SIERRA and SUPERBOWL

Off to Grosbois first thing Friday morning after watching Riposte run 4th at Enghien the previous evening. All four of the 2yos Marion, Bernard and David took qualified respectably, but not brilliantly, in the 1.20 to 1.21 km rate range (for 2000m) Of course everything was new to them and 3 false starts used up a lot of Sierra's energy. (Sierra top pic, Superbowl below). But the time has come to get the ecurie in hand (with Tina and Twilight coming into work any day!)and so all four were worked exactly the same way on Sunday. The fillies had progressed the best, so Sierra (along with Salima, the other Lutin Malin filly) will stay but Superbowl (along with Seul, the full brother to Querido) will go the sales at the end of the month. (Rosario with them.)
David reports that Porto is jumping out of his skin and that Orlando is trotting perfectly for the moment. No need to say that everything is crossed. (Nov 18 will hopefully be D day.)

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Every good horse deserves favour.. and a little rest! After 10 starts in 17 weeks and 45,300 euros in gains Porto will take it easy for a while before being got ready for a nice ALJ-AUTO race (2150m) at Argentan on October 26th. He should be on the front line having 76,420 in gains with a limit of 78,000. But it's a long way off and anything may happen (and often does in trotting!)
Attention switches to Sierra, who may be off to the qualifiers by the end of the month as the first of the stable 2yos.

PORTO en trombe - deuxieme

Another super race by Porto and DMH. As was very predictable drawing number 1 left him with the task of extracting himself and he only got clear with 100m to go but then flew home down the outside for second - en trombe (like a whirlwind) according to the ZE commentary and Paris-Turf. Robin had discovered the ZE site (Malta-based) which gives streaming text commentary of the above sort on selected non-PMU race meetings in France - and bets on them too (presumably at PMH odds). Porto's race is here, scroll down for the commentary. (click at top right to turn into French or German.)It may disappear at some point of course.
So Monday evening I can follow Marion's progress with Prince Djo at La Croise-Laroche(about 1745BST), even though it is not a PMU meeting.. and bet if I were to set up an account with ZE (3rd favourite according to ZE experts). Better not.... But isn't it time the PMU allowed people to do this?

A Big Day in the family

Twin grand-daughters Alice and Mia setting off to School on their first day... unaware and unconcerned (thank goodness) that Porto has drawn 1 at Amiens on Saturday evening

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.)

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.