Etienne & Grégoire Leenders Race-horse trainers

“Lifeless and without energy!!” such was the commentary of Pierre Charles Boudot after Prix Richard de Gennes at Craon in which he rode GREAT WEDDING.         

 Actually, she had a good race but didn’t accelerate and finished 5^th.  

   We’ll see how she is in the next few weeks and won’t worry about her future. If flat racing doesn’t suit her, she will go jumping like her elder sister EN TEMPS VOULU who is indeed not doing bad!!!

FASTELLE, a late developing filly was off for a small health problem.    

 Her comeback was planned at Craon in Prix de Beauchêne, a race for 4 and 5 year-olds over a mile and a half.   

  Ridden by Pierre Charles Boudot, she started in 5^th, 6^th position and kept this place all around.  

    PC, hemmed in along the rail in the last bend could not do what he wanted and lost places… once she was relaunched, she performed a nice finishing straight. His commentary after the race: “this impediment cost me the second place, but I liked her.” 

   Good comeback for FASTELLE. Her owners Gold and Blue and her breeder Isabelle de Saint Anthost were satisfied.

At Craon yesterday, we were so happy to see EN TEMPS VOULU win…

 She took part in a chase for gentlemen-riders over 4000m (2 miles and 4 furlongs).  

  Ridden by young Lucas Zuliani, she took the lead and “let those who love me follow me”!  

  But we couldn’t imagine that the race would be deprived of 4 horses midway: one slipped and three fell… 

 They were only two left in the race…but Lucas didn’t know it. He kept cool and left his competitor take the lead, maybe too soon… and he came back little by little after the last hurdle to eventually win by the shortest of noses!!     

   Well done to this young gentleman-rider who has certainly a good future !!      

Joy among the winners, the owners in partnership: Jean-Philippe Vinet, Luc Josse, Etienne and Grégoire!!

…for DARHAGRETI at Craon on August 31^st. 

 Ridden with a lot of confidence by Hugo Lucas, he started in 5^th, 6^th position, started coming closer at the entrance of the last bend and fought to get the second place. It is a good performance as Gabriel’s horse who beat us is very estimated by his trainer. 

 It was such a pleasure to see how happy his young owner was when the horse came back…

On August 31^st at Craon, GROOVY FILLY finished 4^th in a race for 4 year-olds and upwards over 2200m (a mile and 6 furlongs) for lady riders.  

 Young Astrid Peltier was chosen…and indeed she rode a nice, regular race. She was in 5^th, 6^th position and entered the straight at this place and Astrid made her finish

We can’t be ashamed of this place as we are beaten by horses with better ratings than our GROOVY FILLY.                                                                                                                                               

  But now, we would like to see her win… and honor the colors of her owner Nathalie Kerjean.

…SELFIE at Ploermel on August 31^st. She performed her race in the lead, jumping better than her competitors…but she made a big mistake at the one but last obstacle… and her jockey Alexandre Baudoin Boin was nearly off.    

   SELFIE was stopped but she resumed her race well, but too late to win. She was nevertheless 3^rd.      

     What a pity !

At Pornichet on August 30^th, PEDROZZO was second ridden by Soufiane Saadi. This good-looking 3 year-old ran very well. He started in the middle of the field, improved his position on the outside and performed a nice finishing straight beaten by little. 

  This son of Pedro The Great out of Helguera was bred by his owners P Goulard and Haras du Mondant.  

  He is going to improve for this race and we look forward to a win!!

…our ELAFONISSI, because we are rarely disappointed with her!!   

 On August 29^th, she was 2^nd at Lion d’Angers in a chase for 5 and 6 year-old mares over 4000m (2 miles and 4 furlongs).   

  Ridden by Alexandre Beaudoin Boin, from the start she was up with the pace… always sure in her jumps, at mid race, she let someone else take and in the straight, she finished very fast…a mistake at the last hurdle might have cost her

.... our OTO MAYA ROSAIRES ! She finished 4^th at Deauville in a handicap for 3 year-olds over 3000m (1 mile and 7 furlongs).  

 Ridden in 5^th 6^th position by Pierre Charles Boudot, she behaved well, was serious and professional… and out of the bend, OTO MAYA started being asked, finished well without really accelerating.      

  Commentary of PC: “a good filly, still baby like though…she doesn’t know yet where to put her legs… Grégoire, prepare her well and we’ll win a “quinté” (big handicap) at St Cloud during the autumn on a long distance race! ...

   Ladies and gentlemen, get your bets ready!!

…

FANTASTIC BERE ran well. It was at Chateaubriant on August 19^th, ridden by Christopher Grosbois. 

  He was 3^rd in Prix Paris Longchamp, a claimer over 1950m (a mile and 1 ¾ furlong). Smartly ridden by Christopher, he started at the back of the field…

then at the entrance of the final straight, he found an opening along the rail and finished remarkably well (not beaten much for the second place).    

This sort of tactics usually raises his spirits and he finished with courage. On top of that, FANTASTIC can’t be ashamed of this 3^rd place because he was beaten by the two favorites who had good performances last time out.     

The owners in partnership, Ecurie Pied A L’Etrier, Alain Régnier and Emmanuel de Seroux were satisfied.    

 And we can add “everything comes to those who wait!”