Aero King (9g Hooper) took Tuesday’s Enghien featured Prix Bernard Simonard (monte, apprentice jockeys, 58,000€ purse, 2875 meters, 11 starters) clocked in 1.13kr and ridden by Maxime Tijou.
Off at 4.4/1 odds, Aero King won for the 10th time in 85 starts, now for 437,270€ earned. Mme. Virginie Moquet trains the winner. 3.6/1 Delcieux de Cebe (6g Gazouillis) was second with Mlle.
Oceane Briand aboard for trainer Franck Leblanc, and 2.8/1 Carla du Chatelet with third with Maxime Gilbert in the irons for trainer Sebastien Guarato.
On the same card lightly raced three year olds contested the Prix du Pont Saint-Michel (purse 41,000€, 2875 meters, eight starters) with victory to the 9/10 favorite Great Zeus (3f Niky-Tine de Villeneuve) handled by Eric Raffin.
Gregory Thorel trains the 1/19kr clocked winner that scored for the second time in three career starts. 7/1 Gaston du Roc (3m Quirky Jet) was close second for Patrice Toutain and 4/1 Great Father (3m Opus Viervil) rallied for third with Nicolas Roussel up.
Great Zeus – LeTrot photo
At Mons Ghlin this day was the featured Prix Shanghai (7,200€ purse, 2300 meters autostart, nine International starters). 17.2/1 outsider Ultimate du Rib (11g Dahir de Prelong-Kara Pelois) scored timed in 1.14.9kr, his 16 th career victory in 128 starts now for 551,352€ earned.
Gert Sucaet teamed the trainee of Christophe De Groote. 4.1/1 Truman Dairpet (12g Biesolo-Heloise Poterie) took second for Piet Van Pollaert and third was the 5/10 favorite Goofy Greenwood (6g Russel November-Chatooga River) with trainer H.W. Langeweg Jr. at the lines. Ustang Ludois, Buzz Mearas and Banker Transs R followed the top three home in this good field.
Ultimate du Rib -LeTrot photo
Later in that card the Prix Melbourne (6,000€, 2300 meters autostart, eight starters) saw 2.7/1 Elencio (5m Love You-Olencia) score, timed in 1.14.8kr for pilot Joseph Verbeeck and breeder/owner/trainer Alphons Vanberghen.
Racing also was held this day at Hyeres with the feature race being the Prix du Restaurant “le Porquerollais” (purse 37,000€, 2850 meters distance handicap).
12.2/1 odds Avocat des Loyeau (9g Meaulnes du Corta) was victorious for owner/trainer/driver Laurent Freneau timed in 1.14.6kr.
This winner recorded his 12 th career win now for 182,890€ earned. 40.2/1 Venezia de Mai was second for Anthony Laignon, overcoming a 25 meter handicap, and 10.4/1 Bichon del Green was third.
The 1.9/1 Colonel Bond was fourth, he too 25 meter handicapped, as was 1.8/1 Auch that finished sixth.
Avocat des Loyaux
Note that the great French gelding Aubrion du Gers has received and accepted an invitation to the 2019 Elitloppet. Trainer Jean Michel Bazire announced the acceptance and that he is a double winner of the event. It is not known whether Bazire will travel to Sweden to drive his champion that has been driven by another double Elitloppet winner Joseph Verbeeck in other ventures outside of France. Readly Express, Propulsion and Dijon were previously invited to the 2019 Elitloppet.
It was also rumored that Bjorn Goop could drive Bold Eagle in his anticipated race at Enghien in the Prix l’Atlantique, that is scheduled for April 20.
This is Enghien’s only Gr. I event and it carries a purse of 170,000€ (2150 meters autostart is the distance).
Bold Eagle won the 2017-2018 editions of the race that has historically drawn the best trotteurs then racing in Europe. Winners since 2004 are shown below.
Thomas H. Hicks