Un Mec d’Heripre wins Prix Saint Michel (1:51.84 mile)

Un Mec d’Heripre (8m Orlando Vici-I Love You Darling-Buvetier d’Aunou), the 1/5 favorite in wagering after scratches of Trebol and Vincennes in a final six horse field, gamely held on after a death seat journey from the start to win the Gr.I Invitational UET Masters Series International Prix Saint Michel (purse €122,000, 1609 meters autostart) at Mikkeli, Finland.

Driver Orjan Kihlstrom and Un Mec d’Heripre sat outside the rapid pacesetting Express Duo before taking the lead entering the lane. He then faced a three wide charge from 3.8/1 Univers de Pan (8m Kenya du Pont-Gypsilore-Pan de la Vaudere) with trainer Philippe Daugeard teaming for owner Olivier Horvath, that just missed on the line.

The 28.2/1 Surprise Lord (10m Classic Response-Beauty Bro-Arnaquer) rallied on the pegs to be third driven by Mika Forss for owner trainer Reima Kuisla.

Un Mec d’Heripre now has a 23-4-6 slate in 46 career starts for earnings of €1,460,012. He was clocked in a sharp 1.09.51kr (mile rate 1:51.84) with Univers de Pan timed in 1.09.52 (he now with 20 wins in 75 starts) and Surprise Lord home in 1.09.70kr (he with 31 victories in 92 starts).

Royal Fighter, Twigs Voici and Express Deo completed the finish in order four through six. The race record still stands at 1.09.3kr set by Varenne in 2002 followed by 1.09.4kr by Rapide Lebel in 2011. The mare Premiere Steed won the event in 2009 timed in 1.09.6kr, she dam of Unica Steed, last nights’ dead-heat winner of a Delvin Miller division at the new Meadowlands USA.

Today’s Amiens France featured Prix Vismie (purse €35,000, 2900 meters, 16 European starters) went to the 1.14.6kr timed and 2.1/1 odds Regio (6m Varenne-Leopardia) with Robin Bakker driving. Paul Hagoort trains this Ecurie Victoria Park (Holland) owned performer. 2.6/1 Ugo du Fosse was second and Uroy at 8.7/1 was third, the latter trained by Bjorn Goop for Sweden’s Ecurie Lucky Strike HB.

Unisalane takes Q+ at Cabourg

Daniel Armellini piloted his owned/trained 13.6/1 Unisalane (8f Jet Fortuna-Lea Picoulerie) to victory in Friday’s Quinte+ Prix Paul Viel (purse €38,000, 2850 meters, 16 starters), timed in 1.14.3kr.

The 1.1/1 favorite Vagabond d’Echal (7g Quadrophenio-Malice de Piercla) was a soundly defeated second for trainer/driver J-M Bazire with 13.8/1 Uno Leon (7g Ipsun de Mormal-Perspective du Tay) third for J-Ph Monclin.

On the Cabourg card Mathieu Mottier won three, two to sulky and one monte, all trained by Denise Mottier and two owned by her. He won with 1.8/1 Beauty Princess (5f Ludo de Castelle-Princess Foot) timed in 1.14.5kr in a €34,000 purse contest; 7/10 favorite Diego du Guelier (3m Kepler-Ophelie la Garenne) clocked in 1.16.7kr in a €35,000 event; and 20.3/1 Olmo del Sauro (8m Faliero As-Novalady) in a €44,000 purse monte race. The latter is owned by Ecurie Fabio.

by Thomas H Hicks, for Harnesslink