Shaneshill 3rd - Serge wins French Champion L'Ami Serge came from last to first to snatch Grade One honours in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (French Champion Hurdle) at the Paris track. Daryl Jacob bided his time on the Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old, on what was L'Ami Serge's first attempt at the three-mile-one-and-a-half-furlong trip. French favourite Blue Dragon set out to make all the running but a mistake three out put paid to his chances. After that, Alex De Larredya tried to steal a march on his rivals and made a beeline for the stands rail. Meanwhile, L'Ami Serge (9-2) was produced on the opposite side of the course and galloped on resolutely after the final flight to hit the front on the run-in and land the spoils for owners Simor Munir and Isaac Souede from the Francois Nicolle-trained Alex De Larredya, wearing winning connections' French colours. The Willie Mullins-trained Shaneshill was third, with Bosseur fourth. Last year's winner, the Paul Nicholls-trained Ptit Zig, was well beaten this time, as was Warren Greatrex's One Track Mind. L'Ami Serge was given a quote of 14-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival with BetVictor. Munir and Souede bagged a Grade One double when Prince Ali took the Prix Alain du Breil. Guillaume Macaire's charge just held Ruby Walsh on the Mullins-trained Bapaume with Paul Townend third on Dandy Mag, also for Mullins. Odds-on favourite De Bon Coeur had made the running and was still going well in front when he gave James Reveley a tumble at the second-last jump.
