Etienne & Grégoire Leenders Race-horse trainers

…ground, TRUCO did a comeback in Prix Pont d’Ouilly, a flat race for 3 year-olds over 2000m (a mile and a quarter).   

  Ridden by Pierre Charles Boudot, he finished 5^th. As he had no entry on the AWT for his comeback, we had no other choice to run him.  

   It was obvious, that TRUCO was not at ease at all and buried himself in this ground. This was confirmed by Pierre Charles who told us that he didn’t insist in the finishing straight.   

 Therefore, TRUCO is to be followed in his next races…on the AWT…because he is a good horse!

… Miss FASTELLE !    

 At Senonnes Pouancé, in a flat race for 4 year-old AQPS (non-thoroughbreds) over 3000m (1 mile and 7 furlongs), she won easily.  

 Ridden by Damien Boche, she performed a nice race and finished well.  

 This filly doesn’t stop improving with racing. We are looking for an entry for her in a good race…Where? When? ... We go through the program book.

FASTELLE belongs to Golden Blue and was bred in Côte d’Or by Isabelle de Saint Anthost.

…Sacha Jourdan, our young apprentice who was riding his first school race (course AFASEC) at the race-course of Senonnes Pouancé. They are races

without any betting, nor prize money for owners or trainers. They are for young apprentices who have never ridden any race and they are part of their training.         

  And of course it helps them before riding their first official race.

…GASCONNE finished 3^rd in Prix Yves d’Armaillé on October 19^th at Lignières over a mile and a half. This Gr III was for 3 year-old AQPS (non-thoroughbred) fillies.       

Ridden by Ludovic Philipperon, she performed a nice race… but at the entrance of the last bend, she got badly impeded and went back to last position, and in spite of that, she came back to finish 3^rd.

It is exact that GASCONNE is one of the fillies we trust for classic races next year. But there is something which is getting on my nerves: it is the 3^rd time we are hampered in the last bend at Lignières !!    

  Jockeys, be careful!!

BLUSHING BERE finished 6^th at Le Pin au Haras on October 19^th …beaten by a head and a short head !!      

  He was ridden by Lea Bails . There was no pace in the race…in the far straight they still went very slowly… and BLUSHING didn’t stop pulling… 

   You can guess that with the heavy going, it was not the best idea of the year because the horse finished less fast than usual… having pulled too much.  

    Well, let’s not be discouraged…

FAN OF SEA finished 3^rd first time out over hurdles at Fontainebleau on October 15^th. Ridden by Clément Lefebvre, he started very quietly at the back of the field and stayed in this position for one turn and a half (it was the instructions) therefore, the horse was able to discover the course.

Then he easily came closer along the rail in the last bend… and he seemed to go better than the others at the last hurdle. Clément even told us: “I was sure to win because I had a lot in my hands” and he stayed in the same action… but didn’t go slower.

FAN OF SEA jumped particularly well, but he has now to learn the rhythm of racing. 

  A good recruit for the future!

John GOSDEN, one of the most famous trainers in the world, the trainer of the champion ENABLE said:

“You have to remember that racing belongs to the entertaining business. Races have to be interesting, enjoyable and fun in a way. They are also a serious business, but if you forget the entertainment side of it, you lose the objective.”

GRACE DE MONTOT was 4^th at Saumur on October 13^th, ridden by Noel William Driscoll.  

 In a flat race for 3 year-olds AQPS (non-thoroughbreds) over two miles, she started in the last quarter of the field, came closer in the far straight and performed a nice finishing straight. The future of this filly is of course jumping, her pedigree proves it: her sire is Cocoriko and her dam Idylle de Montot. 

   GRACE has started jumping for a few weeks and she is rather good at it.

…fell twice at Lyon on October 13^th… in a cross-country race over 5200m (3 miles and 2 furlongs). He finished 3^rd, ridden by Angelo Gasnier.

Of course we are disappointed, but two huge mistakes (with one of them that might have been fatal) mean that he might also have fallen… or worse…      

 Therefore we forget our disappointment and go forward… There will be better days for DEBUT !

…a good and a bad piece of news!    

  I start with the good one: FINE CHAMPAGNE was second at Nort sur Erdre on October 13^th in a chase over 4300m (2 miles and 5 ½ furlongs) ridden by Marc Olivier Belley.  

  The bad one is that she should have won! Marc Olivier told us: “ I am sorry, I missed the race because I kept her too far away… she jumped well, I started gaining ground little by little but too late…”   

    Mentioning that we have to admit that Marc Olivier was very honest and that this late developing filly only starts showing her abilities.      

     She is to follow in the future…