Francois Nicolle hopeful L'Autonomie can make a statement in Prix Leon Rambaud

Prix Leon Rambaud (Grade 2 Hurdle) | 5yo+ | 2m5f | SKY

The Grade 2 Prix Leon Rambaud will give an indication as to the pecking order among French hurdlers and the leading candidate is L'Autonomie, who swept all before her last year as a four-year-old.

She heralds from Francois Nicolle's academy in Royan on France's Atlantic coast, as did last year's winner De Bon Coeur. With that mare now off to a reported mating with Doctor Dino there is an opening at the top of the French hurdling tree.

L'Autonomie proved herself the best of her generation by a yawning 19 lengths in the Grade 1 Prix Renaud du Vivier, and showed that she had wintered well with an easy success on her first try at open company, the Prix Juigne, here in March.

While the five-year-old's quality is in no doubt this will be almost half a mile further than she has ever tackled, though Nicolle expects L'Autonomie to take the step up in her stride, just as De Bon Coeur did before her.

"I really don't expect the longer trip to be an issue although it is the big unknown," said Nicolle. "I had the same issue to worry about with De Bon Coeur and in both cases, on pedigree, they have plenty of stamina.

"It will all come down to how she looks after herself in the back straight [on the final circuit]. We need her to get a nice lead for as long as possible and if she can still be comfortable down the back, she’ll be fine. But she is in great form."

L'Autonomie and Angelo Zuliani return to the winners' enclosure after landing the Prix Renaud du Vivier at Auteuil in NovemberCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

Nicolle also runs another five-year-old in Porto Pollo, who has never finished closer to L'Autonomie in three attempts than the seven and a half lengths he was in arrears in the Prix Questarabad last June.

"He is a little bit below the best but I don't have a lot of options for him," said Nicolle. "There is nothing for him over fences at the moment and this is a comeback so he’ll be ridden for a place. He has surprised us several times and he is one of those horses that performs well when you least expect it."

Longer trip to suit Galop Marin

Dominique Bressou has grown accustomed to seeing the ultra-consistent Galop Marin carry welter burdens in the prep races that build up to the two level weights championship races each year, a situation which repeats itself here.

The dual Grand Prix d'Automne hero certainly has no concerns on the stamina front and should be seen to better effect than when a distant third behind L'Autonomie over an inadequate 2m2f in March.

"I think the longer trip will be a big advantage for him," said Bressou. "He has plenty of weight and the ground might be a little livelier than ideal. He could be found out for a bit of speed."

What the other connections say

David Cottin, trainer of Paul’s Saga
He is very well. We had him entered on the Flat at Fontainebleau in March but he wasn’t quite ready so I took him out. He’s short of a comeback run but he is well forward in his work.

David Windriff, trainer of Berjou
The Prix Juigne was a bit on the sharp side for him and moreover, having been on the go at Cagnes over the winter, I left him alone for five weeks after the meeting. He hadn't really worked ahead of that last run and had not even begun to come in his coat. Now he looks in great shape and I expect him to run much better.

Emmanuel Clayeux, trainer of Enjeu D'Arthel
I think he is in good form but he is better over fences than hurdles. We're running him over hurdles here because we didn't want to have two horses in the same race [Prix Murat], but I think he will go to the Grand Steeple after this.

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