Four 120,000€ Gr. II tests held at Vincennes

Four Groupe II harness racing events highlighted today’s (April 15) Paris-Vincennes program beginning with the Prix Gai Brillant (Gr. II purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, monte three-year-old males, six starters) that went to 1.15.2kr timed Kyt Kat (3m Booster Winner-Diane de Brevol).

Off at 1.6/1 odds this Mathieu Mottier handled Thomas Levesque trainee is owned by Ecurie des Pommier and secured his fourth career victory now for 131,750€ earned. Second was 5.5/1 Kimbo Berry (3m Un Amour d’Haufor-Black Star Berry) for jockey Christopher Corbineau and trainer/owner Jean Michel Bazire. Third was the 9/10 favorite Kific de Busy (3m Boccador de Simm) with Alexandre Abrivard in the irons for trainer Loris Garcia.

Monte trotteurs were again in stage in the Prix Hemine (Gr. II purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, three-year-old females, 12 starters) with 16/1 Kyrielle des Vaux (3f Rolling d’Heripre-Nuisette des Vaux) the winner timed in 1.14.7kr with Mathieu Mottier in the irons, again.

Charly Mottier trains this one for owned Dominique Gallienne as the filly recorded her second career win now for 81,520€ earned. Kelanie Lorraine (3f Eridan-Union Secrete) was second with Anthony Barrier her jockey for trainer Alain Chavatte. Kyrielle (3f Enino du Pommereux) was the 2.8/1 beaten favorite with Guillaume Martin aboard for trainer/owner William Bigeon.

Between the groupe action was the Prix de la Lorraine (purse 75,000€, 2100 meters autostart for European 7–10-year-olds). Here the 1.1/1 favorite Oracle Tile (7m Ready Cash-Exotic Sund) prevailed in a quick 1.10.1kr (mile rate 1:52.79) with Clement Duvaldestin driving for Stall Ready To Win and trainer Thierry Duvaldestin. The impressive trotteur won for the fourth time in FR and advanced his career earnings to 362,847€.

The 4/1 odds Face Time (6g Coktrail Jet-Natchka d’Orgeres) held second for trainer/driver Matthieu Abrivard and owner JPB Horses. Third money went to 8.3/1 Gigolo Lover (7g Royal Lover-Rosalie Murbaz) handled by Nicolas Bazire for Ecurie Moureaux AS and trainer JMB. Al Capone Stecca and Flower By Magalou landed fourth and fifth.

Back to the groupe tests, and the Prix Robert Auvray (Gr. II purse 120,000€, 2700 meters for five-year-old males) saw 1.7/1 co-favorite It’s a Dollarmaker (5m Saxo de Vandel-Salt Lake City) score in 1.12.7kr for reinsman Eric Raffin. Sebastian Guarato trains the slick gaited 11-time career winner for Gianni Fascella that now has earned 233,880€.

He took the lead with 1200 meters remaining and held off 10/1 Ideal Ligneries (5m Repaet Love-Ouragame) handled by Franck Nivard for Ecurie le Tremont and trainer Fabrice Souloy. Third was 33/1 Invincible Cash (5m Ready Cash-Urawa Turgot) for Mathieu Mottier. 49/1 Impressionist (5m Ready Cash) was fourth for Louis Baudron and 1.7/1 Italiano Vero (5m Ready Cash) was fifth with David Thomain up. Invincible Cash and Italiano Vero had led during the first half of this affair.

In the Prix Henri Levesque (Gr. II purse 120,000€, 2700 meters for five-year-old females), the last of the groupe tests this day, it was a fittingly Levesque victory. The 7/10 favorite Iroise de la Noe (5f Tornado Bello-Pollenza de la Noe) was a game nose plus winner in 1.11.7kr for owner/trainer/driver Thomas Levesque.

This was her ninth victory for 167,000€ in career earnings.

The 9/1 Inmarosa (5f Amiral Sacha-Varkova) just missed second with Alexandra Abrivard aboard for trainer L.C. Abrivard. 20/1 Ilaya (5f Rodrigo Jet-Vlatka) was third for Yoann Lebourgeois and breeder/owner/trainer Cyril Raimboud. Ivanka de Jime was fourth at 49/1 and 97/1 Imperiale de Bais finished fifth.

The Levesque family happily celebrated this victory in the race named for legendary Henri Levesque who won 19.5% of his starts as an owner, or 1,669 victories.

Pierre Levesque has 2,368 wins as driver/jockey; Thomas has 428 wins and driver/jockey and Camille has 217 wins as jockey/driver. Quite an admirable production by the Levesque family.

LeTrot files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink