but abundant in runners, and after failing in a few runs in Paris, Argovie was back in her comfort zone, winning a bit more comfortably than the length and a half margin suggests, as she did not lead until after the last. Kalta battled on gamely, but the real eye-catcher from the race was third placed Rhonaldinho, who was held up in midfield, only to encounter traffic problems when he tried to improve his position. In the end he found a gap, drifting left onto the stands rail to do so, and ended up third, looking like there was plenty more to offer had the chance come. The minor prize money was sorted in a four-way photo and gave a warning to hopeful punters. The results board in front of the stand put up the first five places before they were confirmed, and whilst a pending photo was stated, not every horse in that got a mention, nor were the placings offered official at that stage. A couple of strong finishers relegated Toque Rose to seventh, after he had seemed en route to a first four finish crossing the final hurdle - looked potentially interesting back down at two miles.

Argovie and Kalta battle out the finish, as one racegoer mistakes events for an appearance on Question Time.

Race 6: Prix Atelier Ennji Claiming Hurdle, 5 years old an up [2m 3.5f]

1: Flying Soul     2: Allez L'Anjou     3: Royal Denpasar

Winner owned: T Tabart, trained: D Sourdeau de Beauregard, ridden: David Cottin

Another big field turned out, this time for one of the smaller purses on offer at E17,000. Allez D'Anjou really ought to have landed the money, but after he hit the front two out, either the right handed curve into the straight or the vast open space in front of him, or possibly both, proved totally confusing, and he wandered about quite badly in front. By the time he recovered balance and/or composure, Flying Soul had pounced and had just enough heart and energy to hang on to the lead seized. Royal Densapar is flagged on France Galop's form database as having been placed in pattern company, but you do have to go back to 2006 to find it, and this third is more standard these days. Even better than that, Ecos De L'Orme won a Grade 2 back then, and was sixth in a listed race only last year. He did not pull up here, but might as well have done, which is a pale shadow of what he used to capable of. 

Race 7: Prix JPG Peinture Chase, 4 & 5 year old fillies and mares [2m 2.5f]

1: Salsa Melody     2: Anowe De Jelois     3: Avene

Winner owned: ML Bloodstock Ltd, trained: G Cherel, ridden: Cyrille Gombeau

This was it. The moment where the racing would pay for the whole trip - including nosebag. Just because Salsa Melody had won a Grade 3 hurdle and also been placed at that level, amassing E195,000 in a fourteen race career, did not mean she would take to chasing. Second favourite Anowe De Jelois had run below her hurdle form in her only previous chase. And since seeing Avene get placed on her debut last year at Fontainebleau, she had won a nice Enghien hurdle, but fallen in two of four chases. The stage was set for the overlooked Kalygarde, who may have only triumphed at modest Le Touquet, yet in doing so proved herself as a chaser. Alas, this long priced scenario fell apart at the start. As French jocks are wont to do, they kept the nine competitors in a tight bunch at the start. When they approached the tape, everyone was on the go too fast and too soon. Being the brains of the outfit, Kalygarde noticed that the tape was staying put, so she stopped. Quite reasonably. Salsa Melody and Rosamee did not, and barged into Kalygarde from behind. They knocked her over and fell on top, leaving a pile of horses and jockeys, plus a false start. On recall, it was clear that the effect of being underneath three horses and two fellow riders was unhealthy enough to prevent Kalygarde's rider from taking part, but after running loose for some time, Rosamee was allowed to run. The favourite and her rider seemed none the worse. In the end, Salsa Melody prevailed by the skin of her teeth, but presumably on future occasions, the lack of a starting line punch-up will allow her a better chance to live up to her hurdles form. On the other hand, Anowe De Jelois may have been a touch flattered by this. Avene was well adrift, but at least finished, well clear of Speedy Precieuse, and then came Rosamee, pinching E1,350 for fifth.

Anowe De Jelois and Salsa Melody poodle along in front, out of harm's way, as Speedy Precieuse is a bit awkward over the second part of the double hurdle. Avene is fourth. Sagrada Familia fifth, then Rosamee and Tarinya Lil.

Race 8: Prix Perles d'Ici et D'Ailleurs Hurdle, 5 years old and up [2m 2f]

1: Henriquet Le Seul     2: Espoir De Kerbarh     3: Kotkidy

Winner owned: Mme F Samuelson, trained: FM Cottin, ridden: Raymond Lee O'Brien

After race seven produced a long delay, the crowd started to thin out, despite this penultimate race being the big prize of the day. That combined with a restriction to horses that had 2011 hurdle winnings no greater than E17,000 meant that the race had been a target of connections of several runners with pattern race wins and places, yet not recently at their best - or doing better, but in chases. Henriquet Le Seul was one of the few exceptions, but he was part of a trio of runners that dominated the race from start to finish - allowing Kotkidy to do all the hard work out in front. The understanding of the race conditions was sabotaged by favourite Espoir De Kerbarh, who had won his last four, all hurdles. Three had been very low value races in the regions. However, he had more than doubled that over course and distance earlier this month,* so presumably that prize did not count for some reason (after the weights were calculated?). Kotkidy at least battled on when headed. Second in the betting was Quondor De Kerser, who fell, or possibly Rescato De L'Oust, whose problem revolved more around not being able to gallop quite fast enough. The also ran to note was fifth-placed Peak Rhythm. After missing two years racing, he pulled up on his return, then failed to shine in flat claimers at Chantilly and Longchamp, yet this slightly cautiously ridden race showed he is not a forlorn hope.

* Third, fourth and fifth that day reopposed here, and were vanquished again. 

Race 9: Prix Viktor Chase, 5 years old and up [2m 6.5f]

1: Mobi     2: Pacifick     3: Recalcitrant

Winner owned: Suc. C Cohen, trained: FM Cottin, ridden: Jonathan Plouganou

The card ended with Mobi gaining his first chase win for nearly three years, although he had lost one in the steward's room at Pau as recently as January. He sprinted up the run-in quite enthusiastically, but perhaps also motivated by the sound of Pacifick steadfastly refusing to just run up the white flag - as the others had all done long since, including Saying Again, who had won on the flat last time and killed his chances here by fluffing the third last. Apart from a big win at Pau in 2007, this is a grade above what Pacifick usually digs out his wins in, so he loses with honour intact.