All generations and all specialties were represented during this long day of fifteen races on the Butte Mortemart. 21 days before the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, the Prix Ingré (Gr. III) served as a dress rehearsal with in particular the presence of the great favorite, Sel Jem, General in Chief or Will-o’-the-wisp. Author of a victorious comeback in mid-April at Compiègne, the last named confirmed his return to the fore: “He’s a good horse. He had problems at the end of the year and we did what was necessary to resolve them. He was cheerful and had freshness”, rejoiced his trainer, Guillaume Macaire while adding: “Even if Sel Jem had beaten Will-o’-the-wisp, I would always have had the idea of running the Grand Steeple-Chase with him. I am delighted with its success. Winner of the Prix Alain du Breuil (Gr. I) in 2019, this 7-year-old gelding wins his sixth Group and is a length and a half ahead of his stablemate Sel Jem winner of the last two preparatory races.
Very moved when passing the post, his partner Baptiste Le Clerc had trouble hiding his emotion with this jumper who brought him everything: “He is my favorite horse. Guillaume Macaire gave me my chance at a very young age with this jumper. I also thank its owner Pierre Pilarski who did not hesitate to entrust it to me when I was still very young and inexperienced. Will-o’-the-wisp taught me everything. He is an extraordinary horse. I had lost hope of finding him and he shows that he has regained his full potential. »
Hermès Baie dethrones L’Autonomie
The Prix Léon Rambaud (Gr. II), the second highlight of the day went to Hermes Baie while jumping enthusiasts expected to see the great champion Autonomy pinning down the sixteenth Group of her career: “She wasn’t at work, analyzes her mentor François Nicolle. I found her soft and she was perhaps under the influence of her gender. She was also coated and this outing will be profitable for her. I’m not worried about next May 21 when she should get her revenge at the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (Gr. I). One Nicolle can hide another and that is Hermès Baie who stole the show. Sixth in the Prix Hypothèse (Gr. III) last month, this 5-year-old gelding sets the record straight, by picking up his seventh group victory. Very disappointed in the last place by the performance of his resident, François Nicolle smiled broadly during the prize-giving: “During his last race, he found himself too far along the course. I wanted to put Australian blinders on him, but he showed he didn’t need them. He was ridden more offensively and was good at his job. The 5,100m in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil won’t be a problem for him. It is more a horse of bearing than of speed. »