€120,000 Group II contests at Vincennes

January 23, 2016 – 2.6/1 favorite Your Highness (7f Chocolatier-La Belle Lady) rallied to capture the Prix de Brest (purse €120,000, 2850 meters, 16 European starters) at Paris–Vincennes timed in 1.15.4kr. Harness racing driver Franck Nivard was the pilot for trainer Fabrice Souloy and owner PV Racing Stable HB.

2.8/1 second choice DanteBoko (6g Going Kronos-Margherita Rosa) held on for second with Eric Raffin up for trainer Lutfi Kolgjini and Stall Be The Best with 13.3/1odds Amazon AM (6f Gigant Neo-Eclat de Bois) third for Dominik Locqueneux, trainer Robert Bergh and owner In The Zone AB. Tagada Tagada and Tellement Haufor finished fourth and fifth.

This race was the Quinte+ event of the day in France and the favorites at the top of the ticket cased a modest payoff for holders (excluding the jackpot).

Your Highness

The Gr. II Prix de Pardieu (purse €120,000, 2175 meters, 14 monte starters) went to 1.12.8kr timed, 7.2/1 Clara du Pontseuil (4f Mich Phili-Osaka d’Occagnes) with Anthony Barrier in the irons.. Three lengths back was 2.3/1 Cloane du Vivier (4f Repeat Love-Royale du Vivier) and jockey Eric Raffin. Jean-Yves Lucuyer, a noted FR breeder, owns this one and Sebastien Guarato is the trainer. 1.2/1 favorite Cassandra d’Em (4f Kesaco Phedo-Paradisia d’Em) was third for Yoann Lebourgeois.

Un Roi Mage Wins Prix de Brossac Apprentice Monte Test at Vincennes

January 22, 2016 – Nils Pacha teamed 7.9/1 Un Roi Mage (8g Mage de la Merite-Crazoline) to victory in today’s €48,000 Prix de Brossac at Vincennes timed in 1.15.3kr over the 2700 meter course. The winner bested 17 rivals driven by apprentice teamsters to score in 1.15.3kr at 7.9/1 odds for owner/trainer Benoit Carpenter. 11.7/1 Urzo du Cap Vert (8g Sancho Panca-Jalna Grandchamp) was second for Alexis Collette with 14.7/1 Victor de Carsi landing third for Alexis-Philippe Grimault.

On the undercard the Prix de Bouvron (purse €22,000, 2100 meters autostart, 15 claiming starters) went to the 1.15,3kr timed, 2/1 favorite Auteur (6g Overtrick-One So) for driver Martin Cormy and owner RMC 2014. Mickael Cormy trains this winner. 5/1 Amtao (6g Rocklyn-Melia Clairchamp) rallied for second teamed by Kevin Venderschelden for the trainer/owner team of Yves Boireau and Jean-Pierre Dubois. 9.5/1 Athletic Charm (6g Rocklyn-Charmeuse) was third for Charley Heslouin and trainer Eric Martin.

The €46,000 Prix de Beaucourt (2700 meters, 18 starters) went to 24/1 Baladin Hongrois (5g Bon Conseil-Relodie Hongroise) for trainer/driver Arnaid Desmottes clocked in 1.18kr on the rain-soaked cinders. 22/1 Bingo d’Attaque was second for Gabriel Gelormini with 39/1 Beluga du Pont third for Franck Ouvrie

The top-flight Sunday card at Vincennes features the €700,000 purse Prix de Cornulier with 18 monte starters to battle in the classic affair with the winner earning a Prix d’Amerique invitation.

Thomas H. Hicks