AUTEUIL

AT Auteuil last Sunday there was a major surprise when the 1/5 favourite Device fell in the Grade 2 Prix Leon Olry-Roederer and a race later the Louisa Carberry-trained Docteur De Ballon parted company Peterjon Carberry in the Grade 2 Prix Georges Courtois.

Elsewhere, Guillaume Macaire landed a hat-trick which will help towards beating his own record of 282 winners in a season in 2015.

Device only had to stand up to win the Olry-Roederer but he came a cropper on the first circuit when jumping the first hurdle on the back straight. This incident left the race wide open and it was Galop Marin and Morgan Regairaz who picked up the winning purse of €78,750 for Dominique Bressou. Crack de Reve finished second ahead of Silver Axe.

As a matter of interest, Galop Maron was 18 lengths adrift of Device when the pair met in the Grade 1 Grand Prix d’Automne earlier in the month.

Docteur De Ballon was a well-backed second favourite for the Grade 2 Georges Courtois before falling at the water jump in front of the stands, after which the race looked at the mercy of Milord Thomas. However, it was Roi Mage (Poliglote) and Thomas Gueguen who crossed the line in first position ahead of the favourite Milord Thomas and the long time leader, Capferret.

Thankfully both Docteur De Ballon and Peterjon Carberry were none the worse for wear. It was a great disappointment as the pair were going so well when the incident occurred. Louisa Carberry said: “I guess we’ll have to take this on the chin and go on and win the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.”

So it appears that Docteur de Ballon will have a chance to take his revenge next May as Roi Mage will also be trained for the Grand Steeple-Chase according to Francois Nicolle. The trainer has done a great job by building the confidence of the five-year-old after the horse fell twice at the end of last year.

Roi Mage was winning just his third race and a first Grade 2 event together with pilot Gueguen. Of Milord Thomas, Bressou commented: “It was his third race in a month and the distance was a little short of his best.”

In addition, the runner-up was conceding 5 kilos (11lb) to his younger rival. Indeed, Macaire did train the first three past the post in the Grade 3 Prix Morgex chase. Edward D’Argent took his revenge over stablemate On The Go and the 37/1 outsider Full Glass stayed on to take third place in the hands Raymond O’Brien.

The runner-up beat the winner earlier in the month in the Grade 1 Prix Maurice Gillois but Edward D’Argent ran on the best after the last in the Morgex.

Jean-Claude Rouget is better known as a highly successful trainer of flat horses but he does have jumping roots. He went to Auteuil as an owner on Sunday, to watch his A Mi Manera pick up the Grade 3 Prix Andre Michel.