'Amazing' Docteur De Ballon taking aim at Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris double

3.30 Auteuil
Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Grade 1) | 3m6f | 5yo+ | Sky

It is rare a staying chaser does anything to trouble the clock-watchers but the way Docteur De Ballon sprinted home from the back of the last to land the delayed Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris last October was quite something.

And to prove it was no fluke, he then rattled home in similar fashion six weeks later to complete France's big Grade 1 double in the Prix la Haye Jousselin.

On his comeback in the Prix Murat Docteur De Ballon just failed to reel in Ajas – who on Sunday will be a first Auteuil ride for Rachael Blackmore – and now bids for more glory against a field at least as deep on talent as the one he surged past last October.

For English-born Louisa Carberry and her assistant and husband Philip, Docteur De Ballon has proved a life-changing horse.

"He's exceptional and it's very rare to have a horse who can run over three miles and then sprint," she said. "It's not something we do at home/ We hoped he would stay but it was really quite something to see him do that. He really lowers his body into it and goes for it."

Carberry admits winning the Grand Steeple-Chase was a tough watch, not least because his only prep-run had ended up with Bertrand Lestrade being thrown over his ears in a hurdle race at Compiegne.

And five fences from the finish he still had the entire field in front of him.

"The Rail Ditch [halfway down the back straight] and the one after that was really where he jumped himself into the race and within two fences I started to think he was in with a chance," she said.

Louisa Carberry embraces Docteur De Ballon after his victory in 2020Credit: Scoop Dyga/France Galop

"Turning in he was on their tails and I was excited thinking we might get a place and it was quite an odd race to watch, with the concerns about his fitness after one run in a year and a half."

Carberry added: "The question was whether we'd done our job right and it was quite nerve-racking. I certainly didn't think he was cruising round. Bertrand said he couldn't believe how well he was travelling down the back but he's the sort of horse who, until you ask the question, you don't know."

Docteur De Ballon was conceding 3lb to Ajas in the Murat and off level weights - and with a run in his legs - Carberry could not be anything other than thrilled.

She said: "Everyone wants to win but it was a near-perfect comeback. He jumped brilliantly and travelled really well. He ran all the way to the line and the old spark seemed still to be there."

Cottin chases first Grand Steeple victory

David Cottin famously finished second four times in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris during his storied riding career and the 31-year-old trainer has three of the leading contenders for the prize in his care, including the Blackmore-partnered Ajas, who has been the revelation of the season in France.

"Ajas had a fantastic winter meeting at Pau and has continued to work his way up the grades," said Cottin. "He is getting stronger all the time.

"He is a very straightforward ride and a great jumper. I got in touch with Rachael Blackmore and she was immediately up for the challenge."

David Cottin poses with his three Grand Steeple-Chase candidatesCredit: © Aprh / Quentin Bertrand / France Galop

If there is a stable number one then it must be Le Berry, to whom Kevin Nabet remains loyal and who is unbeaten in seven career chase starts, with five at Auteuil.

"He had an easy comeback run over hurdles at Compiegne to get his eye in and then a month later he did something quite incredible in the Prix Ingre," said Cottin. "He is a lot more relaxed now, he doesn’t need to make the running these days. That is a big advantage going up to 6,000 metres (3m6f)."

Felix de Giles takes the ride on the Cottin-trained General En Chef, who like Le Berry is only a five-year-old and a serious candidate on the evidence of his 11-length defeat of Carriacou in the Listed Prix William Head.

Carriacou recorded a famous win in this race in 2019 under Davy Russell and bids to regain his crown under James Reveley, a three-time Grand Steeple hero.

Isabelle Pacault said of her stable star: "You can't boss this horse around and in the Prix William Head, he overtook every other horse except the leader, who was so far ahead that Carriacou thought better of it.

"That was over 4,400 metres (2m7½f) and that's not the same thing as 6,000 metres. He never gets tired and while I probably should have put cheekpieces on him, I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Lord Du Mesnil (left) represents Richard HobsonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The last British-trained horse to be placed in the Grand Steeple-Chase was Batman Senora, who was second to Line Marine for Ian Williams back in 2003.

Lord Du Mesnil has the credentials to threaten the prize-money on much softer ground than he encountered when pulled up in the Grand National, and Richard Hobson has booked Danny Mullins for the challenge.

Hobson said: "He's taken the trip over fine and is fresh, we rode him out this morning at Saint-Cloud. The rain is very intermittent and localised so I hope Auteuil has caught a bit.

"He's a proper heavy ground performer and this trip is right up his street so if Danny [Mullins] can get him in a proper rhythm then he could very well be placed."

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