Bolkhov won the 5:15 Prix de Crepon Handicap, the finale of Deauville’s Saturday card, at 10/1 under Julien Claudic for the Botti stable, beating the favourite Mon Black Du Livet by half a length.
| Pos | Horse | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bolkhov | Julien Claudic | 10/1 |
| 2nd | Mon Black Du Livet | Joachim Moutard | 9/2F |
| 3rd | Royal Shake | Eddy Hardouin | 18/1 |
Sixteen runners faced the starter over 7f 209y on soft ground, with the winner clocking 1m 37.19s and collecting just shy of €13,000.
The Race Story
In a typically frantic big-field Deauville handicap, Claudic produced Bolkhov with a perfectly-timed challenge to wear down Mon Black Du Livet, who had gone for home under Joachim Moutard. The favourite fought all the way to the line but was collared close home, with the British-bred outsider Royal Shake staying on well for third at 18/1, a length and a half away. Christophe Soumillon, chasing a third winner of the afternoon aboard Nadir, finished out of the frame.
The soft ground that has dominated the Normandy weekend proved decisive again, stamina and cover counting for everything on the straight track.
Tipster Accountability
Our Deauville preview put up last-time-out winner Haditouni under Mickael Barzalona — he could manage only tenth, and with him went the final leg of the 150/1 Deauville accumulator, which finished two from four after Drazinda and Victoire Magique had obliged earlier. No tracked tipster in today’s review was involved in the French action.
Looking Ahead
Deauville’s Saturday ended with a shock in the Prix Isola Bella, where Canneza sprang a 51/1 surprise, and the August festival now builds to its Sunday centrepiece: the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Franco-British sprint clash the whole meeting has been pointing towards. Our preview desk will have the runners covered in the morning.
