The Prix de Mauriac (purse 52,000€, 2850 meters for five-year-olds, 15 European starters) this day at Vincennes saw 2.4/1 Jason (5m Love You-Begum Fromentro) rally wide off the final bend to score in 1.14.4kr with Thomas Levesque aboard.
Pierre Levesque trains, owns and bred the seven-time winner in 21 career starts for 179.410€. Yahoo Diamant (4m Indigious-Glide Chip) held second at 27/1 odds with Michael Nimczyk aboard for Stall Express and trainer Wolfgang Nimczyk. The 66/1 longshot Dea Sprint Bar (5f Muscle Hill-Lana del Rio) was a game third reined by Federico Esposito, trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro and owner Louis Baudron.
Trainer Christian Bigeon continued his Winter Meet success with two training victories. Jizou d’Etang (5g Paris Haufor-Nazoulene) scored in the Prix de la Moselle (purse 35,000€, 2100 meters autostart, eight five-year old starters) with Damien Bonne catch-driving for Bigeon and breeder/owner F.L. Adam. Bonne recently went over the 1,000 victory mark. The winner, by a Bigeon stallion, recorded his fourth win in 15 starts for earnings of 47,720€. Race time was 1.12.8kr for the 1.5/1 odds favorite. Joker de Vouede (5g Very Look) was second at 8.7/21 for trainer/driver Didier Brohier. Third was 18/1 Jaguen (5g Booster Winner) with Guillaume Beaufils aboard the horse he owns and trains.
Bigeon’s other training winner was 17/1 Karolene d’Etang (4f Un Amour d’Haufor-Soielene) timed in 1.16.2kr in the Prix de Guerlesquin (purse 35,000€, 2850 meters with 14 four-year old starters). Damien Bonne was again the catch driver for Christian Bigeon and owner F.L. Adam as Karolene won for the first time in eight appearances. The 31/1 Kaya du Septel (4f Pagalor) was next for Franck Ouvrie with 46/1 Kellisia Girl (4f Un Amour d’Haufor) landing third for Yves Dreux. Bigeon sires were first and third here.
by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink