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In this case it’s also a touch of realism. If you look at Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé’s record in England, it’s far from impressive. He’s won one race from ten. Zaiyad, Bonbon Rose and Mid Dancer, all Gr 1 winners and near the top of their category in France have been comprehensively beaten across the Channel. Despite Sean Mulryan’s enthusiasm to have runners at Cheltenham, Chaillé-Chaillé seems to have realised that it’s best to stick to what he’s good at – winning Group 1s at Auteuil. <br>It’s very hard to campaign a horse on both sides of the Channel, the top Doumen horses rarely run at home.
Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing I like more than international competition, I just don’t think you can blame owners and trainers for being reluctant to try it sometimes.
If you look at it like that, why not take the same view in the opposite direction?<br>why are British and Irish owners of top NH horses so reluctant to come to Auteuil and take on the French? Especially as the big meetings come after Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown etc and offer good prize money and usually decent ground.<br>With the exception of course of Willie Mullins who has done so with great success. <br>Also should mention Jonathan Jay who managed to pick up the horse of the year award with Tidal Fury.
Incidentally, what was so terrible about the ride at Carlisle?
If you look at it like that, why not take the same view in the opposite direction?<br>why are British and Irish owners of top NH horses so reluctant to come to Auteuil and take on the French? Especially as the big meetings come after Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown etc and offer good prize money and usually decent ground.<br>With the exception of course of Willie Mullins who has done so with great success. <br>Also should mention Jonathan Jay who managed to pick up the horse of the year award with Tidal Fury.
Incidentally, what was so terrible about the ride at Carlisle?
I think you’ll need to come over to Auteuil to see Mid Dancer this season cutlers. He’s being prepared for the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris in May as stable star Cyrlight is on the sidelines. <br>Probably a very wise decision as he’s unbeaten in 14 races in France, whereas he’s been well beaten in both outings in England.
I think you’ll need to come over to Auteuil to see Mid Dancer this season cutlers. He’s being prepared for the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris in May as stable star Cyrlight is on the sidelines. <br>Probably a very wise decision as he’s unbeaten in 14 races in France, whereas he’s been well beaten in both outings in England.
An interesting entry is François Cottin’s Louping d’Ainay. This giant grey won the French equivalent (prix du Président de la République) back in 2005 and finished second behind stablemate Princesse d’Anjou in the Gr 1 Haye Jousselin last November. The trainer has been thinking of the National for him for some time. Will be interesting tosee how he gets on in the Racing Post Chase later in the month.
An interesting entry is François Cottin’s Louping d’Ainay. This giant grey won the French equivalent (prix du Président de la République) back in 2005 and finished second behind stablemate Princesse d’Anjou in the Gr 1 Haye Jousselin last November. The trainer has been thinking of the National for him for some time. Will be interesting tosee how he gets on in the Racing Post Chase later in the month.
Hi Librettist,<br>Some French courses, but not all, are described on the France Galop website<br>http://www.france-galop.com/HIPPOS/fiches.htm<br>
OK here goes…
GB (starting from the top!)<br>Perth, Hamilton, Musselburgh, Kelso, Newcastle, Hexham, Carlisle, Sedgefield, Redcar, Cartmel, Catterick, Thirsk, Ripon, Beverly, Wetherby, York, Pontefract, Aintree, Doncaster, Market Rasen, uttoxeter, Southwell, Fakenham, Nottingham, Warwick, Huntingdon, Newmarket (july), Cheltenham, Chepstow, Newbury, Ascot, Sandown, Epsom, Lingfield, Goodwood.
Ireland: Punchestown
France: Auteuil, Longchamp, Saint CLoud, Maisons-Laffitte, Enghien, Deauville, Clairefontaine, Compiègne, Toulouse, Pau, Chantilly, Cagnes sur mer, Craon, Castera Verduzan (I think, it’s in the SW), Vincennes (trotting)
USA: Arlington, Santa Anita, Lone Star Park, Belmont Park
Others: Tokyo, Nad Al Sheba, Baden baden, Frauenfeld (Switzerland), Copenhagen, Pardubice, San Sebastien, Waregem
Take cannot ride horses, as shown by Deep Impact and Zenno Rob Roy in the Juddmonte International last year. He’s also a b*stard. You’d think, bearing in mind he rides in Europe about once a year, and also given the huge Japanese contingency, he’d be only happy to give a couple of autographs. He refused point blank.
Have to beg to differ with you on that one Jackane, Take is far from a b*stard. I imagine he realised that if he gave one autograph to a British kid, all his Japanese fans would go crazy and mob him! He went out of his way to do an interview for me last year after winning the Japan Cup Dirt and even made the effort to speak some French. He’s just very discreet. <br>I suggest you go and read the Somebody/Nobody thread in the lounge.
Louis Romanet has issued an official apology in this morning’s Paris Turf. The race time was indeed given wrongly by 5sec 40!! Apparently they may have left the timer on the second winning post, which was used in the preceding race the Jean-Luc Lagardère. Oops!
interesting questions GGD, however Christophe Pieux is not the current French champion, he was beaten last year by Jacques Ricou and is currently in second place this season, again behind Ricou. <br>Agree with Sal that the Gran premio di Merano, which takes place this Sunday incidentally, is indeed not an equivalent of the Grand National.
Deep Impact will be ridden by Yutaka Take. He’s already spent some time in France this summer when he won a couple of races, including a big Quinté+ handicap. He’ll be back on Wednesday to ride Deep impact in a racecourse gallop at Longchamp.
The Grand Steeple Chase des Flandres (Belgian Gran National at Waregem) is next Tuesday.<br>I’ve been to the last two editions and had a great day. The racing isn’t of top quality, most of the runners are second-rate French handicappers and there are also a few trotting races on the card. <br>The course isn’t that tough, the particularities are the finish on a turn, a bank and the water jump, also on the turn, into which the winning jockey is obliged to jump after the prize giving. In the past this ditch was filled with black water pumped out of a nearby factory but it looks much cleaner these days!<br>But that doesn’t stop the locals making it into a huge day out. The race coincides with a week long festival in the town and all local businesses are closed down for the day to allow people to go to the races. At the end of the day you finish up walking through puddles of beer and belgian chips.
Has anyone been to the Gran Premio di Merano?
Oh dear, I’m seriously considering dumping my boyfriend of over 3 years.
You’re not making me feel any better about it….
I stumbled across a copy of Pobby and Dingan in Paris WH Smiths today. The book also included another story by Ben Rice, "Specks in the Sky", even shorter but on a similar vein of not believing in appearences.
I found this page when searching to see if he had written any other books, so we may soon "see" Pobby and Dingan on screen.
