Etienne & Grégoire Leenders Race-horse trainers

On December 30^th at Deauville, KIEV won Prix Voltaire: a good level race (class 1) over 1900m (a mile and 1 ½ furlong).  

  Ridden in 2^nd, 3^rd position by Théo Bachelot, he got out outside the bend and performed a nice finishing straight…being very courageous, he won by half a length beating good horses.

Ecurie Five, the owners were quite satisfied, and so was Grégoire the trainer because they bought KIEV in a claiming race at Maisons-Laffitte and this win confirms how judicious the purchase was.

We are certainly going to enjoy ourselves with this KIEV in 2020.

At Pau on December 27^th, MAINVILLIERS was 4^th in a hurdle race for 4 year-olds over 3500m (2 miles and 1 ½ furlong).  

 Ridden by Stéphane Paillard, he started off the pace, came closer in the far straight and finished well. He was beaten by more experienced horses.  

  We are satisfied with this race because previously, MAINVILLIERS had a tendency to get stressed before the race but now he is far more relaxed and seems to have understood what we expected from him. 

  The objective of this good horse for 2020 will be Auteuil.

On December 27^th at Pau, EMIRA DU GOUET did a comeback race (had not run since April 2018) and her debut in a cross-country race. It was not obvious for her as the cross-country track of Pau is very technical and difficult.

She did remarkably well as she finished good second!      

 Very well ridden by Paulin Blot, she started at the back of the field… and as she jumped perfectly, she came closer little by little.

In the last diagonal, she was still far in 4^th or 5^th position. Paulin told us: “I was going well but without anything exceptional in the tank. And as I asked her to go forward, she bolted and finished very well.”  

 Among the partners of the syndicate Le Mors aux Dents there was joy as EMIRA ran for the first time with their colors.  

 We also want to congratulate her breeder Thierry Lemoine in Nièvre.    

                                            We’ll enjoy ourselves with her in 2020.

At Angers on December 14^th, UMAHYA ran in a race for 3 year-old fillies over 3400m (2 miles and 1 furlong). She finished 2^nd, beaten by the shortest nose.   

 When getting off, her jockey Alexandre Orain apologized and said he should have won. “In the far straight, I had not much in my hands and thought therefore I’ll finish quietly. But when I asked her to go forward, she moved on and finished very fast.”  

  The good piece of news is that the filly has matured and improved a lot.   

  The Guimard family, owner of UMAHYA were thrilled to see the potential of their filly.

…for EBENE SACREE at Angers on December 14^th. Actually she did a comeback race 15 days before when unfortunately she fell stupidly… but she now caught up when finishing 2^nd. 

It was in a hurdle race for 5 year-olds over 3800m (2 miles and 3 furlongs) and she was ridden by Alexandre Orain.       

 She started at the back of the field and little by little gained ground…EBENE SACREE was in 2^nd position outside the bend and performed a very nice finishing straight (she was beaten by a very good horse). 

  This mare by ANZILLERO shows a lot of potential and we know that she will do well in 2020 for Christophe Masle who is her owner and breeder.

At Deauville, on December 13^th, KIEV finished 5^th in a handicap for 3 year-olds over 2500m (1 mile and 4 ½ furlongs). 

 Ridden by Eddy Hardouin, he had a good race… and performed a nice finishing straight. At some stage, we thought he would “make it” but at ¾ of a furlong from home, KIEV had reached his maximum. Which meant that the trip was too long.   

KIEV will be one of our hopes for “quintés” (big handicaps) for the year 2020 over around a mile and a quarter.

TRUCO ran at Chantilly on December 12^th in a class 2 race over 1900m (a mile and 1½ furlong).   

Ridden by Théo Bachelot, he started in the second part of the field and came closer outside the bend. In the finishing straight, he was hemmed in along the rail and didn’t find any gap. Théo told us it was a pity as he would have won.

 He only managed to get out at half a furlong from home.

This is a horse to follow in 2020!

What a nice win at Pau on December 10^th for FEU D’ARTIFICE who did it so easy in Prix Charles du Breil, a hurdle race over 3500m (2 miles and 1 ½ furlong). 

 Ridden off the pace by Stéphane Paillard, FEU D’ARTIFICE came closer little by little, jumped well…and did a magnificent finishing straight.  

 FEU D’ARTIFICE is by Cokorico out of Karte Bleue, was bred by SD Butseraen and belongs to François Fiol and Béatrice Nicco.

…was 4^th at Pornichet on December 9^th in a flat race for 3 year-olds AQPS (non-thoroughbred) over a mile and a half. She could have had a better place if she had not slipped at the entrance of the finishing straight when her jockey wanted to “get her out”.

Damien Boche told us: “It was a pity because I would have been able to fight for 2^nd or 3^rd place as she is good in the finish.”     

  Eventually, whether the ground is AWT at Pornichet or very heavy going at Cholet…                                                                                                                                                

 GRACE DE MONTOT behaves well and is courageous.

  Now some rest will do her good… she really deserves it!