March 15, 2019 – Today was the finale of the harness racing Winter Meet at Cagnes-sur-Mer and there was a good lineup of trotting action that began with the Prix de Syracuse (purse 27,000€, 2925 meters, 13 European starters).
In this race the 5/10 favorite Popeye Diamant (8g Love You-Jasmin Diamant) won again timed in 1.14.5kr, his fourth win in eight starts in France.
Gerhard Biendl trains and drove the winner for Stall M.S. Diamanten as he increased his career earnings to 154,789€.
3.4/1 Ursus Caf (6m Toss Out-Nespola Caf) was two lengths back second for Enrico Bellei, and third was 8.3/1 Callicot du Vivier (7g Repeat Love-Kalika du Vivier) with trainer Y-A Briand at the lines.
Popeye Diamant
The Cagnes-sur-Mer Winter Meet finale feature today was the Gr. III Prix de Vincennes (purse 80,000€, 2925 meters, 11 starters).
The 4.9/1 odds Bulle de Laumont (8f Hand du Vivier-Ozo de Laumont) scored timed in 1.13.8kr with trainer Stephane Cingland aboard for owner Josiane Pigaue, her 18th career win in 52 starts that raised career earnings to 306,830€.
78.6/1 Creative Castel (f Pomerol de Laumac) was second for J.Ch. Feron, the pilot for trainer Nicolas Ensch.
2.7/1 Balbir (8g Ganymede) took third for trainer/driver Mickael Cormy, ahead of the 2/1 favorite Calle Crown (5m Great Challenger) with David Bekaert up.
2.9/1 Bolt (8m Prince Gede) was fifth for Junior Guelpa in this competitive field.
Bulle de Laumont
To watch a replay of this race click here.
Today’s featured trot at Mauquenchy was the Prix de la Societe des Courses de Bihorel (purse 29,000€, 2850 meters, 14 European starters) and 1.6/1 favorite Moni Viking (6m Maharajah-Jeunesse Doree) prevailed with Bryan Coppens teaming for trainer Pierre Vercruysse.
The winner is owned in Norway by Jan Lyng and racing barefoot today he recorded his third victory in 10 starts in France, now for 186,629€ earned for the career.
12.6/1 Jerry Mom (6m Ready Cash-Graziella) rallied for second handled by David Thomain for trainer Luc Roelens and owner JPB Building BVBA, this one a full-brother to Traders.
19.5/1 Concerto Cointerie (g Quopeck) took third for Nicolas Dromigny ahead of 4.2/1 Caresse (7f Ready Cash-Stefani Hanover) reined by Eric Raffin for trainer Bjorn Goop.
Moni Viking
Earlier in the week it was announced that the 2019 Prix d’Amerique winner, Belina Josselyn, was sidelined until Fall Season due to injury.
Belina also won the Prix de Paris marathon event that completed the France Triple Crown events.
She was the first mare in 20 years to win the Amerique.
The injury statement follows (translated):
Wednesday, late in the morning, Jean-Michel Bazire gave news of his champion, Bélina Josselyn (eight years old), victim of a slight crack of the rudimentary internal metacarpal of the anterior left. "At the end of the meeting, I felt that she had lost some flexibility, but I thought the whole rest would do her good," says JMB. But we saw a little mark on the result of the control radio that she passed; This is a small crack. Nothing serious, he adds, even if his spring season is cancelled. " Heroic, this winter, in Vincennes, during which time she won the Grand Prix of America and the Paris Marathon, the ballerina of the French trot could be reviewed in the fall, in the province. "If all goes well, she will be re-started in September or October," said Bazire. Belina will have six weeks of stall rest due to the injury.
Thomas H. Hicks