THERE was a magnificent meeting at Auteuil last Sunday when France’s best jumpers went through their paces a month before the big 48-hour weekend on November 5th and 6th.

The most exciting event of this afternoon came in the Grade 3 Prix Heros XII where Milord Thomas just prevailed by a head in front of his old rival So French (James Reveley) who had won the previous May’s Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris when Milord Thomas was fourth.

He will now try to land back to back victories in the Grade 1 Prix La Haye Jousselin and again come up against many of his old rivals. The Grade 2 Prix de Georges de Talhouet-Roy hurdle went to the Invicter from the stable of Guillaume Macaire, who was landing his 197th winner of the season. This gelding will now be one of the favourites for the Group 1 Prix Cambaceres during the big November weekend.

The odds-on favourite Kalifko was a decent sixth and will have benefitted from the outing but sustained some cuts to his hind legs. Ultraji caused a bit of a surprise in the Prix Carmarthen when beating the odds-on favourite Alex de Larreyda (gave 6lb) by two lengths. They will meet again in the Grand Prix d’Automne.

Four-year-old chasers went through their places in the Prix Orcada, which went to Paulougas from Saint Turgeon with the favourite Caresse d’Estruval not far away in fourth place. The order may not be the same in the Prix Maurice Gillois back at Auteuil next month.

Almanzor’s Arc no-show

MANY people wondered why Jean-Claude Rouget did not saddle the Prix du Jockey Club winner Almanzor for the Qatar Arc de Triomphe after the training setback to La Cressonniere. He has since explained that the colt had to be given a light anaesthetic for a test prior to an interested party looking at the son of Wootton Bassett. The colt missed three days and it will now be interesting to see what silks will be worn by Christophe Soumillon when he lines up for the Qatar Champion Stakes at Ascot this afternoon.