It's a clash of two champion trainers at Auteuil this afternoon and Jason Kiely speaks to Paul Nicholls ahead of a mouthwatering card.
Champions clash in final Auteuil showdown
It looks to be a case of Nicolle versus Nicholls as the final Grade One of the French calendar, the Prix Renaud du Vivier, takes place at Auteuil this afternoon.
Regarded as the Champion Hurdle for four-year-olds, this 3,900m contest has previously thrown up champions such as De Bon Coeur, Blue Dragon, P’Tit Zig and Bel La Vie.
After last weekend’s incredible Grade One double, French champion trainer François Nicolle looks in a strong position to strike once more and is responsible for three of the ten declared runners in today’s €250,000 showpiece.
Winner of four of her last five starts and unbeaten since her return after a summer break, Nicolle saddles favourite L’Autonomie. The daughter of Blue Bresil was most impressive when demolishing the field in the Grade Three Prix Pierre de Lassus over course and distance when last seen in October, beating many of today’s rivals in the process.
Along with establishing herself as one of the country's top hurdlers, L’Autonomie has also acted as a launchpad for her young pilot Angelo Zuliani, who claims that the best is yet to come from the four-year-old.
"What she done the last day was really incredible, she took command of the race and I knew from very early on that it was hers, she really has an excellent attitude and her jumping was faultless," said the 19-year-old rider.
"She has made some brilliant progress and I feel that we have arrived at this level ready to be competitive, we have beaten some of the field before and I really think that she is capable of being top class."
Although he is aware that L’Autonomie was held by Pic d’Orhy (who re-opposes today) when the pair last met in 2018, Zuliani believes his mount has progressed significantly and envisages a reversal of form.
“I know that Pic d’Orhy beat her last year (when trained by Nicolle) but I hope that now it will be different. The progression our filly has made and the fact that now that I know her well should help, I don’t know how all the other horses are going but I know that L’Autonomie is very well at the moment, all the lights are on green and I am really looking forward to it," he added.
Having only last weekend claimed the first Grade One of his short career, Zuliani praised his mentor Nicolle for putting so much trust in his riding ability
“I am very lucky and very thankful to the boss, he has given me some great opportunities on top class horses. Last weekend was magic to win my first Grade One and now if we could put two together it would be incredible, hopefully it will all go according to plan."
Already well on the way to a second trainers' title and some €2.3 million clear of nearest pursuer Guillaume Macaire, Nicolle also saddles Polirico and Porto Pollo, both of whom hold serious place claims.
Nicholls aims for summit with talented d’Orhy
With the pair landing the Badger Beers Chase yesterday, messieurs Nicholls and Cobden will be hoping to carry their winning streak over to Paris this afternoon.
French import Pic d’Orhy has not been since finishing down the field at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but his trainer Paul Nicholls suggests that a line can be drawn through that run and believes in a big future for the son of Turgeon, who was placed second in last season’s Grade One Prix Cambaceres at Auteuil before crossing the Channel,
"We are looking forward to running him, obviously he has got good form around Auteuil with a lot of the other horses in the field. He hasn’t run since March but he has done plenty of work and shows that he is very smart at home. He has worked with some very good horses and we love him, we are hoping it will be a very nice run," said the champion trainer.
Winner of this race in 2013 with P’Tit Zig who was also making his reappearance, Nicholls is confident he can achieve a similar result from his tried and tested method with Pic d’Orhy
"Unlike the French horses who have been running all season, Pic d’Orhy is having his comeback run, they may have fitness on their side but we have got freshness and we have won this race before with a horse first time out for the year and I hope he will run really well," he added..
Reflecting on his poor run at the Cheltenham Festival, the trainer puts it down to just a change of routine and with the benefit of hindsight admits it was possibly not the best decision
"I shouldn’t have run him at Cheltenham, he came over here after running many times in France, I wasn’t starting from scratch in the way that I would like to start and even though he showed us plenty it was inevitable that it was going to happen, so after that we decided to finish him for the season straight away.
"He has had a summer on grass and we have been able to train him as we want, which I hope has made a big difference, he is used to our way of training now and now we really love him, I think he is a really smart horse and could be even better when he goes on to jump fences," said Nicholls.
Without a runner in France since Malaya unfortunately fell in this very race last season, Nicholls, who has had plenty of success at the Parisian track over the years, suggests that this could be the start of a new wave of French runners for the future
"If we have anything capable of going over especially in the spring time, we will definitely be over, You need the right horses that’s the thing, there is no point in just going over for the sake of it. I love going over there and there is good prize money to be won."
In form Ardilaun can continue rise through ranks
A race reserved to fillies and mares over the impressive steeple-chase course at Auteuil, the Grade Three Prix Sytaj looks a pretty open affair with only six runners going to post.
Winner of this race with Miss Salsa Blue in 2017, François Nicolle saddles likely favourite Lady Ardilaun in what looks a tight betting heat.
One of two representants in the race for the Royan-based trainer, Lady Ardilaun who carries the famous black and white ‘Devin’ silks comes into this race on quite an upward curve. Familiar with the steeple-chase course at Auteuil having finished first and second in her only two starts over the bigger obstacles, the daughter of Soldier of Fortune looks capable of winning a race of this nature, having already been successful at Listed level over hurdles last season.
Her trainer opted to bypass last weekend’s Prix Bernard Secly in search of an easier engagement and with her generous running style and accurate jumping, four-year-old Lady Ardilaun should be hard to beat this afternoon and will be ridden by regular partner Gaëtan Masure.
Due to the impressive rise of his fellow ‘Royanais’ trainers, the once dominant Guillaume Macaire has often finished runner-up in recent seasons in many of Auteuil’s bigger events and this could once again be the case this afternoon.
The former champion trainer saddles Sainte Saone, a five year old daughter of Saint des Saints. Switching regularly from fences to hurdles, the versatile five-year-old has proved very effective around Auteuil and having won six races in 2019, she too also holds a strong chance in the Prix Sytaj.
With conditions of the race meaning that due to her winnings of €198,000 Sainte Saone will carry top weight of 70kgs, this could prove too much and could make all the difference on today's heavy going.