Porto again.. avec brio! and avec moi!

Same track as last week (it's a few kms from the Mont St Michel) but a very different race. Again for Apprentis-Lad Jockeys but Porto was now off 25m with a tape (elastique) start, in which he hasn't always been smartly away. So I didn't fancy the 3 to 1 on offer (compared with 9 last week) but the team were surprisingly optimistic even though the track was slush after heavy and continuing rain (reflected in the times on the day). The 3s looked very short when DMH couldn't get him near the front quickly (even though he went away well this time) and even shorter (to me) when he pulled out from the rear and came 3 wide down the home straight with a round to go. But Porto stayed out there round the turn... stayed out there down the back... stayed out there through the final turn putting the two inside leaders under increasing pressure... and actually came away in the straight to win by about 4 lengths - with brio according to Paris-Turf and without having a hard race, which is in many ways the best news of all. David said afterwards that the going was actually better 3 wide on this heavily cambered track, which was why he went there. So I finally got to see Porto win and break the curse I was starting think I had on my horses. It was a landmark for DMH being his 10th win in the sulky. He can now drive in many more races, including ones for 2yos. Many congratulations, David, especially on getting out of sick bed to triumph.

Next outing for Porto will probably be 6 September at Amiens... autostart, but this time it's an ordinary race so David will be up against mainly Professionels (50 or more wins). The draw will be crucial.

All in all a super visit (exquisite rabbit Teresa!) during which Marion worked SUPERBOWL in the forest and SIERRA on the track. Both continue to promise but patientez is the word with growing 2yos.

PORTO wins!

DMH drove the perfect race! Porto started best from 7 and led for about 500 before handing up to the Dubois, then received the perfect trail until coming out round the turn into the straight, timing his finishing run to perfection to win by three quarters of a length. David didn't solicit Porto in any way and won fairly comfortably, despite the margin. 'Le couleurs anglais de Jack Dowie' victorious on Equidia... again! Bubbly on Jeudi Marion svp!

Porto pleases at 90/1

David being incapacitated the senior driver of the stable took charge of Porto for the first time this year at Enghien and off 25 metres he finished a very satisfactory 6th (3rd fastest km rate, because three of those in front of him were off the limit). Much better than the odds of 90/1 suggested!
As Paris Turf saw it:
Sur une cinquième ligne, à la corde, à un tour du but, n'a jamais été en mesure de se rapprocher utilement ; a gagné un rang après enquête.

He now heads for Mont St Michel on the 17th for an Apprentis autostart, where he will be off the front line, so fingers crossed that David will have recovered. (Mont St Michel is the track where my second horse Green des Baux, now being ridden by Thembi in Hastings - after periods in Manchester and Mayenne - won as a two year old, driven by Bernard.)