Saturday 14th Saint Cloud. One of the best AQPS of his generation on the flat, the 5 year old Quristine (AQPS-April Night) won his last flat race before heading jumping. The resident of Etienne Leenders went after the leader Quistis (AQPS-Network) at the end of the straight in the €35,000  Prix Chloris (AQPS-4&5yo Females-2500m)  , winning on her third start of the year after a long absence, from November 2008 to last September. The Peter and Nelly de la Guillonniere homebred has for a mother, D'Oseille (Abdonski), who won twice on the flat but was a maiden over jumps when in training with Etienne Leenders, but did however finish second four times in her cross-country career . Qurstine, her second produce, is her sole representative on the track to date.

Tuesday 24th Angers The superiority of Quristine (AQPS - April Night) in the €20,000 Prix Lord Magique (AQPS-4&5yos-2900m) was made obvious by a winning distance of 10 lengths. In a race led by Quinta (AQPS - Ragmar), Quristine waited patiently to make her move. But on the last bend, the grey seemed to be a class above the rest, a point which she proved in the straight. Quristine was being eased up by her jockey as she crossed the line. She came here off her success in the Prix Chloris and has already been schooled over fences. Her future lies in this direction.

Tuesday 24th, St.Cloud. An unlucky second behind de Shom Sioul (AQPS - Divine Light) in the Bourbonnais, Sister Palma (AQPS - Kahyasi) took her revenge in the €44,000  Prix Jacques de Vienne (AQPS-3yos-2400m)  , the most sought after AQPS flat 3yo race of the French calendar. Bred and owned in partnership by Jehan Bertrand de Balanda, Anthony Baudouin and François Hoffet, Sister Palma is a very regular filly who has never finished out of the first three. "She is simply very good," commented Jehan Bertrand de Balanda, "She accelerated well when asked. The last time she was unlucky, so this time we had decided to make our move early."

There was a hard fought battle for second place in this AQPS Grand Prix for 3 year olds, which is run in honour of the founder of the AQPS Association Jacques de Vienne. In the end it was Shom Sioul who took second place, three lengths behind the winner, beating Santalisa (AQPS - Laveron), winner of the Prix des Guilledines (AQPS Oaks) last time out in Durtal, and Sous Les Cieux (AQPS - Robin des Champs).

Sister Palma is a daughter of Miss Palma (AQPS - Great Palm), winner on the flat at Moulins and Vichy who has already produced Miss Sarenne (AQPS - Robin des Prés), also a winner on the flat. Their second dam, Mademoiselle Wo (AQPS - Prince Wo) won the highly regarded Prix de l'Yonne Mares' Chase (AQPS-4yos-3500m) for Jehan Betran de Balanda. She also bred Miss Academy (AQPS - Vidéo Rock), winner of the Jacques de Vienne in 2004 before moving to England.

Prix Renaud du Vivier (Gr.I - Haies - 3.900m - 4ans)  It looked for a long time that the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yos Hurdle (Gr1 - 3,900m) would escape the favourite Rock Noir (AQPS - Mansonnien). Having tracked his leader Longue Attente (Bernebeau), who pulled up on the far side, the partner of Alexis Acker was left alone in front. Tense and not jumping very well, he was then joined by Rochdale (AQPS - Video Rock), who came here off two successes and the Irish raider Jumbo Rio (Captain Rio). The latter was going very easily and seemed able to dominate the French. However the fight in the final straight was only resolved in the dying strides in the French horse's favour, who never gave up. More unexpected still was Najaf (Lost World), who looked completely beaten on the far side but made up considerable ground in the final phase.

JP McManus's "Rock" honoured his contract, but on a very tacky and trying track. The owner of Rock Noir had signed to keep the horse in France up until the Renaud du Vivier before moving him to Britain when he bought him. This latest victory might have changed his plans. JP McManus will meet with his advisors on Thursday and a decision will be made at this time. Wherever he goes, Rock Noir is rising five and next season will not be the easiest, unless of course he goes chasing in England as a novice. "Having a leader probably helped," said Marcel Rolland, who know has two of the best hurdlers in France in his yard. "According to Alexis Acker, he was very relaxed on the long straight past the grandstands. I only regret that Longue Attente couldn't keep going longer. He tensed up out in front and it was not ideal."

Read more on www.frogsracing.com

Prix Sytaj (Listed - Steeple - 4.100m - 4et5ans) The result of the €95,000 Prix Sytaj Chase (Listed - 4&5F) took shape at the last hurdle. Miss Aubane (Kahyasi), who still looked in with a chance of victory, took off to early and fell. Rika d'Airy (AQPS - Cachet Noir) was left alone in front to go on to an easy success ahead of Rien de Plus (AQPS - Video Rock) and La Trattoria (Majorien). Winning jockey Christophe Pieux summed up in saying: "The heavy ground helped. She is a tough mare. But I think I would have been beaten if Miss Aubane had not fallen." Rika d'Airy came here off a second place in the Prix Elisa, a chase reserved for 4 and 5 year old AQPS females. For all of the mares in this race, this was one of their last chances to acquire black-type ahead of their future careers at stud. Rika d'Airy was bred by Claude Pelsy. Her dam, Jamica d'Airy (AQPS - Marasali) has already bred Quamino d'Airy (AQPS - Cachet Noir), winner of an AQPS steeplechase last year in Pau. She is also the sister of Damasko d'Airy (AQPS - Marasali), winner of the Prince d'Ecouen, a handicap hurdle.