London takes Prix de Selection/Face Time Bourbon

Today’s Paris-Vincennes co-featured Prix de Selection/Face Time Bourbon (Gr. I purse 240,000€, 2200 meters, 14 starters ages 4-6) went to front stepping 2.7/1 odds London (4f Rockfeller Center-Tilda) with trainer Mathieu Mottier aboard for breeder/owner Danielle Mottier.

The winner now has five wins in 18 starts for 283,970€. Race time was 1.11.6kr off even fractions. The 34/1 odds outsider Light My Fire (4m Ready Cash-Reethi Rah Jet), the Bold Eagle brother, was second for Franck Nivard, trainer Sebastien Guarato and owner Emmanuel Petit.

Third home was 11/1 odds Ksar (5m Follow You-Tes Amours) with Matthieu Abrivard aboard for trainer/owner Emmanuel Varin. The 2.5/1 odds favorite Keep Going (5m Follow You-Discovery Bond) was fourth for Eric Raffin, trainer Mottier and owner Jose Davet.

The 65/1 Jabalpur (6m Booster Winner) landed fifth with Gabriele Gelormini up followed by 71/1 Loulou de Mye (4m Clif du Pommereux) for R.C. Larue and 48/1 Khal’s Fella (5m Ready Cash) with Sebastien Ernault up.

To view the race replay, click here.

In the co-featured Prix Henri Desmontils (monte Gr. I International, purse 240,000€m 2850 meters, 10 starters ages 4-11) the 25/1 Hirondelle du Rib (8g Rolling d’Heripre-Anemone du Rib) scored in 1.11.8kr with jockey Noe Perron aboard for legendary trainer Joel Hallais and Ecurie Rib the owner and breeder.

The winner now has 11 victories in 82 career starts for 1,099,110€ earned. Second was 2.9/1 odds I Can Dream (7f Ubriaco-North America) with jockey Alexandre Abrivard up for owner/trainer L.C. Abrivard followed by 1.8/1 odds favorite Ideale du Chene (7f Bird Parker-Royale du Chene) with Paul Philippe Ploquin up for trainer Julien Le Mer and Yvonne Guedi the owner.

To view the race replay, click here.

Granvillaise Bleue (9f Jag de Bellouet-Lady de Brevol) rallied wide for fourth at 6.4/1 for Benjamin Rochard aboard the Pierre Levesque trainee. J’Aime le Foot (6m Boccador de Simm) was fifth at 19/1 with jockey Eric Raffin followed by 12/1 Elegance Kronos (5f Muscle Hill) with Mathieu Mottier and 94/1 Halfa (8f Offshore Dream) for Alan Gendrot.

Next up was the Prix de Montsoreau (purse 68,000€, 2700 meters, 15 European starters ages 7-11) that went to pacesetter and 4/10 odds favorite Cobra Killer Gar (7g Readly Express-Lady Killer Gar) timed in 1.13.5kr. Franck Nivard piloted this H.E. Bondo trainee for Incolinx Di Diego Romeo. The winner now has 10 wins in 16 starts in France for career earnings of 302,141€.

The 10/1 Ialso d’Hertals (7g Alto de Viette) rallied for second with Theo Duvaldestin driving the Thierry Duvaldestin trainee for Stal D’Aton. Third was 6.9/1 Harmony du Rahutin (8g Royal Dream) with David Bekaert up for trainer G.R. Huguet. The 30/1 Edibard (7g Make It Happen, 17/1 Furioso Fligny (10g Quick Wood), 73/1 Grez and 19/1 Chit Chat completed the top seven to the line.

To view the race replay, click here.

The Prix Franck Anne (Gr. III, purse 90,000€, 2700 meters, 11 starters age four) saw 15/1 odds outsider Learn To Fly (4m Uriel Speed-Santanna Girl) fire away his rivals to score in 1.12.9kr. Eric Raffin was the pilot for owner Michele Stihl and trainer Frederick Senet as the winner secured his fourth career victory now for 189,805€ earned.

The race honored the late great trainer/driver Franck Anne. Home second was 7.3/1 L’As Desbois (4m Booster Winner) with Matthieu Abrivard handling the Joel Seche owned and William Bigeon trained performer. Lyriko Bello (4m Timoko) was third at 53/1 odds for Damien Bonne and owner/trainer Alexandre Pillon. 55/1 La Star Roc (4f Aldo des Champs) with Yoann Lebourgeois up, 15/1 Louvre de Reve d’Or (4f Bold Eagle) for Benjamin Rochard, 14/1 Lizzano d’Alouette (4m Un Amour d’Haufor) with Gabriele Gelormini and 133/1 odds Lash Perrine (4m Django Rif) with Paul Philippe Ploquin aboard completed the top seven to the line.

To view the race replay, click here.

Post racing below is a photo of the Winter Meet driver/jockey leaders. Left to right its #3 Alexandre Abrivard, #1 Eric Raffin and #2 Matthieu Mottier. Great performance!!!

Yesterday (February 28) at Vincennes Goal Star won that day’s featured Prix Emile Allis Courboy (purse 75,000€, 2700 meters, 11 European starters ages 6-11 years). Goal Star (4g Look de Star-Queen Lane) rallied to win in the final stride at 11/1 odds for driver Benjamin Rochard, Lucky 8 Racing and trainer Dominik Locqueneux timed in 1.13.0kr.

Goal Star now sports 11 career victories in 76 starts for 428,120€ earned. Just missed second was pacesetter 5/10 odds favorite Working Class Hero (6m Village Mystic-Magnesia) with Mathieu Mottier driving the Jorgen Westholm trainee for Stall Frena AB.

Following third was 37/1 Heradames (8m Quaker Jet-Badames) with David Thomain up for breeder/owner Jean Pierre Barjon and trainer Clement Thomain. Harmonista (8g Volcain de Vandel) at 8.4/1 and 3.9/1 odds Iguski Sautonne (7m Village Mystic) completed the top five.

Trotteur Francais, Paris-Vincennes files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink