Record set in 200,000€ Grand Criterium de Vitesse

Today’’s (March 10) Gr. I International Grand Criterium de Vitesse de la Cote d’Azur (purse 200,000€, 1609 meters autostart, 13 starters), a 2024 UET event, at Cagnes sur Mer in France, went to Vernissage Grif (10m Varenne-Dalia Grif) going gate to wire from post one for trainer/driver Alessandro Gocciadoro and owner Gennaro Riccio. His time was a record 1.08.1kr (1:49.6).

Vernissage Grif tuned up a week ago with a 1.11.0 public workout at Bologna. He now has a first win in France and advanced his career earnings to 1,398,963€. The time is a race record besting the 1.08.9kr mark previously owned by Readly Express in 2019 and Bold Eagle in 2018. Vivid Wise As was the 1.09.1kr winner last year.

Vernissage Grif, a great son of still active Varenne, was off at 12/1 odds. Finishing second was 6.2/1 Emeraude de Bais (10f Repeat Love–Haute Tension) reined by Franck Nivard for conditioner Benjamin Goetz and owner Herve Carlis timed in 1.08.3kr. Third was 1.8/1 odds favorite Go On Boy (8m Password-Balginette) handled by trainer Romain Deriuex for Ecurie Nixxon and clocked in 1.08.4kr.

Inmarosa (6f Admiral Sacha-Varkava) landed fourth timed in 1.08.4kr with Leo Abrivard driving for L.C. Abrivard and Jacques Cottel off at 8.4/1 odds. The 3.2/1 Vivid Wise As (10m Yankee Glide) was fifth, racing evenly with cover for Matthieu Abrivard. Hooker Berry (7m Booster Winner) was sixth at 9/1 and 40/1 Eric The Eel (8m Muscle Hill) ended seventh.

Quite a performance before a huge crown on a sunny Mediterranean afternoon.

To watch the race replay, click here.

Cagnes sur Mer, Trotterur Francais files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink