Prix D’Amerique beckons in late January

The world’s most prestigious trotting race, the Prix D’Amerique is to be staged this year on Sunday 25 January. Worth I million euros ($A1.734 million) the event is run over 2700 metres at the famous Vincennes Hippodrome in Paris.

Generally regarded as the hardest trotting race to win the event is staged on spacious 2000 metre track.

A number of Australian harness racing identities are making the trip including leading local breeder Pat Driscoll and he commented:

There are 16,000 broodmares in France and that is the same as the number of thoroughbreds in Australia. Harness racing’s season in France is in winter with the thoroughbreds in Spring.

The event in particular is keenly supported with the different regions supporting their own trotters. Over a period of six weeks there are four to five qualifying races which are B grade classified. Typically the trotters race for 50 to 60,000 Euros per event at the Vincennes Raceway.

Driscoll added
I’ll be talking to owners regarding frozen semen. They tend to race their horses before breeding. It can be hard to wait until the horse retires to obtain sems. Each horse has syndicates in operation for racing, breeding and semen. We follow the rules and procedures of putting frozen semen into storage before using on mares. So you can’t take a punt on a young horse.

If you like a horse typically they can retire at eight or ten years of age. They have aged racing for six years and above. This is quite different from the USA where they can retire early. They are limited to 100 breeding mares per season and they might be allowed to breed only 25. So a champion sire in France is really good.

We had Ready Cash progeny who was the leading sire in France for a number of years. We got frozen semen from him and although he died 18 months ago, we have the last of his two year old colts going through the sales.

Currently we have Face Time Bourbon (17 Group 1s including two Prix D’Amerique in 2020 and 2021) offering Frozen semen. We’ve also got proven stallions such as Orlando Vici and Love You.

We’ve been able to form good relationships with our counterparts in France.

Driscoll will be joined by Harnesslink owner Mick Harvey who is looking forward to viewing the big event.

I’ll be looking to increase our focus on Europe that will enhance our status as the only truly global website with extensive coverage in Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe.

Therefore Harnesslink will be improving our coverage on the big feature events in France and Sweden in particular.

The three day carnival gets under way on Friday 23 January with the Salon D’Amerique which is the world’s largest trotting trade show featuring international exhibitors. Later that evening is Arqana Prix d’Amérique auction which is open only to Club Uranie members. Around one hundred elite trotters will be presented.

Saturday is the first feature race day with a number of classics including the The Prix Ourasi and Bold Eagle, pitting the best 3- and 4-year-old European trotters against each other.

Supported by other attractions the final day culminates in the big Final at 4.10pm local time (in Australia EST Monday 12.10am).

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink