ch g Garde Royale - Carmonera (FR) (Carmont (FR))
Formerly trained in France, where he won two hurdle races at Enghien in 2000, Royal Auclair made a winning debut in Britain for Martin Pipe in a novices' hurdle at Sandown in February, 2001. On his one subsequent start that term, he was well beaten by Montalcino in the Citroen C4 Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree. The next season he was sent over the bigger obstacles, winning three of his four starts including the Cathcart Chase at the Cheltenham Festival that March. During the 2002/03 campaign, the Garde Royale gelding was less successful, going down by at least 15 lengths on his three outings. He was transferred to Paul Nicholls in August, 2003. During the 2003/04 season, he finished in the first four on seven of his 10 starts, including on his final outing at Sandown in the Betfred Gold Cup that April, going down by a short-head to Puntal. Royal Auclair made a winning reappearance the following season, in the Listed Badger Ales Handicap Chase at Wincanton. He was subsequently an excellent third to Celestial Gold in Newbury's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and obtained the same placing behind Grey Abbey in the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham. A fine fourth to Kicking King in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup preceded a tremendous performance when second under 11st 10lb to Hedgehunter in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National, before falling at the first in the Betfred Gold Cup. A reappearance fifth to Kingscliff in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, 2005, was followed by victory in a Listed handicap chase at Cheltenham the following month. He was then fifth to Kicking King in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day, before a surprise defeat when second to See You Sometime in the Cotswold Chase at Wincanton. He then ran ninth behind War Of Attrition in the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, 2006, but got no further than the first fence in the 2006 John Smith's Grand National, and failed to get competitive on his next two starts in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr and the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown. Royal Auclair kicked off the 2006/07 campaign with a sixth to See You Sometime in a valuable three-mile chase at Ascot in October, and then ran fifth to Spot Thedifference in a cross-country event at Cheltenham the following month. After coming home seventh behind Whispered Secret at Cheltenham in January, Royal Auclair ran well when third behind Kauto Star in the AON Chase at Newbury on February 10, prior to finishing sixth to Heads Onthe Ground in the BGC Handicap Chase, over the cross-county course, at Cheltenham in March. In last year's John Smith's Grand National, Royal Auclair was prominent in the early stages of the race, but fell at the ninth fence. This season, Royal Auclair put a below par effort in a Grade Three chase at Ascot behind him with a close fourth behind course specialist Spot Thedifference in a cross-country chase at Cheltenham in November. After another disappointing effort over the National fences, when unseating in the totesport Becher Chase nine days later, Royal Auclair returned to Cheltenham with another good display over the cross-country course, finishing third behind Wonderkid, a position he would also fill in veterans' handicap chases at Wincanton and Newbury. On his final start prior to the John Smith's Grand National this year, Royal Auclair finished fifth in the BCG Handicap Chase, again over the cross-country course, at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.
Race Record: Starts: 52; 1st: 8; 2nd: 6; 3rd: 9; Win & Place Prize Money: £487,486
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AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL 2008
