The Grade 3 Prix Hypothese at Auteuil (3.15pm) looks a cracking race, with the pre-race talk all about last year’s Grande Course de Haies 1-2 Paul’s Saga and L’Autonomie, who makes her seasonal return here. They are two highly-talented mares and are hugely respected, but at a bigger price, I am taking them on with Loradame.
Arnaud Chaille-Chaille had a pretty disastrous first nine months of 2020, but his yard hit form in the autumn and Loradame was able to start showing what she is capable of, winning in Listed company here in November and then following up in the Grade 3 Prix Andre Michel the following month, readily accounting for her more-established stablemate Cotee Sud.
The Chaille-Chaille team remain in fine form and I thought there was so much to like about Loradame’s reappearance here last time, where she finished a close third behind Polirico and Paul’s Saga, with Galop Marin back in fourth. The race wasn’t really run to suit, with the outsider going quickly in front, and she was just left with the lead earlier than ideal, given the speed they went early. Still, the way she travelled best of all to the last was highly encouraging given the quality of the field, she kept on all the way to the line and wasn’t beaten at all far, so it was a really promising reappearance.
There is every reason to expect further improvement after that comeback run and I’m looking forward to seeing her over the extra 300m today. At 10-1, she has to be backed against the big two.
3.15pm Auteuil – 1pt each-way Loradame @ 10-1 (all firms)
