Enghien hosts fast class and Groupe Trots

Hippodrome d’Enghien-Soisy in France showcased excellent harness racing trots on today’s (July 8) card, the first being the Prix de a Manche (purse 90,000€, 2875 meters voltstart for 5–10-year-olds).

Here the 7.9/1 odds He And Me (6m Bird Parker-Beauty Lady) scored narrowly in 1.13.2kr with Franck Nivard the winning driver. Michel Lenoir trains the now nine-time winner of 286,500€ for Ecurie Guibert that was bred by Ecurie D.

Histronaute (6m Booster Winner-Une Etoile Bleue) was a head back second at 3.4/1 odds for driver Matthieu Abrivard and owner/trainer Yannick Henry. Etoile de Quesny (9f Legs du Clos-Princesse Quesny) landed third at 33/1 with David Thomain her pilot.

In the Gr. III Prix du Louvre (purse 80,000€, 2875 meters voltstart for 4–5-year-olds) the 1.7/1 odds favorite Isla Jet (5f Bold Eagle-Ulla Jet) scored in 1.13.2kr, her 12^th career victory now for 263,935€ earned. This mare surged to the front at the halfway point and then gamely held on for a short head victory. Eric Raffin teamed the Tomas Malmqvist trainee for Ecurie Hunter Valley. Jean Etienne Dubois was her breeder.

Ialto d;Hertals (5g Alto de Viette-Sorate de Flore) was the close second at 8.2/1 and with Alexandre Abrivard aboard. Aime De Grauve trains this one for Stal d’Atom. J’Aime le Foot (4m Boccador de Simm-Elegante de Foot) was third at 7.1/1 odds with David Thomain driving for trainer Antoine L’herete and Ecurie Olivier Morel. The well regarded Dardo Zack was a miscue dq.

The final groupe event this day was the Prix de Rome (Gr. III, purse 80,000€, 2150 meters autostart, three-year-olds) with that victory earned by 6.7/1 Jazzman (3m Niky-Nefertite del Rio) timed in 1.12.5kr. The German bred colt was reined by Alexandre Abrivard for trainer L.Cl. Abrivard and owner Jacky Lusseau. This was the winner’s second win in France and it advanced his career earnings to 67,740€.

The 13/1 odds Knockonwood (3m Ready Cash-Don’t Explain) was second with Franck Nivard up for trainer Philippe Allaire. The 2.5/1 favorite Kompostel (3m Face Time Bourbon-Cavalleria) set the face and gave way in the lane to end third for pilot Gabriele Gelormini and trainer Sebastian Guarato. Kaiser River (3M Bold Eagle-Olga de la Grenne) was fourth at 6.9/1 odds for trainer Guarato and driver Yoann Lebourgeois.

Tomorrow the action moves to Jarlsberg Norway for the Ulf Thoresen Grand International (purse 131,361€, 2100 meters autostart, 10 starters) with a fine field as shown below.

1. Emoji, F. Jensen
2. Power, R. Bergh
3. Usain Toll, C.J. Jepson
4. Hades de Vandel, R. Bakker
5. Get A Wish, B. Westergaard
6. Best Ofdream Trio, K, Eriksson
7. Stoletheshow, F. Hamre
8. Feydeau Seven, M.T. Gundersen
9. Mister Hercules, O. Kihlstrom
10. Banderas Bi, A. Gocciadoro

LeTrot, Enghien, Jarlsberg – harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink