Losange Bleu survives jumping scare to confirm Grade 1 hurdle domination

Favourite Losange Bleu and Johnny Charron made virtually every yard to justify the tag of hot favourite in the Grade 1 Prix Serge Landon – Grand Prix d'Automne, the highlight of day one of Auteuil's important 48-hours meeting. 

But it could all have been very different as the five-year-old blotted an otherwise flawless round of jumping when diving at the second-last hurdle and was lucky to remain standing.

At the line he had a diminishing length and a quarter in hand over Heloy Delabarriere, with a rejuvenated Hermes Baie finishing third. 

Trainer Dominique Bressou and owner Xavier Papot were regaining the winning thread in a race they won over four consecutive years between 2018 and 2021 with Galop Marin, while it is just the tenth time the same horse has won France's two Grade 1 open hurdles in the same season, as Losange Bleu followed up his success in May's Grande Course de Haies. 

"I feel liberated by the result more than anything because he didn't run well for his final prep race and it's a relief to get things back on track," said Bressou. "He was untouchable, apart from the mistake at the second-last, which could have cost us dearly. I can't say more than that."

Charron continued a golden period late in his career, signing for a sixth Grade 1 success, a sequence which only began with the 2022 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

"It was a proper mistake he made and I've no idea why but, apart from that, what a horse," said Charron, who dictated matters from the off. "The trainer had done his job and, knowing I was on the best horse, I didn't want to take any risks sitting in behind."

Bressou has endured a difficult autumn after receiving news of a positive test for a banned substance following Losange Bleu's win in the Prix de Compiegne on September 28.

The stewards at France Galop have yet to rule on the positive, which Bressou revealed to the media as soon as he was made aware of it and which appears to have been caused by contamination from a lorry.

"I have to thank the Papot family for their continued support because it's not been an easy time," said Bressou, who has never previously had a horse fail a test in 21 years with a licence.

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