Marescsou: 1st graded winner for Maresca Sorrento

The winner of a magnificent battle for the Prix Leon Rambaud, Questarabad confirmed his position as the best French hurdler. He saw off the remarkable Comaro (Comte du Bourg), nephew of recently arrived Cantal sire Grey Risk. Already a winner on the flat at three years old, the AQPS Questarabad (Astarabad) won six days after the impressive success of his cousin Rock Noir (Mansonnien) at the same track.

Both geldings descend from Insoumise (Novitur), an unraced AQPS born in 1974. She is at the origin of numerous winners including English Gr 3 winner Lacdoudal. Rock Noir's dam Keep Me (Kadalko) won at Auteuil and Questarabad's dam Belfaster (Royal Charter) won four small contests on the flat. The breeder of these two stars, Jean-Francois Colas, operates on a quality policy rather than quantity and invests in leading stallions. In Astarabad and Mansonnien he may have his investments have paid off.

More unexpected was the success of the Guy Cherel trained Marescsou in the Gr 2 Prix Jean Stern. This horse always gives the strict minimum but is tough as nails and he provided a first Graded victory for his sire Maresca Sorrento, a son of Cadoudal  who stands at the Haras de la Rousseliere in the Maine et Loire region. The sire is in great form as his 5yo son Rescato de l'Oust had recently lifted his first Listed event and he was also successful in the provinces on Saturday thanks to 4yo steeplechaser Reveur de Grandval.

It is also worth noting the first Auteuil victory for Martaline, thanks to his first 3yo seen in action at the track, Si Tu Viens. Another first came for Crillon, whose son Kadyphard won the Listed Prix Gaston Branere, his first black-type success. The little-known sire was formerly at the Haras de Pelmer and is now stationned at the Haras de la Baie in Northern France.