Benjamin Rochard drives both 120,000€ feature winners

A pair of Gr II events highlighted today’s (Oct. 28) Paris-Vincennes harness racing program and both co-features were won by driver Benjamin Rochard.

The Gr. II Prix Victor Regis (purse 120,000€, 2175 meters, 10 starters, all three-year old males) went to the late charging 12/1 Kristal Josselyn (3m Bold Eagle-City Sees-Sam Bourbon) reined by Rochard for trainer Sebastien Guarato for owner Sebastien DeWulf.

Yvan Bernard bred the winner that now has six wins in 17 starts for 242,000€ earned.

King Opera (3m Ready Cash-Unlimited Jet-Orlando Vici) was second at 1.7/1 odds with Eric Raffin driving for trainer William Bigeon and owner Joel Seche. Ecurie Hunter Valley bred this one. Kanada (3m Earl Simon-Avila) was third at 5.3/1 for Theo Duvaldestin, trainer Thierry Duvaldestin and Ecurie Augustin Normand. Ksar (3m Follow You-Tes Amour) ended fourth at 8.3/1 after a tough death seat journey with Matthieu Abrivard teaming for trainer/owner Emmanuel Varin.

The next Gr. II test was the Prix Uranie (purse 120,000€, 2175 meters, nine three-year old females) and the 9/10 favorite Kana de Beylev (3f Express Jet-Dina de Beylev-Ready Cash) scored in 1.13.0kr with Benjamin Rochard the pilot. William Bigeon trains this seven- time winner in 17 starts for Joel Seche. Kana now has 446,600€ earned.

Kabaka de Guez (3f Eridan-Armess de Guez) was second at 15/1 with Nicholas Bazire aboard for Ecurie Vautors and trainer Jean Michel Bazire. Katchina de Simm (3f Doberman-Divine Lignee-Ready Cash) was third at 8.8/1 for David Thoman and trainer/owner Philippe Allaire.

There were two races on the undercard for two-year olds, The Prix de la Correze (purse 43,000€, 2850 meters, nine two-year old male starters) was won by 5.6/1 odds Learn To Fly (3m Uriel Speed-Santanna Girl-Coktail Jet) timed in 1.17.8kr with Franck Nivard driving for trainer Frederic Senet and owner Michele Stihl. This was his maiden win in five starts. Lamister d’Avril (2m Ecu Pierji) and Los Angeles Lakers (2m Gu d’Heripre) trailed the winner.

In the Prix de Milly La Foret (purse 43,000€, 2850 meters, seven two-year old filly starters) the 7.2/1 odds Lutece Jiscce (2f Scipion du Goutier-Off Course) was victorious in 1.16.9kr for driver Corentin Delbeco, trainer//breeder Jocelyn Robert and owner Sandrine Robert. This was her second win in three starts for 36,020€ earned.

Long Life (2f Fabulous Wood-Dream Life-Royal Dream) and Lizy Josselyn (2f Love You-Cezia Josselyn-Sam Bourbon) took the second and third paychecks.

LeTrot, Paris-Vincennes files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink