Etienne & Grégoire Leenders Race-horse trainers

FANTASTIC BERE was not allowed to run at Pornichet on July 10^th!  His vaccinations were not up to date! 

Yet, every week we check the passports of each horse and make sure to note on a post-it the date of the next vaccination…and for a month we have now settled a computer software sending us reminders… and in spite of all that, FANTASTIC went through!        

  We want to apologize to his owners: Ecurie Pied A L’Etrier, Emmanuel de Seroux and Alain Regnier for this problem, we know you were penalized, but we were AS WELL!

Those who never make any mistake can cast the first stone!

…the EXPRESS MAG we used to know!     

 In a race suiting his level at Nort-sur-Erdre, he finished 4^th ridden by Thibault Macé. It was a flat race for amateur riders over 2500m (1 mile and 4 ½ furlongs).     

  He performed a nice race but in the finishing straight “no sound, no image”!

Thinking it over, we realized the horse was upset by the heat wave and was exhausted at the end of the race!!

Well done!! We were so thrilled at the finishing post!!

OR GRIS easily won a 3 year-old maiden race over a mile and a half.  

At Clairefontaine on July 6^th, ridden by Alexis Badel, he started in 4^th, 5^th position, stayed there all around and at the entrance of the last straight, Alexis went towards the outside rail and the horse performed a nice finishing straight.   

Etienne and Grégoire Leenders, the trainers, were proud!

 Marie Cecile de Saint Seine, the owner, was proud!   

  Christine and Etienne, the breeders, were proud!    

   Isn’t life beautiful!!

We had two runners at Argentan on June 30^th. PEDROZZO ridden by Arnaud Bourgeais who finished 5^th and GROOVE FILLY ridden by Axelle Nicco who finished 4^th. 

We are satisfied with their respective races, because as far as PEDROZZO is concerned, he is a horse for the future and needs to mature, but he showed us nice things. 

  As to GROOVE FILLY, we start understanding her and having her our way… Therefore, patience will give good results.    

   What was nice, was that the owners of PEDROZZO, Patrice Goulard and Haras du Mondant were able to be present, and so were Nathalie Kerjean, Pascal Letertre and Henry Malard.

Our dear IL DECOIFFE had been disappointing several times (which often happens when you have good performances but you are not able to run at a higher level) but this courageous “young man” pulled himself together at Senonnes and finished 3^rd ridden by Maëlle Le Levreur.   

 He ran well but he did a bit too much and was too keen all around.  

  But, we’ll stop grumping… he already gave us so much joy!!

Miss SAINTLY QUEEN really started getting on our nerves… This good filly didn’t meet our expectations… she had bad results which did not correspond to what she showed us in the morning.  

  And…she eventually woke up at Senonnes on June 30^th when finishing 2^nd of a hurdle race for 4 year-old horses. She was ridden by Marc Olivier Belley. 

 She started in the lead and performed a nice race. Unfortunately, SAINTLY QUEEN made a huge mistake at the last hurdle …which cost her the win. 

 It was a pity, but we now know that the filly has got over a “step” and “she will make it”!!

Unlucky last time out DARHAGRETI slipped in the bend at Questembert and fell) he redeemed himself at Dieppe.   

 He ran well, finished 4^th on June 26^th in a hurdle race for 4 year-olds over 2 miles 1 furlong.

Ridden by Thomas Beaurain, he started up with the pace… and at the end of the far straight he had as usual a sort of blank moment which according to Thomas cost him the 3^rd place.

What a pleasure for his owner François Audoin he has just bought a share in the horse) to see his horse run well  l!!  

We are looking forward to his next race, aren’t we François…?

FURIBON finished 4^th at Dieppe on June 26^th in a chase, ridden by Clément Lefebvre.

 Well placed all around (2 miles and 1½ furlong), he jumped well and finished well. The chase course is good at Dieppe but you need good jumpers and horses who can finish. 

He is a horse for the future, comes from a late family (by Balko out of Harielle II) and he needs to get rhythm and strength.

 We trust him !

…proud Florian and William (our young partners in Ecurie Le Pied A L’Etrier) to have a selfie with Pierre Charles Boudot !    

They were the representatives of the syndicate at Maisons-Laffitte on June 24^th when TINARILOU ran.  

 She is normally always in the frame, but this time she wasn’t… PC told us that she didn’t accelerate to finish, the trip of 2100m (1m2½f) is fine for her but she prefers softer ground and would be better off in the province.

On June 23^rd, at Saint Pierre La Cour, EN TEMPS VOULU finished 2^nd in a cross-country race over 2 miles and 5 ¼ furlongs, ridden by Christopher Couillaud. 

  She ran well, getting stronger, jumping seriously, and the obstacles of the cross-country obviously suit her… 

 And if you know the course of Saint Pierre La Cour which is very technical, you understand that you can’t run a modest jumper there.   

 On top of that, EN TEMPS VOULU was beaten by an “old” one, a 12 year-old who knows his job!!