Ridden by Anthony Crastus who discovered the Durtal racecourse, Lili Ball took her revenge on the big favorite Ladiva Smart to offer the Prix des Guillédines (Gr.3), nicknamed the Prix de Diane des AQPS, to her trainer Lucie Pontoir, coming from Maisons-Laffitte.
Moved back 6 weeks in the program to be contested for the first time on December 15, the Prix des Guillédines (Gr.1) had to change racing conditions to accommodate a Gr.1 winner. Indeed, this lot brought together the best of the year for 3-year-old AQPS flat females, starting with Ladiva Smart (Manduro). All 1st AQPS residentEdward Monfortthis student of Pascal Berthou had just taken off in the Prix Jacques de Vienne, the Gr.1 contested exceptionally on the PSF of Chantilly the day after the snowstorm which made the Saint-Cloud track impassable.
That day, facing the males (who are oriented earlier and earlier on obstacles these days), the females had monopolized the first 3 places of the Parisian Gr.1, with Ladiva Smart who dominated the excellent Louisa Bambooand also, hidden by the rope, Lili Ball who had restarted well after being completely blocked at the start under the expert saddle of Mickaël Barzalona.
On the first pass in front of the stands, Ladiva Smart leads Lolita du Breuil (orange jacket) and Louisa Banbou (yellow and green jacket). The future winner Lili Ball (white and purple helmet) gallops nearby.
Returning to Anjou-Maine, 8 months after his victorious debut on the very difficult field of April 1st at the Lion d'Angers, associated Christopher GrosboisLili Ball was this time ridden by Anthony Crastus. The latter had studied his subject well and had for his partner a hope of revenge on Ladiva Smart but also Louisa Banbou, again in the running.
In 20 years of international career, Anthony Crastus has ridden on many racecourses in France and around the world, as far as India, but discovered the Durtal course, which offers a large track of 1900 m around but with a line on the opposite side which goes down with serious going up, and which gives rise to tactical games on the part of the jockeys. Thus, in the saddle on the favorite Ladiva Smart, Yohann Barillé tried to make the difference in one go by suddenly accelerating halfway through the final turn after leading in a wrong train. But the experienced Anthony Crastus had already placed himself close enough in the peloton to keep the fugitive within gunshot, and come back to take the advantage halfway through the straight. Louisa Banbou, still there, takes 3rd place.
Lili Ball, ridden by Anthony Crastus who discovered the Durtal racecourse, takes the measure of Ladiva Smart who remains 2nd.
Lili Ball honors her father Name of d'Làa stallion who has never covered much, but who continues to obtain good results. He is notably the father of Gypsy Jazzone of the best jumpers over large obstacles at Auteuil, winner of the Prix Morgex (Gr.3) at the end of 2023 and the Prix Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre (Gr.3) in February 2024. Nom de d'Là settles in 2025 to Haras des Anseschez Marie-Elyse Faivrein Saone-et-Loire, very close to its owners, Alexandrine Berger et Jean-Paul Galloriniau Haras de l’Etoile du Berger. They have always been very supportive of him, and rightly so.
Lili Ball descends from one of the greatest AQPS origins in France, that developed by Jean-Louis Berger, the father of Alexandrine, from the foundation mare Etoile du Berger, 4th dam of the winner of the Guillédines 2024. This is the strain of Rolling Ball, Rubi Ball, Useful, Ratabour, Quecy de Chadzeau, etc…Before Lili Ball, her mother Voix de Montot (Voix du Nord), herself 3rd in the Prix Isopani at 3 years old at Auteuil, gave birth to Fifty Ball, a black-type in England. She had a filly by Nom de d'Là, and was covered by Cokoriko in 2024.
VIEW THE EXTENDED PEDIGREE OF LILI BALL