SUPERBOWL joins the ecurie

Remember Quick d'Avignere (the Coktail Jet) being sold last year. Well, he has been reincarnated as SUPERBOWL DES BAUX. By Eclat de la Crau (sire of Snowball) out of Milady des Baux he has the late great Super Bowl on both sides of his pedigree and is therefore a quite unusual Trotteur Francais.

Milady was a very good race mare and you will recall that I was presented with a share in her recent lovely foal by Orlando as a reward for his services. This fellow will be called Utopique (you will see why if you look at Milady's pedigree above) and I have decided on Ulena for Festina's filly and United for Moonlight's colt. Mon dieu....I have lost count again!

a wonderful week- whisky galore!

A highly enjoyable week in all senses even if PORTO faced an impossible task off 25 metres at Graignes. David decided to send him forward down the back first time but the Bigeon favourite off the front was not going to give up the lead and while he was able to get into the 1-1 the effort told and David rightly did not persist. He has had seven races in a short time and is due for a little rest.
I was able to see both Sierra and Snowball work. Sierra is still giving out very promising signs but is still growing and won't be hurried.


We don't know much about Snowball. He could be anything but the boys are several weeks behind the girls and this was his first time in the cart since being gelded. Affectionately known as P... in the A.... because of his earlier antics in the sulky he actually behaved reasonably well on this occasion. He's a big solid horse and is possibly a monte type.


The week focused on the baptism of David and Celine's daughters, Clara and Olivia, and I highly recommend Kurt's only slightly censored account of the celebrations surrounding this event. Merci Teresa, Pauline, Marion, John, David and Laura for immense hospitality (not to mention a batch of rock cakes to bring back to London!). I was captured in a reasonable state at some point during the 36 hours of partying, though I'm not sure what liquid has got into the champagne glass.

Ups and downs... and ups

After a successful afternoon at the local Francheville track on Sunday - Kurt seeing DMH drive Prince des Baux to victory on his first French racing this trip and taking an excellent photo - we headed off to Amiens on Bastille Day with hopes for Porto and the anxious excitement of Orlando's return.
PORTO did a good race and returned his usual time; but the other apprentis/lad-jockeys had decided he wouldn't be allowed to get to the front this time and he ended up fifth, without being punished when it was clear that it wasn't his day. Out again on Saturday at Graignes off 25 metres.

ORLANDO was definitely the most impressive looking horse in the field, but the warm-up - head pic shows David conferring with Marion, who is wearing Laura's colours because I only have one set! - confirmed he is not trotting 100%. In the race the commissaires disqualified him after only 500 metres, a bit severe in our opinion. He followed the field easily and clearly has the fitness and ability to do something if we can solve the joint problem. So it was disappointing but this is not the time to quit!
The disappointments were quickly assuaged chez hue with champagne won by Porto at Chalons (opened in spectactular fashion by Laura, recently back from New Zealand!)and a lovely dinner in the open air.

The worst way to lose?

Everything goes perfectly. Smartly out of the gate (the favourite and main danger put out of the race immediately in a mess behind) moves to the lead after 500 metres and accelerates clear down the back (the other danger galloping in the attempt to keep up), six lengths clear into the straight and under no pressure ('you can put away your glasses'), then... catastrophe!.. without warning he gallops. No real idea why. Not fatigue because he would hardly blow out a candle out after the race. He has done it before last year with Marion so there is something to be worked out for next time... at Amiens on Bastille Day probably. I'll be there with Kurt!

PORTO third at Croise Laroche

A comfortable third after starting well from 4 and leading most of way... might have been first, but third left him with 49,070 in winnings and therefore eligible for a nice race at Lisieux on Friday (2100m autostart, apprentis, 10,000 to winner, up to 50,000 winnings). Raurelia (Coktail Jet-Belga D'Avignere) won her race very impressively. Marion took the gamble of racing her inside to reduce her pulling. It looked as if the bet was not going to pay off at the turn into the straight, but the horse on the outside broke just when needed and she was able to get clear and utilise her explosive 200m sprint. Much more to come from this one

Here's the very nice pro pic of Porto and DMH winning at Chalons

The day the music died

21 June 2007
The day of Hilary's accident...

One of countless wonderful moments - Versailles Hall of Mirrors Dinner World Trotting Conference 1993

1.14.7 : the dream begins

Orlando was the star at Grosbois this morning, requalifying at a km rate of 1.14.7 (just under 2 minutes mile rate) without being pushed and on a track that was one second off according to experts! So at the end of a difficult week settling up, clearing and and vacating La Grande Metairie; we finally allowed ourselves a small dream about his future (well lubricated by champagnne and 'Remy Rouge'). Tomorrow to Enghien with Prince Djo and Monday to La Croise Laroche near Lille where Porto has drawn 4 ..... from whence I will Eurotunnel home late that evening.

PORTO and DMH win again

The leading French driver for some is JMB (gee-em-bay) Jean-Michel Bazire, but for me it is the up and coming DMH (day-em-arsh), David-Marion Hue, who followed up his easy win at Chalons behind Porto with another success at Vire. According to reports he had to ask Porto to work in the straight after being briefly headed, but the response was quick and effective. A big congratulations to David for his driving and preparation. June 23 at La Croise Laroche could be his next race. Winning definitely isn't everything but it sure is nice!!!

Unfortunately the switch to Vire on Monday meant I couldn't see the victory but a fabulous weekend , built around Marion's sister Brigitte's 50th birthday party - merci beaucoup Teresa and others for all the gorgeous food - included seeing Orlando have a serious workout on the track. He looks great and is obviously enjoying his dual role. There are four more mares awaiting his favours in the coming days because Bernard and Marion have decided to put all their mares to him. It's a repeat of last years's big gamble, but he has all the qualities one would want in a stallion so all we can do is hope they can perform like him. Sadly, one of his nicest (out of Naomi des Baux by Coktail Jet) died of an infection (snake bite??) just before the weekend, but the others are looking great (to my eye). My two by Modern Jazz have grown quickly and look much more impressive now. And Festina and Polina have both scanned in foal to Gros Grain.

PORTO wins ORLANDO requalifies

No dry eyes!

Almost unbelievable but truly wonderful. Vicki's first two runners as trainer were Torias Secret (top) and Uroc Amy at Timaru. And both won! And they won in similar fashion, coming to snatch victory on the line in very close finishes. See a writeup of this happy sad occasion here.