Coming into this afternoon’s 3 miles 1 furlong 77 yards race, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Home By The Lee was seen by many as a serious challenger to French star Losange Bleu who was bidding to regain the title he won in 2024.

The Seán O’Driscoll-owned Home By The Lee had won two Grade 1 races, at the Cheltenham Festival and at Aintree, on his two previous starts.

Fast early pace

This afternoon, however, was one of the 11-year-old’s ‘non-going’ days, as Losange Bleu and jockey Johnny Charron set a fast pace at the front of the 11-runner field.

With the seven-year-old son of Martaline extending his advantage as the race progressed, J.J. Slevin and Home By The Lee soon found themselves struggling at the back of the field.

On the far side, on the final circuit, Slevin took the wise decision to pull the son of Fame And Glory up, as he was by that stage quite a distance off the other runners.

Losange Bleu, trained by Dominic Bressou, came home in splendid isolation, with Theleme staying on for second under Gaetan Masure, who had won the Prix Sagan earlier in the day.

A half-brother of the winner – both being by Martaline – Jet Blue was third, with Illusion Machine next home in fourth.

Didn’t happen for Home By The Lee

Reacting to Home By The Lee being pulled-up, J.J. Slevin told Sports News Ireland immediately after the race:

“It just didn’t happen for him today. They went a really good gallop and obviously horses went past him and he hasn’t enjoyed it – that’s him. The preparation had been good. That’s just him – everyone knows what he’s like, and the winner’s very very good.”

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The Racing TV Grand Course de Haies D’Auteuil Hurdle run over 3 miles 1 furlong and 77 yards was the highlight of day one of a two-day meeting in the French Capital.

It may have been seen as a rematch between last year’s winner, Losange Bleu (4/7 favourite), and runner-up Hewick (5/1), but the 8/1 shot El Clavel was the hero of the race.

Ridden by English jockey James Reveley, he had a length and a quarter in hand of Losange Bleu, with Johnny Charron in the saddle.

The 80/1 longshot Imbatable Du Seuil was third, eight lengths behind the runner-up.

Unfortunately for the Shark Hanlon team, Hewick, who raced in rear for most of the race, under Gavin Sheehan, and who looked very outpaced at times during the race, could finish no better than seventh of the eight runners.

Following today’s race, Shark Hanlon Racing tweeted the following on X:

“Hewick is perfectly fine after his run in the French Champion Hurdle. The Grand National took a bit out of him, he’ll now go on a break and we’ll plan on from there.”

Hewick in good form back at @almracing’s stables following the French Champion Hurdle #TeamHewick pic.twitter.com/Vp91gdUlBO

— Shark Hanlon Racing (@jhanlonracing) May 17, 2025

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