Hohneck upsets Etonnant at Caen

The 3.6/1 odds Hohneck (6m Royal Dream-Caranca) rallied down the middle past then leading Etonnant (9m Timoko-Migraine) and then held off Hokkaido de Jiel (6m Brillantissime-Victory Jiel) to win the Prix Ducs de Normandy Saturday (May 13) (Gr. II, purse 150,000€, 2450 meters for International 4–10-year-olds) at Caen in France.

Gabriele Gelormini reined the winner for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire. This J.P. Guay bred classmaster now has 19 career wins for 1,482,690€ earned. He is an Elitloppet invitee. Race time was 1.11.2kr off modest fractions.

HOHNECK REPLAY

The 10/1 Hokkaido de Jiel was second for David Thomain and trainer J.L. Dersoir for Ecurie Luck. Etonnant at 1.2/1 as the favorite gained the lead at about the halfway mark for Anthony Barrier but the Richard Westerink trainee drifted out in the lane when pressure appeared and lost his fluid stride as Barrier carefully kept him trotting.

The 36/1 outsider Gently de Muze (7m Perlando) took fourth for Nicolas Bazire with fifth to 9/1 Elie de Beaufour (9g Royal Dream) for trainer Jean Michel Bazire. Eric The Eel and Fakir du Lorault finished sixth and seventh. There were five miscue dq’s including Happy Valley, Horsy Dream, Hirondelle du Rib, Evil du Chatelet and Callmethebreeze.

LeTrot files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink