AUTEUIL’S mini version of the Cheltenham or Punchestown Festivals took place over the weekend, and produced plenty of talking points. From an Irish perspective, we had no winners, though the ever-popular Hewick came agonisingly close to a famous victory.

The highlight of the card on Saturday was the Grade 1 Racing TV Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil, the race in which Hewick was denied by a length and a half by the five-year-old Losange Bleu. This was a ninth win in 13 starts for the gelded son of Martaline (Linamix), and only once has he finished worse than second.

In November, Losange Bleu led from start to finish in the Grade 1 Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle at Auteuil. Racing in the silks of the Papot family, who bred him, Losange Bleu is trained by Dominique Bressou. Last year at this meeting he had to settle for second in the Grade 1 Alain du Breil d’Ete 4yo Hurdle, won by the Willie Mullins-trained Gala Marceau. He has winnings just short of €800,000.

Losange Bleu’s dam, Sweet Valrose (Cadoudal), was placed in hurdle races at Enghien and Auteuil at the age of three, racing for Vicenzo Esposito. She produced several winners before coming under the Papot family’s ownership, and her tally of victorious offspring stands at seven.

Her first foal for the Papot family, Losange Vert (Montmartre), distinguished himself by winning the Grade 3 Duc d’Anjou 4yo Chase. She later foaled Losange Vert Bleu (Night Wish) who has placed in graded hurdle races.

Sweet Valrose is a full-sister to Blue Shark (Cadoudal) who made a successful debut for Nicky Henderson in the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow. He remains the best of four winners from the unraced Sweet Beauty (Tip Moss), a daughter of the smart racemare Sweet Virginia (Tapioca II).

Losange Bleu’s first three dams have all bred a winner at the highest level over jumps. Sweet Virginia is responsible for the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle winner Sweet Duke (Iron Duke), and this is also the family of Grade 1 winners Benie Des Dieux (Great Pretender) and Grandouet (Al Namix), as well as the good jumps sire Cokoriko (Robin Des Champs).

Which brings us neatly to the latest Grade 1 winner sired by the same Cokoriko, who stands for €12,000 at Haras de Cercy. His son Kolokico won the €355,000 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure, the premier chase of the season for four-year-olds. This was the first blacktype earned by the gelding, and he won by some seven lengths.

Lord Daresbury

The race was Kolokico’s seventh start and his third over fences. Bred by Jacques and Nicolas Cyprès, who also own him along with Lord Daresbury, Kolokico began his career 13 months ago on the flat at Moulins, placing on his first two races, both over a mile and a half. All of his three wins have come over fences, and include a winning debut at Pau and victory in the Prix René Couétil a month ago.

Kolokico is the third foal and second winner out of the unraced mare Courtisane (Charming Groom). The second dam, Fortanea (Video Rock), is the dam of Saint Are (Network), a bit of an Aintree legend. He won the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle there, as well as a listed chase, and was runner-up in the 2015 Grand National.

Fortanea won seven races in all, three over jumps, and in addition to breeding a Grade 1 winner in Saint Are, she is grandam of an even better runner in the shape of Vroum Vroum Mag. Half of her six hurdle wins were in Grade 1 contests, the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, the Punchestown Champion Hurdle and the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Kolokico is not the only star of 2024 in the immediate family. His third dam Alconea (Brezzo), twice a winner, is grandam of Kargese (Jeu St Eloi). Her success in the Grade 1 McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival this year marked her out as a special talent for owner Kenny Alexander, and she went on to finish second in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Kargese rounded out the season with another Grade 1 win at Punchestown.

Incredible finish

The 146th Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris captivated the crowds at Auteuil and produced an incredible finish. The favourite, Juntos Ganamos, unseated his rider at the open ditch in the back straight, having led from the start.

Two runners took over, Gran Diose (Planteur) and Grandeur Nature, the latter being second favourite for the €900,000 race, with €405,000 on offer to the winner.

Between the last two obstacles, Gran Diose found what was needed to make a decisive move, edging out Grandeur Nature by a neck. Bred by his owners, Frédéric Hinderze and Luc Monnet, Gran Diose is trained by Louisa Carberry in the west of France. He had not won since the Grade 2 Prix Georges Courtois Chase in 2022. He finished third in the 2023 Grade 2 Prix des Drags Chase, and second in the autumn’s Prix La Haye Jousselin Chase behind Grandeur Nature, his first Grade 1 attempt.

Gran Diose is the first foal out of Noanioa (Walk In The Park), who won two handicaps over hurdles at Auteuil at four but did not race again after that season. She has also produced Canichette (Prince Gibraltar), a winner at Auteuil and of the Grade 3 Prix de La Gascogne Chase at Compiègne, and the unraced three-year-old filly L’Evidence (Motivator).

Planteur

The Group 1 Prix Ganay winner Planteur (Danehill Dancer) was siring his first winner at the highest level over jumps with Gran Diose. That said, his admirable son Trueshan is twice a winner of Group 1 races on the flat, the Goodwood Cup and Prix du Cadran. Planteur stands for £4,000.

To conclude a Grand Steeple weekend full of emotion and surprises, Pistache Doré (Sommerabend) upset the odds in the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil d’Ete, the spring championship hurdle race for four-year-olds. Pistache Doré, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Prix Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle last autumn, took advantage of all the fancied runners faltering to seize a winning lead, and he was dominant in the closing stages.

Pistache Doré was bred by Chantal Becq and is owned by Mrs Patrick Papot in partnership with trainer, Daniela Mele. A year ago, Pistache Doré won the Listed Prix Stanley 3yo Hurdle after making a successful debut at Compiègne. He recently returned to winning form in the Listed Prix de Marsan 4yo Hurdle at Auteuil, and more than confirmed his ability here.

50 races

The winner is the fourth foal out of Sirène Dorée (Kingsalsa), who ran in 50 flat races, winning four times and being placed on more than 20 occasions. Pistache Doré is her most accomplished runner to date, though she is also dam of the dual two-year-old winner Emotion Doree (Evasive) and a placed runner. Sirène Dorée has since produced a pair of geldings, both unraced, the three-year-old Diamant Dore (Martinborough) and the two-year-old Pampas Dore (Chachnak).

By some way the most successful runner in four generations of his family, Pistache Doré is the best of three blacktype winners sired by the dual Group 2 winner Sommerabend (Shamardal). He won a dozen races in all, with Group 2 wins in France and Germany three years apart. He is standing his tenth season at stud in France, this time for €2,200.