Koctel du Dain wins Gr II Prix Ephrem Houel

Philippe Allaire’s owned and trained Koctel du Dain (4m Boccador de Simm-Ophelie) was a game 1.10.9kr timed winner of today’s Vincennes featured Prix Ephrem Houel (Gr. II, purse 120,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 12 four-year old starters).

David Thomain teamed the 11-time winner in 20 starts for 706,750€ in life earnings. Fractions were fast over the rain-soaked course (1.07.2kr with 1500 meters to go; 1.08.5kr at the 1000 and 1.10.6kr with 500 remaining) as the winner moved to the lead early and carried forth thereafter. He was off at 2.7/1 odds and defeated 16/1 Keenan de Joudes (4m Ready Cash-Brianna de Joudes) with J. Ph. Monclin. Third was 6.9/1 Ksar (4m Follow You-Tes Amours) that lasted gamely first over with Matthieu Abrivard up for trainer/owner Emmanuel Varin. The 2.2/1 Kana de Beylev (4f Express Jet-Dina de Beylev) was fourth reined by Benjamin Rochard for trainer William Bigeon and owner Joel Seche, with fifth to the William Bigeon owned, trained and reined Kyrielle (4f Enino du Pommereux).

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On today’s undercard Always EK (8m Filipp Roc-Nike EK) won the Prix de Munich (purse 90,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 13 European starters ages 6-11) timed in a sharp 1.10.6kr. Trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro was the driver for Effebi Srl. The 10/1 odds winner has seven wins in 16 starts in France for life earnings of 457,048€. Using an American sulky Always EF defeated 21/1 I,hatra AM (6f Muscle Hill-Tamla Celeber) that Benjamin Rochard handled for Jorgen Westholm and owner Courant AB. The 43/1 Heliade du Goutier (7f Prodigious-Voltige du Goutier) landed third with Paul Philippe Ploquin up for trainer Sebastien Guarato and Ecurie Saint Martin. Bilo Jepson (8f Timoko) was fourth for David Thomain and conditioner Vitale Ciotola for Scuderia Nininni at 6/1 followed by 11/1 Oscar LA (8m Ready Cash) piloted by Francois Lagadeuc for Fabrice Souloy and owner Gunter Herz.

Monte trotteurs contested the Prix de Lisieux (purse 75,000€, 2850 meters, 13 European starters ages 7-11) with victory earned by 5.5/1 odds Halfa (7f Offshore Dream-Ofara) with jockey Alan Gendrot aboard for trainer/owner Stephane Levoy. The winner now has eight lifetime victories in 58 starts for earnings of 248,180€. Race time was 1.12.6kr. The 8.6/1 odds Galey Sted (8g Paris Haufor) was second with Francois Lagadeuc in the irons for trainer C.A. Mary. Third was 21/1 Force Vive (9f Oh James) handled by jockey Benjamin Rochard for Gregoire Houel. Completing the top five were Georgica Gede (8f Atlas de Joudes) at 28/1 with Mathieu Mottier the jockey for trainer Alexandre Pillon and 11/1 Bordeaux S (8g Orlando Vici) with jockey Lana Henry for trainer Jean Michel Bazire.

Last night the Prix Guy Lux at Leon Zitrone (purse 75,000€, 2700 meters, 16 European starters ages 7-11) saw 12/1 Grindel Wald (8f Rieussec-Pompadour) score timed in 1.12.7kr handled by Leo Abrivard. L.C. Abrivard trained the now nine-time winner in 75 appearances for earnings of 284,990€. Marylise Comolet owns and bred the winner. The 3.1/1 odds favorite Happy Danica (7f Briac Dark) was a fast finishing outside second for Alexis Garandeau and trainer Cecile Douillet with 13/1 Bahia del Circeo (7f Royal Dream) third on the inside in a group for pilot Matthieu Abrivard and trainer Viyale Ciotola.

LeTrot, PMU, Paris-Vincennes – harness racing trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink