18 starters set for 1,000,000€ Prix d’Amerique

The field of 18 starters for the world’s richest harness racing event, the 1,000,000€ Prix d’Amerique, is set to go this Sunday, January 30 at the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes in France.

Davidson du Pont looks to be the early favorite:

Second in 2020, second in 2021, each time behind Face Time Bourbon. Since the announcement of the two-time defending champion’s withdrawal from the race, Davidson du Pont has inevitably seen his candidacy change dimension.

On Sunday, he will start as the second richest trotter in the race behind Billie de Montfort and will be driven by Nicolas Bazire, after being driven in 2020 by Franck Ouvrie and in 2021 by Jean-Michel Bazire.

Davidson du Pont has just been disqualified in the last meters of the Prix d’Amérique Races Qualif #6 – Prix de Belgique when he seemed to be able to win. His last positive performance dates back to September: it’s up to him to reverse the trend on the big day!

The stars of the Prix d’Amérique Circuit Races ZEturf

From the six qualifying races for the Prix d’Amérique ZEturf Legend Race, nine automatically qualified trotters are on the starting grid on Sunday. They could have been eleven but Face Time Bourbon and Ganay de Banville were not entered due to health reasons.

On the other hand, main actor of the first two qualifiers, Étonnant will be present associated with its regular driver Anthony Barrier. His trainer Richard Westerink is a regular at the big race: his previous crack Timoko participated six times! Timoko who is none other than the father of Amazing. The other eight qualifiers are: Rebella Matters, Diable de Vauvert, Vivid Wise As, Feydeau Seven, Galius, Cokstile, Billie de Montfort and the young Hohneck who will have many supporters on Sunday.

Flamme du Goutier: building on the momentum of the Prix de Cornulier

Very impressive last Sunday in the Prix de Cornulier (review the race),“without having had a hard race “to use the words of his coach Thierry Duvaldestin, Flamme du Goutier presents himself at the start of his first Prix d’Amérique Legend Race. Endowed with a great natural class, in the two specialties of the trot, Stirrup and Sulky, she will undoubtedly have a very beautiful card to play.

There are five starters that will be driven by their trainers (Power-Robert Bergh; Vitruvio-Alessandro Gocciador; Bahia Quesnot-Junior Guelpa: Davidson du Pont-Nicolas Bazire; Feydeau Seven-Jean Michel Bazire). There are six mares in the field led by 2.5€ million plus winner Billie de Montfort. 16 starters will race D4 (no shoes) and two starters will be minus front shoes.

The great Vincennes card also showcases a World Cup for four and five years olds, each race for a 300,000€ purse and raced over 2700 meters. The four-year-old field includes Callmethebreeze, Charmant de Zack and Dusktodawn Boogier. The five-year-old group includes Helgafell, Huwaga and Hooker Berry.

by Thomas H Hicks and LeTrot