Favorite race Losange Bleu won the Racing TV Grande Course De Haies D’Auteuil [The French Champion Hurdle] in Auteuil this afternoon, but disappointment for the Irish challenger Home By The Lee who was stopped.
Before this afternoon’s 77-yard, 3-mile, 1-furlong race, Home By The Lee, trained by Joseph O’Brien, was seen by many as a serious challenger to French star Losange Bleu who was trying to regain the title he won in 2024.
The Seán O’Driscoll-owned Home By The Lee had won two Grade 1 races, at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, on his two previous starts.
Fast pace at first
This afternoon, however, was one of the 11-year-old’s off days, as Losange Bleu and jockey Johnny Charron set a fast pace at the head of the 11-runner field.
While Martaline’s seven-year-old son increased his advantage as the race progressed, JJ Slevin and Home By The Lee quickly found themselves struggling at the back of the pack.
On the other side, on the final circuit, Slevin made the wise decision to go up the son of Fame And Glory, because he was at that time quite far from the other riders.
The Losange Bleu, coached by Dominic Bressou, returned to splendid isolation, while Thélème remained second under Gaétan Masure, winner of the Prix Sagan earlier in the day.
A half-brother to the winner – both out of Martaline – Jet Blue finished third, followed by Illusion Machine in fourth.
This didn’t happen for Home By The Lee
Reacting to the shutdown of Home By The Lee, said JJ Slevin Sports news Ireland immediately after the race:
“It just didn’t happen for him today. They had a really good gallop and obviously the horses passed him and he didn’t like it – it’s him. The preparation had been good. It’s just him – everyone knows what he is like and the winner is very, very good.”
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