Yoann Lebourgeois drives two big winners at Enghien

Driver Yoann Lebourgeois teamed both Gr. III winners this day (Aug. 3) at Enghien-Soisy in France.

In the Prix de Geneve (Gr. III European, purse 90,000€, 2875 meters, 13 four-year-old starters) the R.C. Larue trainee Knockonwood (4m Ready Cash-Don’t Explain-Prodigious) scored at 16/1 odds with Lebourgeois up for Ecurie de Windcut.

in 1.12.1kr the winner scored for the fourth time in 23 starts now for 186,860€ earned.  Favored Krack Time Atout (4m Face Time Bourbon-Topaze d’Atout-Coktail Jet) was second at 1.6/1 handled by Paul Philippe Ploquin for conditioner Sebastien Guarato. Finishing third was 4.8/1 Edgar Saba (4g Exploit Caf-Saba del Ronco) driven by Gabriele Gelormini for trainer H.E. Bondo. Koctel du Dain (4m Boccador de Simm-Opelie-First de Retz) at 3.1/1 was fourth with David Thomain teaming the Philippe Allaire trained and owner trotteur.

To watch the race replay, click here.

Yoann Lebourgeois was back a driving winner with 3.4/1 Luciano Menuet (3m Feliciano-Flore Mika) in the Prix de Berlin (Gr. III European, 90,000€ purse, 2875 meters, nine starters three-year-old open).

Philippe Allaire trains this six-time winner in 13 starts for Ecurie des Charmes. Luciano now has 264,550€ earned. The 6/10 odds favorite Frank Gio (3m Face Time Bourbon-Zarina Gio) was second for driver Matthieu Abrivard, trainer Sebastien Guarato and Scuderia Bivans Srl. Little Brown (3m Goetmals Wood-Blue Grass) was placed third at 13/1 with David Thomain aboard the Allaire trainee that Christophe Toulorge owns and bred. Lady (3f Dragon des Racques) and Ferahan (3m Maharajah) completed the top five. Race time was 1.14.5kr.

To watch the race replay, click here.

Upcoming on August 10 at Abytravet is the Gr. I invitational Aby World Grand Prix. Raced every four years and over a 3140 meters course the race will offer 6,000,000SEK ($565,000 US) to the winner. The invitees are shown below and is shapes up as a battle for supremacy between San Moteur, Francesco Zet and Horsy Dream.

Preparatory to the Aby festivities was the Rattvik (August 2) Ego Boys STL Gold raced over 1640 meters autostart with 28,111€ to the winner. Here the 6.2/1 odds Following (5m Nuncio-Tweet Hanover-Cantab Hall) used post one to start a gate to wire win timed in 1.10.3kr.

Jorma Kontio teamed the Stefan Melander owned and trained classy trotter to his ninth lifetime win in 36 starts.  Brambling (7m Bold Eagle-Deepdish-Muscle Hill) was second at 7.6/1 with trainer Daniel Reden driving. High Glider (10m Yankee Glide-Highland Ridge-Tom Ridge) was third at 44.6/1 outsider odds for reinsman Carl Johan Jepson for trainer Ole Bjorn Hoppestad. Chestnut Hill and Catullo Jet were miscue dq’s.

Enghien-Soisy, Rattvik, Trotteur Francais files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink