Pantomime won her first race in France at the young age of seven! It took some time, but she bested a field of 18 runners in the Class 3, 2400 meter handicap, Prix du Gazon d’Acheres in Maisons-Laffitte.
Mickael Barzalona rode a perfect race taking advantage of a nice post position at number 10 and overcoming the top-weight handicap. Golden Club, number 17, made the strongest break from his number two position in the gates to take a several lengths lead early on. This proved too much for the 10-year-old gelding as he faltered in the home stretch.
Pantomime proved too much in the end for his only challenger Notorious Imperial, a six-year-old gelding.
The race was run on good ground, measuring 3.4 on the penetrometer, in 2m34s. The winner paid 4 euros for a 1 euro wager.
July was a very busy month at the yard. Avenue du Monde (Champs-Elysees) ran her final race, we attended the Tattersalls Horses in Training sales in Newmarket, two new horses entered the yard from claiming races – Never Compromise (Astronomer Royal) and Surewecan (Royal Applause) – and we ran the racing festival in Vichy.
Avenue du Monde’s last race
Avenue du Monde’s last race before becoming a broodmare was in Vichy on the 20th of the month, the last day of the festival. We were hoping that she would drop to the third division of the handicap that day but ended up in the second with Grey Sensation (Aussie Rules) and Gascon (Heliostatic). Gascon proved to be the best of the three on the day finishing a good second while Grey picked up fourth and Avenue was just out of the money at sixth. By then, we were running on a turf that was well worn from the week of racing and the heavy rain that fell the Monday before and again that day.
Ray Of Hope finds his form
Earlier in the month, we took Ray of Hope (Layman) back to Deauville and the fibersand and he ran much better than his previous outing at Longchamp. This time picking up second place, one of two that he would run this month.
Further notable runs included Gascon again, finishing fifth at Compiegne, Never Compromise was seventh in a Quinte handicap and Mr. Chuckles (Arcano) adding a seventh in the second division of that same Quinte handicap.
The Mickaëls – Forest, and Barzalona – did most of the riding except for Mr. Chuckles who was ridden by Delphine Santiago and Maxime Guyon who rode Gascon in Compiegne.
The best paying horse in July was Ray of Hope with his second place on 4 July, paying €9,90 for a one euro place bet.