36-1 upset winner in Grade III test at Vincennes

Thursday’s Paris-Vincennes harness racing program featured the Prix de Chateau Chinon (Gr. III, purse 80,000€, 2700 meters, European three tear olds) saw 36/1 Calypso di Poggio (3f Ready Cash-Princess America) score in 1.13.0kr with Adrien Lamy aboard.

This H.E. Bondo trainee won for the first time in France and advanced her life earnings to 75,817€. The 64/1 Collier (3f Maharajah) was second with Alexandre Abrivard up for trainer Vitale Ciotolo. The 1.6/1 favorite Dusk To Dawn Boogie (3f Lexus Font) rallied from the clouds for third with trainer Jean Michel Bazire up.

On the Vincennes card reinsman Eric Raffin recorded a driving double (with Farah des Caux and Gys) to increase his 2021-win total to 346 in 1808 appearances. He has 292 sulky wins and 54 monte. His 2021 total surpassed his 345 in 2019 that tied the 2006 record of Jean Michel Bazire. Raffin now has 4,091 career wins compared to Bazire’s 6,488.

At Bordeaux was the Grand Prix d’Hivier (purse 49,000€, 2650 meters distance handicap, European five year olds) and 6.7/1 odds Fandango la Nuit (6g Look de Star) scored in 1.13.2kr for driver Philippe Boutin. 7.2/1 Fakir Merite (6m Uaukir) was second for Franck Marty and 13/1 Bilooka du Boscail (10f Look de Star) was third for Yves Hurel, this one with a 25-meter handicap. The 50-meter handicapped Etonnant finished eighth for Anthony Barrier timed in 1.12.1kr in an Amerique tune-up.

On December 28 at Vincennes trainer Robert Bergh was 1-2 in the Prix de Craon (purse 58,000€, 2700 meters for European 6-10 year olds. The 6.5/1 odds and 1.12.4kr timed winner was Pinto Bob (6g Maharajah) with Bjorn Goop up for trainer Bergh. This was his first win in France now for 231,522€ earned. The 3.4/1 Vikens High Yield (7g Love You) was second with Eric Raffin aboard. The 1.4/1 Heading Reference (7g Scarlet Knight) took third for trainer/driver Jean Michel Bazire.

On December 26 at Cagnes sur Mer the Gr. III Grand Prix de Noel (purse 66,000€, 2700 meters autostart) went to 1.12.2kr timed and 1.7/1 odds Ecureuil Jenilou (7g Village Mystic) with Gwenn Junod aboard. Louis Baudron trains this 19-time winner now for 447,490€ earned. Nicolas Baudron is the winning owner. 27/1 Eden Basque (7g Singalo) was next for reinsman Guillaume Lemoine with third to 3.7/1 Express Jet (7m Goetmals Wood) for Yannick Alain Briand.

On Sunday January 2 is the fifth qualifier for the Grand Prix d’Amerique. With Face Time Bourbon and Etonnant absent this will be a wide-open event with Missle Hill, Don Fanucci Zet and Gu d’Heripre at the start.

LeTrot files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink