Etienne & Grégoire Leenders Race-horse trainers

DOUX DINGUE finished 4^th in a chase on March 8^th at Argentan, ridden by Wilfried Lajon.    We were disappointed as he is a good horse and in this race he was not serious: not concentrated? Too fast a course? Too small obstacles? Not enough pace?

We’ll try and solve the problems and we’ll see next time out. But we know he is better than what he showed at Argentan!! 

….the syndicate Ecurie Le Mors Aux Dents with the mare DEAUSEILLE ridden by Hugo Lucas in a chase over 4200m. She performed a very nice race: started in the lead in a race without any pace, jumped particularly well and then at the beginning of the last bend, her jockey chose to accelerate and she could not be caught. The group of owners were particularly happy to be present for this win…

…and cherry on the cake, on the same day at Argentan, the second horse of the syndicate Ecurie Le Mors Aux Dents, DOROGYNKA  ran over hurdles for the first time and finished 3^rd, also ridden by Hugo Lucas.

….CALINZANA on April 8^th at Argentan in a hurdle race over 3600m (2 miles and 2 furlongs), ridden by Hugo Lucas.

She is a filly who has a tendency to be keen, therefore we decided she would start at the back of the field. Not always at ease in the bends, she jumped very well and she started to come closer in the far straight. CALINZANA was in the lead to jump the last hurdle and would not be beaten. We were all very satisfied to see this filly we like to win.

DOREMIFA DE CLISOU finished 3^rd at Angoulême on March 8^th ridden by William Smith.

In a race for 4 and 5 year-old AQPS (non-thoroughbred) over 2600m (a mile and 5 furlongs), DOREMIFA started at the back of the field and he seemed relax all around. At the entrance of the long finishing straight, the jockey took him out and started coming closer and finished well. But William told us: “It is a pity, I didn’t manage to use the horse at his best, otherwise I would have won.”

To see again!

FREQUENCE MAG by Gris de Gris out of Gravure Célèbre did something yesterday at Durtal in a maiden race for 3 year-olds over 2000m (a mile and 2 furlongs).

She finished 2^nd ridden by Adrien Fouassier. She started in the middle of the field, was severely impeded in the first bend and consequently found herself at the back of the field. Adrien kept her quiet and started to come closer at the end of the last bend. And then when she was well balanced, FREQUENCE MAG finished very fast.

Satisfying first time out because the company was good and we’ll probably see most of these horses at a good level in the future.

FREQUENCE MAG belongs to Comte A. A. Maggiar who is also her breeder.

…for BONANIVERSERE PAPA on April 2^nd at Durtal, ridden by Hugo Lucas… He easily won Prix Jean de la Sayette, a chase over 4000m (2 miles and 4 furlongs).

Why “at last”?                                                                                                                                 

Because this 7 year-old horse is very fragile and has had health problems regularly…He has only run 8 times since the beginning of his career! Therefore, it was a real pleasure to see him win and thus our patience was rewarded.

…our breeding operation this year.

A colt foal by ON EST BIEN out of QURISTINE… He is a nice foal, well alive and he has a good head. We loved his dam when she was racing. She has a 3 year-old colt Fransleen by No Risk At All and a yearling filly Hip Hip Hourra by Saddler Maker.

….cool with DE BON ALOI!

Actually at Chantilly on March 31^st when he finished 6^th in Prix de Percy, the Quinté (big handicap), we knew quite well that he had the quality to have a better place.

When Grégory Benoist got off, he said “your horse is a bit strange…in the last bend I had a lot in my hands…when I asked him to go forward, he went slower and when I pretended not to ask him anything, he accelerated… but I liked him in the finishing straight!!” We have not an easy job!! But if we trained motor bikes, it would be so more boring…

…ARISTO DES MOTTES at Nantes on March 29^th. He finished 4^th ridden by Alain de Chitray.

He started quietly at the back of the field, performed a very smooth race without making any effort…then ARISTO came closer at the entrance of the bend and finished well. The ground was so heavy that the instructions were “not to hurt the horse”…therefore his jockey placed him on the outside all around where the ground was less deep.

Good come back race…a horse to follow!

I am a bit annoyed because after TZAR won, I received very nice messages…saying “fantastic, it is so nice to see an old horse” and I found all these compliments very pleasant.

But, when I thought about it, I wondered but what is so extraordinary for people to say that…But of course, old horses… it’s not in fashion!!

What is fashionable is to run 3 year-olds…. People don’t give horses a chance to get old when nevertheless you know that a horse is only mature at 4 or 5…

Now I said it and no one will deprive us of the happiness to see our horses getting old and still fit and well…