240,000€ Group I co-features held at Vincennes

Jushua Tree (4m Bold Eagle-Ma Sissi James) rallied late as the 7/10 favorite for harness racing trainer/driver Jean Michel Bazire to win the Criterium Continental (Gr. I International, purse 240,000€, 2100 meters autostart for 18 four-year-old open trotteurs) and earn a Prix d’Amerique Prize ticket. Also, on the card, was the 240,000€ Prix Tenor de Baune that was captured by Idao de Tillard.

Ecurie Olmenhof of Belgium owns Jushua Tree that now has 14 career wins in 18 starts for 533,150€ earned. Hugues Rousseau bred this winner that was timed in 1.09.8kr off fast fractions (1.04.8kr with 1500 to go; 1.07.8 at the 1000 and 1.09.8kr with 500 meters remaining).

Finishing second was the game 19/1 Josh Power (4m Offshore Dream-Balginette) for trainer/driver Sebastien Ernault and Ecurie BG Trot. The 8.1/1 Just Love Youi (4f Love You-Just In Love) was third for Alexandre Abrivard, trainer L.C. Abrivard, and Michel Bliard. Desiderio d’Esi (4m Robert Bi) at 152/1; J’Aime le Foot (4m) at 127/1 and 14/1 Dimitri Ferm (4m Nad Al Sheba) completed the top six to the line. Early pacesetter Xanthis Harvey was seventh for Orjan Kihkstrom ahead of Justin Bold.

To watch the race replay, click here.

Idao de Tillard (5m Severino-America de Tillard-First de Retz) took today’s Prix Tenor de Baune (Gr. I International, purse 240,000€, 2700 meters for 12 five-year old open trotteurs) and earned a Prix d’Amerique ticket with this 1.11.4kr timed victory, in which fractions were evenly rated.

He sat comfortably on the second tier back several places before surging to the front in mid-stretch from where he prevailed by half-length on the line. Clement Duvaldestin teamed the Thierry Duvaldestin trainee for Cyrill Sevestre. Idao de Tillard won for the 27^th time in his 37-race career now for 1,474,430€ in life earnings. He was the 5/10 odds favorite.

Izoard Vedaquais (5m Bird Parker-Dokha Vedaquais-Prodigious) raced superbly and was game to the line with Banjamin Rochard driving for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire. The legendary J.P. Guay bred this one that was off at 8.4/1 odds. Inmarosa (5f Amiral Sacha-Varkova) was a game closing third down the middle at 27/1 for reinsman Leo Abrivard, trainer J. Cl. Abrivard and owner Jacques Cottel.

Finishing fourth was 6.6/1 Great Skills (5f Ready Cash-Prowess Kronos) handled by Bjorn Goop for Daniel Wajersten and Bro Byggnads AB. The 36/1 odds Glamorous Rain (5f Muscle Hill) closed for fifth with Orjan Kihlstrom up ahead of 64/1 Imhatra AM (5f Muscle Hill) with Matthieu Abrivard up and 6.4/1 Ibiki de Houelle (5m Love You) with Eric Raffin at the lines.

To watch the race replay, click here.

Idao de Tillard will likely be a meaningful contender in the Amerique Prize as he has ability to race from all positions and closes powerfully in each start. He represents the new guard in European trotting and is conditioned by one of the best in Thierry Duvaldestin. The veteran campaigned Etonnant is on the shelf with reported ulcers and unlikely to be ready albeit Hohneck and Vivid Wise As remain.

LeTrot, PMU, Paris-Vincennes files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink