Jushua Tree wins 120,000€ Gr. II Prix Octave Douesnel

The exceptional Jushua Tree (4m Bold Eagle-Ma Sissi James-Buvetier d’Aunou) easily won today’s Gr. II International Prix Octave Douesnel SWC 5Ans Q1 (purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, 16 four-year old starters, the SWC 5Ans Q1) at 5/10 favorite odds with trainer Jean Michel Bazire at the lines.

Jushua now has 13 career wins in 17 starts for 425,150€ earned, eight wins in his last nine appearances for Ecurie Olmenhof. The 28/1 Dimitri Ferm (4m Nad Al Sheba-Tracy Chapman) was second with Alexandre Abrivard driving for trainer Mauro Baroncini and Dream Ferm Srl. Third was 7.3/1 Josh Power (4m Offshore Dream-Balginette-Hasting) with trainer Sebastien Ernault driving. Race time was 1.12.8kr.

For the race replay, click here.

Trainer/driver Bazire (JMB) also two three others. In the Prix de Pontchateau (purse 46,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 16 starters) JMB won with 6/10 favorite Iron du Gers (5g Love You) timed in 1.11.7kr, the winner’s seventh score in 17 starts for Ecurie J.P. Bragato. In the Prix de Dammarie-Les-Lys (purse 40,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 15 three-year old starters) JMB piloted 6/10 favorite King Georges (3g Fabulous Wood) to a 1.13.0kr timed victory for Ecurie Olmenhof. This colt has three wins in six starts for 50,975€. In the Prix d’Hautefort (purse 59,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 13 starters ages 7-10) JMB steered 6/10 odds Eros Zola (7g Zola Boko) to a 1.10.7kr timed victory for Company KMK Advisory APS. This winner has career earnings of 232,224€. The JMB teamed winner photos follow.

Back to groupe action. The Gr. III Prix Nauquois (purse 80,000€, 2700 meters, 14 European five-year old starters) went to 3.3/1 odds Ibiki de Houelle (5m Love You-Sawrada de Houelle) with Eric Raffin driving. Franck Leblanc trains and bred the winner now owned by Daniel Augereau. Ibiki now has eight wins in 28 outings for earnings of 280,462€. Race time was a sharp 1/10/7kr. The 1.1/1 odds favorite Ino du Lupin (5g Scipion du Goutier) was a distant second for Antoine Wiels and J.P. Marmion, the breeder/owner/trainer. Kagan (5g Scarlet Knight) was third at 7.8/1 for trainer/driver Robert Bergh.

The final groupe action was in the Gr. II International Prix Ariste Hemard (purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, 11 four-year olds in this SWC 5ans Q2). The 1.1/1 odds favorite Just Love You (4f Love You-Just In Love-Ever Jet) scored impressively timed in 1.12.7kr with Alexandre Abrivard aboard. Michele Bliard owns and Laurent Claude Abrivard trains this now 10-time winner in 23 outings for life earnings of 530,850€.  The 100/1 odds outsider Diva del Ronco (4f Varenne-Magic Vision-Uronometro) was second for Mario Minopoli Jr, trainer Salvatore Minopoli and Scuderia Team Minopoli. Third to the line was 14/1 Jazzy Perrine (4f Django Riff-Trendy Perrine-Goetmals Wood) for Ecurie Hunter Valley, driver Eric Raffin and trainer Tomas Malmqvist. Fourth was 3.3/1 Joyce (4f Ready Cash-Terre Rouge-Love You-Ingala) handled by Mathieu Mottier for owner/breeder/trainer Louis Baudron.

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink