L'Autonomie extends her reign as queen of Auteuil with ruthless display

L'Autonomie was twice beaten in deep winter ground when stepped up to trips in excess of three miles late in a disrupted 2020 campaign but on Sunday she once again proved herself the horse to beat from the home team when the Grade 1 Grande Course de Haies rolls around at Auteuil in the middle of next month.

Angelo Zuliani bounced L'Autonomie out in front and, while as usual she jumped a little to her right, he was able to wind up the pace gradually from halfway down the back straight on the final circuit of the Grade 2 Prix Leon Rambaud over 2m5½f.

That was the point at which the two British-trained challengers, Espoir De Teillee and Top Ville Ben, began to find the pace too hot and it was left to Paul's Saga and Galop Marin – both of whom are much more effective when the mud flies – to give vain chase.

"I wouldn't say she has changed but she is back to being the horse we know and how we like her," said Zuliani. "It's testament to some great work by the team at home and last year I made some errors that have now been corrected. Today she showed what a crack she is."

Espoir De Teillee earned the Tom George team €5,425 for finishing a distant sixth, while Top Ville Ben got tired on his first start since the 2020 Cotswold Chase and was pulled up.

His jockey Felix de Giles had much better luck earlier in the day when steering Fanfaron Special to victory in the Prix du President de la Republique, France's biggest handicap chase and a prize French trainers covet to the same extent as the Grand National.

Fanfaron Special provided back-to-back successes in the race for trainer Patrice Quinton.

Felix de Giles won France's Grand National equivalent, the Prix du President de la Republique, aboard Fanfaron SpecialCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

De Giles said: "He jumped brilliantly and the cheekpieces meant I was able to get him to concentrate a bit more. I've spent the last month cursing the handicapper for putting him up 4kg [9lb] but it looks like he was right."

The Sophie Leech-trained Enfant Roi jumped the last alongside Fanfaron Special and a famous success was still a possibility halfway up the run-in, before a stopping weight finally told and he went down by a length and three-quarters.

Place bets with seven bookmakers without leaving the free Racing Post app. Same prices, same offers, live video. Every race, every day. Search 'Racing Post App' to download for free