Etonnant returns victorious after three-month layoff

Europe’s top trotter Etonnant (9m Timoko-Migraine) returned after a three-month plus layoff to win the Prix de Cauvicourt at Caen in France today (March 16) purse 35,000€, 2200 meters autostart for European 5–11-year-olds, timed in 1.10.7kr (1:53.76 mile rate over the one and three eights mile distance.

Alexandre Abrivard teamed the winner for trainer/owner Richard Westerink as Etonnant won for the 21^st time in his career now for 2,142,925€ earned.

Westerink also trained and developed Timoko, a 36-time winner of 5,011,851€ and a 1.09.1kr speed record.

Christian Guy Vigier bred the champion Etonnant that raced with shoes on. He raced last on January 1 at Vincennes in the Prix de Bourgogne finishing eighth after a third in the Bourbonnais. He was scratched from the Prix d’Amerique.

Today he was the 1.3/1 odds favorite and bested 6.1/1 Capital Mail (5m Nad El Sheba-Unicona Golden) that Gabriele Gelormini reined for trainer Fabrice Souloy and owner Severio Cortese. Third home was 5.8/1 Ce Bello Romain (11g Jam Pridem) with Mathieu Mottier aboard for S.G, DuPont, this one also a one million euro plus lifetime winner.

Dexter Chatho (10g Un Amour d;Haufor) was fourth for Francois Lagadeuc and owner/trainer Christian Bigeon with Cyriel d’Atom (11g Otello Pierji) fifth with Hanna Huygens at the lines.

To watch the race replay, click here.

On the undercard were two other 35,000€ purse events. In the Prix de Rubercy (2450 meters for 6–10-year-olds) Hold Up du Digeon (6g Bold Eagle-Salsa du Digeon) scored for Eric Raffin, trainer Thierry Raffegeau and owner J.Y. Roze timed in 1.13.0kr. This was his 10^th career victory now for 193,010€ earned.

In the Prix de Canapville (2450 meters for European five-year-olds) the 1.12.8kr timed winner was the hard finishing 6.3/1 odds Charry Top (5m Igot Font-Resia Jet) with Franck Nivard driving for trainer Vitake Ciotola and owner Pasquale Brisciano.

This was his third win in France and his life earnings are now 101,328€. Indro Park (5m Ptodigious) was second at 15/1 for Mathieu Mottier and 2.3/1 favorite Charmy Charly As (5g Charly du Noyer) took third with Gabriele Gelormini at the lines.

LeTrot files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink