The Premium Jumps meeting on Monday came at Fontainebleau, but having spent a couple of hours looking through the hurdle races there, I couldn't find anything particularly exciting. Instead, the meeting at Castera-Verduzan has offered a horse to note in the shape of Polo Et Marie. He is yet another promising 3-year-old to win for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille this year and whilst it isn't that hard to pick holes in the bare form of this race, there was something about the way he hit the line that caught my eye. He is a Beaumec de Houelle gelding who I had been waiting 5-months to see after he made a promising debut in a 3-year-old hurdle at Bordeaux back in the Spring. He actually held an entry in the 3-year-old hurdle at Fontainebleau as well as this race, but his owner/trainer made the right call and he was able to use his natural cruising speed to pull away from the rest after the last. His jumping does need to improve, a fact shown by the way he ran down the last and struggled to get his front legs organised, but he has shown plenty of ability and ought to be better than a Class 4 race in the Provinces on a Monday afternoon. The 2nd placed Gift du Berlais does offer some form from the Provinces and they were a long way clear of the rest, so there is enough to think that there is some substance to this form. The yard have an abundance of talent this year and there is no doubt that there are horses with better form in the stable, but this was a nice performance and there may well be more to come from this piece of form and Polo Et Marie needs to go into the tracker.
Here are my notes and time comparisons for the hurdle races at Castera-Verduzan:
Castera-Verduza Hurdles - 14th October
Tres Souple 3,8
Winner | Time | Réduction Km | Final Circuit |
Polo Et Marie | 225.70 | 72.80 | 101.71 |
Hargnar | 278.40 | 73.26 | 101.62 |
PRIX D'ARTAGNAN NAVIGATION
Another winner for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille with Polo et Marie. He had been 5th in a strong newcomers hurdle at Bordeaux back in the Spring (Apollon du Luy 2nd). Showed a good attitude here to kick away rounding the final turn and has pulled clear of a field that is spread at wide intervals.
Gift du Berlais (2nd) had fair from in the Provinces coming into this, but was no match for the winner once he was driven out.
PRIX BCR IMPRIMEUR
A 4-year-old claimer won by Hargnar, who came home in isolation. He is now 2-14 and has an official rating of 53-kg. Not inspiring form, but the time works out well here and he might win another provincial claimer.
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