Can Rachael Blackmore make history in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris?
Timeform's John Ingles looks ahead to Sunday's Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at Auteuil and whether Rachael Blackmore can make history on her first visit to the track.
Having broken new ground by becoming the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National last month, Rachael Blackmore faces a whole new set of unfamiliar obstacles as she bids to make further history for the same reason again in Sunday’s Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
Sunday’s race at Auteuil, worth €369,000 to the winner, is France’s most prestigious chase, run over three and three quarter miles and comprising 23 varied jumps.
Some of those are mere hurdles, but there are some more daunting obstacles, including the spectacular water jump in front of the stands, the ‘riviere des tribunes’, which is jumped twice, and, in particular, the ‘rail, ditch and fence’, taken in the back straight on the final circuit which comes five from home and often claims a casualty or two just as the race is starting to develop.
Blackmore, who will be riding at Auteuil for the first time, will be partnering seven-year-old Ajas for trainer David Cottin, best known in Britain for handling the top cross-country chaser Easysland. Although a former champion jockey, Cottin never won the Grand Steeple-Chase, though he finished runner-up in the race on four occasions.
Ajas was entered for the Grand National earlier this year and allotted a weight of 10-13, 11lb below top weight Easysland, though neither ended up taking part.
Ajas has had a varied career, winning on the Flat and over both hurdles and fences, and has been successful in Scandinavia for his Swedish owner as well as in France.
He has been in particularly good form this year and proved that he stays well when winning the Grand Prix de Pau over three and a quarter miles on heavy ground in January. More recently, he has won two of the main lead-up races to the Grand Steeple-Chase at Auteuil this spring, the Prix Troytown and the Prix Murat.
He ran a career best in the Murat, recording a Timeform rating of 160, when beating Docteur de Ballon (161) by three quarters of a length in receipt of 2lb, so there’s little between the pair meeting at level weights this time.
Docteur de Ballon won last year’s Grand Steeple-Chase which was delayed until October, while the next three home in the 2020 contest, Figuero (156), Feu Follet (157) and Carriacou (156), are all in the field again.
Carriacou was the winner of the 2019 Grand Steeple-Chase under Davy Russell who himself completed the Grand National-Grand Steeple-Chase double that spring after partnering Tiger Roll at Aintree, proving that a lack of experience around Auteuil’s chase course is no barrier to success in the big race. Carriacou will be ridden this year by James Reveley who has an excellent record in the race having been successful for the third year running in 2018.
Ajas is one of three runners for Cottin, with the prolific five-year-old Le Berry (158p) sure to be popular as his only defeat in ten starts came over hurdles on his second start.
Most of the grey’s wins have come against his own age-group but he beat established chasers Feu Follet and Figuero at level weights on his latest start in another of the main trials, the Prix Ingre last month. He’ll be partnered by his usual jockey Kevin Nabet who is usually also the regular pilot of Ajas.
Blackmore won’t be the only Irish jockey in the race, however.
Danny Mullins gets the leg up on Richard Hobson’s challenger Lord du Mesnil (153) who didn’t have conditions soft enough when last seen pulling up in the Grand National.
He’s much better suited by the mud, as he showed when winning the Grand National Trial at Haydock earlier this year, so shouldn’t have any excuses on that score as the ground at Auteuil is invariably testing.
Lord du Mesnil stays well and he has experience over the course from his younger days when he was trained in France but he’s up against several course regulars with slightly better form.
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