Gaspar d’Angis takes €100,000 Gr. III

Today’s Grand Prix du Centre Est (Gr. III International, purse 100,000€, 2850 meters voltstart, 14 starters Ages 6-11) went to 2/1 odds Gaspar d’Angis (8g Quaro-Reveuse d’Angis-Korean) reined by Eric Raffin for owner/trainer J.M. Baudouin.

Race time was 1.11.5kr for this 18 time winner in 68 starts for 714,360€. Finishing second was 6.4/1 Inato Pierji (6g Uniclove-Odyssee Pierji) reined by David Bekaert for Ecurie Capiano and trainer Alexandre Bonnefoy. Third home was 4.1/1 It’s a Dollarmaker (6m Saxo de Vandel-Salt Lake City-Insert Gede) with Benjamin Rochard aboard for trainer Sebastien Guarato for Gianni Fascella. Bilo Jepson (7g Timoko-Tiffany del Roc) was fourth at 11/1 odds for Franck Nivard, trainer Vitale Ciotola and Scuderia Nininni finishing ahead of 2.7/1 Inexess Bleue (6g Vittel de Brevol) with Alexandre Abrivard at the lines.

For the race replay, click here.

On the same card was the Prix de Beaumont de Lomagne (purse 23,000€, 2850 meters voltstart, 14 three year old starters) that 8/10 odds favorite Le Dollar Macker (3m Saxo de Vandel-Salt Lake City) scored timed in 1.15.8kr. Eric Raffin teamed this Sebastien Guarato trainee for Gianni Fascella as he won for the third time in six career starts. The winner is a full brother to It’s A Dollarmaker. The 5/1 Lupin d’Ete (3m Un Mec d’Heripre) landed second for trainer/driver Jean Philippe Ducher and owner Antoine Galembert,  with third going to 20/1 Lucky Mix (3g Charly du Noyer-Anna Mix) handled by trainer Loris Garcia.

For the race replay, click here.

Earlier in the week at Avenches was the Tour Europeen’s Prix du President Suisse (purse 26,350€, eight starters going 2350 meters autostart).  The 1.13.3kr timed winner was 4/1 Fire Cracker (9h Quaro-Urganza) with trainer Marc Andre Bovay aboard for owner Myriam Bovay.

The winner has earned 846,829€ during his career. Elite de Jiel (10f Niky) was second at 7/1 with Franck Ouvrie up for Ecurie Luck and trainer J.L. Dersoir. Esteban Jiel (10g Coktail Jet) was third at 12/1 odds for Jos Verbeeck, trainer J.L. Dersoir and Ecurie Luck. Cash du Rib (12g Ready Cash) was the even-money favorite and finished fourth driven by J.L.C. Dersoir and Ecurie Joloca while fifth was 8.4/1 Fifty Five Bond (9g Sam Bourbon) for trainer/driver Vincent Martens and Ecurie Olmenhof.

It was also announced that Christian Bigeon has ceased his career as a driver. He has won 1,384 races including eight groupe I victories. Bigeon has accomplished exceptional performance largely with his family owned, bred and trained racing stock. Well done Christian!

Last weekend we saw the Criterium finals for three, four and five year olds. Somewhat forgotten was the accomplishment of Josh Power that has joined an elite groupe of nine horses that won double Criteriums with the four and five year old victories. The fine five year old son of Offshore Dream has only four career wins in 39 starts for 650,170€.

The Sebastien Ernault trainee owned by Ecurie BG Trot and bred by Jean Pierre Mary has only two wins in 2022 to go along with the Criterium victories in September 2023 and again this year.

Trotteur Francais, Paris-Vincennes, Avenches Hippodrome files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink