Idao de Tillard impressive

Idao de Tillard (5m Severino-America de Tillard-First de Retz) won his fourth straight this night at Paris-Vincennes in the Gr. II (purse 120,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 10 starters all European 4–5-year-olds).

Off as the 5/10 odds favorite the winner was driven by Clement Duvaldestin for trainer Thierry Duvaldestin and owner Cyril Sevestre. Bred by Ecurie Chaunion, Idao now has 25 victories in 35 starts for 1,366,430€ earned and he has posted six groupe level wins in his last seven starts. Race time was 1.11.0kr off steady fractions. He’s a likely Amerique challenger. Finishing a fast closing second was 31/1 Inmarosa (5f Amiral Sacha-Varkava) with Leo Abivard the pilot for trainer L.C. Abrivard and owner Jacques Cottel. The 31/1 odds Ideal Ligneries (5m Repeat Love-Ouragame) held third with Francois Lagadeuc driving for Fabrice Souloy. The good field that finished four through seven included in order the 5.7/1 Just A Gigolo (4m Boccador de Simm), 18/1 Instrumentaliste (5m Ready Cash), 43/1 Cash Bank Bigi (5f The Bank) and 21/1 odds Crown Wise As (5m Muscle Hill-Temple Blue Chip), the half-brother to Vivis Wise As.

Idao raced without shoes behind and with the shoes in front as shown below from this Provence des Courses photo.

Two other groupe tests were on the rainy Vincennes stage. The Prix de Chateau Thierry (Gr. III, purse 66,000€, 13 three-year old starters, males) went to 8.6/1 Kool And The Gang (3m Ready Cash-Canga-Goetmals Wood) reined by Romain Derieux for trainer H.E. Bondo and Bruni Racing Team. Kool won for the third time in FR and 12 starts now for 134,340€ in career earnings. Race time was 1.14.3kr. Brothers In Arms (3m Fabulous Wood-Elusive Melody-Andover Hall) was second at 3.6/1 with Gabriele Gelormini aboard for Ecurie des Charmes and trainer Fabrice Souloy. Third was 22/1 L Koul des Charmes (3m Offshore Dream-Doris des Champs-Prince d’Espace) for Ecurie des Charmes and pilot Alesis Prat. Edin Jet (3m Googoo Gaagaa) was fourth at 37/1 and 68/1 Ernest Roc (3m Face Time Bourbon) landed fifth.

In the finale, the Prix de Valmas (Gr. III, purse 66,000€, 2700 meters, European three-year old fillies, 15 starters) went to 48/1 odds outsider Kiara de Vandel (3f Charly du Noyer-Silene de Vandel-Love You) timed in 1.13.8kr and reined by Leo Abrivard for Ecurie La Tour de Vandel and its trainer L.C. Abrivard. Kiara won for the fourth time in her 15 race career and advanced her earnings to 138,800€. Kalmia Perrine (3f Django Riff-Unibella Perrine-Diament Gede) was second at 3.2/1 driven by Theo Duvaldestin, Courant AB and its trainer Thierry Duvaldestin. The 47/1 Esperia CR (3f Ready Cash-Tantation Ans-Muscles Yankee) was third after a game third over third tier journey. Francois Lagadeuc drove this Vitale Ciotola trainee for owner Jean Pierre Dubois.

Le Trot, Paris-Vincennes, Provence des Courses files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink