Haras de Colleville

Alain Chopard's homebred Livachope (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) became the first winner for her Haras de Colleville-based freshman sire (by Kendargent {Fr}) when annexing a May 13 newcomers' heat at Chantilly, registering a first stakes success for Goken back there in the June 14 Listed Prix La Fleche last time, and completed the hat-trick in pattern-race company by plundering Thursday's G3 Prix du Bois over five furlongs at ParisLongchamp. She was the sharpest of six into stride and dictated on the lead at a modest pace through the initial strides of...

Haras de Colleville has the bragging rights after Alain Chopard's 2-year-old filly Livachope (Fr) provided their resident first-season sire Goken (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) with the first black-type available for the current crop in Chantilly's Listed Prix la Fleche on Sunday. Flashing early speed from her wide draw to move to the rail and the lead under Anthony Crastus, the May 13 course-and-distance maiden scorer was in front the whole way up the five-furlong straight and despite drifting right in the last furlong held on to beat fellow filly Pom Malpic...

Setting aside the disappointment that most of us won't actually be able to attend race meetings, June is promising to be a stellar month of action after a prolonged spell of inactivity. France has eased us back into the idea of being able to watch live European racing with a week of informative meetings, including a number of trials and juvenile contests, and Ireland was given a boost by government on Friday when it was confirmed that racing could begin again on June 8. In theory, British racing will start...

Alain Chopard's homebred bay Livachope (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) became the first winner for her Haras de Colleville-based freshman sire (by Kendargent {Fr}) when annexing a five-furlong debutantes' heat at Chantilly. 3rd-Chantilly, €22,000, Mdn, 5-13, unraced 2yo, f, 5fT, :58.99, g/s. LIVACHOPE (FR) (f, 2, Goken {Fr}--Laia Chope {Fr} {SP-Fr}, by Soave {Ger}) recovered from a slightly awkward getaway to track the pace in a handy third after the initial exchanges of this unveiling. Shaken up with 300 metres remaining, the 21-2 chance launched her challenge passing the furlong marker and...

Melting frost drips uniformly from the thatch at Haras de la Huderie. The January sun is a penetrating golden disc above the historic timbers of Haras du Quesnay. A broodmare rolls in one of Haras de Colleville's open green spaces. Normandy's tree-lined lanes bask in the generous light. Haras de Bonneval's undulating pastures grace the eye, picture perfect. It is La Route des Etalons once again in all its glory, blessed by a rare weekend-long respite from winter's most ruinous elements. The centrepiece of it, the stallion himself, struts his...