110,000€ Prix des Ducs de Normandie at Caen

May 13. 2020 – Earl Simon (6m Prodigious-Tindrana), with Franck Ouvrie up, powered away from his rivals to win today’s harness racing Prix des Ducs de Normandie (purse 110,000€, 2450 meters voltstart, 16 starters) at Caen in a quick 1.11.0kr.

Off at 10/1 Earl Simon was away to the lead that he wrested from first leading Bold Eagle and then yielded to Bugsy Malone.

Ouvrie then moved the winner to the front in early stretch and they jetted away to an easy victory.

Jorma Niskanen trains Earl Simon for Ecurie Skytten and he now shows a 2-2-2 slate in six 2020 starts.

He is 15 for 33 in the career. Enino du Pommereux (6m Coktail Jet-Noune du Pommereux) was second for pilot Mathieu Abrivard and trainer Sylvain Roger at 26/1.

Stablemate Delia du Pommereux was third but disqualified for interference in mid stretch.

That placed Bold Eagle (9m Ready Cash-Reethi Rah Jet) third at 12/1 with Eric Raffin up for trainer Sebastien Guarato.

Feeling Cash (5m Ready Cash-Royale Star) was placed fourth at 134/1 and handled by David Thomain for Philippe Allaire.

His 12/1 stablemate Bugsy Malone (9g Ready Cash-Night Captain) was placed fifth with Yoann Lebourgeois aboard.

Ceylan Dairpet was a dq and the big favorite 3/10 Cleangame was unplaced.

Cleangame was away toward the back on the far outside and moved up by the top of stretch before weakening.

There was a “false depart” that appeared to have been Bold Eagle caused.

Earl Simon

Replay – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbg0SJT04Xc

Racing in France resumed on Monday with a card at Vichy.

Germany also opened with racing at Munich Daglfin.

Next up for the top rung of trotteurs is May 17 at Charlottenlund with the Copenhagen Cup that drew a good field as shown below.

Expect more Elitloppet invites to flow from this event to join the current invitees Cokstile, Makethemark, Looking Superb, Missile Hill, Tae Kwon Deo, Attraversiamo, Elian Web, Chief Orlando and Vivid Wise As.

Thomas H. Hicks