'He's had a right blow and quickened again' - Felix de Giles hails returning Juntos Ganamos after Grand Steeple-Chase trial win

Juntos Ganamos produced a powerful display of jumping and galloping under Felix de Giles to land the Prix Troytown, the second of four key trials for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

Last year's Grade 1 Prix Fernand Dufaure winner endured a checkered second half of 2023, failing to complete twice, but the five-year-old shook off any winter rust to beat a race-fit rival in Gallipoli by eight lengths, with another seven back to last year's Cleeve Hurdle winner Gold Tweet. 

"He was a bit unlucky last season but, having said that, he needs a bit of help," said De Giles. "He's a big horse with a massive action and isn't the best-balanced horse I've ever sat on, but he's got a real engine. When it all comes together, you see what he's capable of doing.

"He needed it and was doing more than I'd like early on. He properly went for his girths on the last bend so I filled him up, almost thinking I'd ride for second, but you can see the quality this horse has because he's had a right blow and then quickened again.

"He's handled that outer chase track well and it's all systems go."

Juntos Ganamos provided the most important win for trainer David Cottin since returning from a ban imposed for failing to respect the withdrawal periods on medication, during which time the now-five-year-old was transferred to Cedric Boutin. 

Just caught on the line three weeks ago in the Prix Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre, Gallipoli once again ran with great credit, while Gold Tweet might have finished closer to the principals but for a bad mistake at the third-last fence.

On his first run since finishing second in the Grade 1 Prix La Haye Jousellin last November, the Louisa Carberry-trained Gran Diose stayed on for fifth. He could return to Auteuil on April 6 for the Prix Murat, where he would meet the Kauto Star Chase winner, Il Est Francais.

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