February 5, 2018 – Monday on a snowy day at Paris-Vincennes was the Q+ Prix des Charentes (purse €54,000, 2100 meters autostart, 18 starters) and harness racing outsiders took over as 35/1 Darling Franbleu (5f Quaro-Olydra) scored in a photo for Mathieu Mottier, trainer Franck Leblanc and Ecurie du Grand Buisson. Race time was 1.12.4kr.
32/1 Deeva Devol (5f Vivaldi de Chenu) was a just beaten second for Yves Dreux, also owner/trainer. 19/1 Deesse des Noes (5f Nahar de Beval) was third for Stephane Rouxel and Ecurie des Plaines. 39/1 Diana des Lucas (5f Magnificent Rodney) with Bruno Marie and 20/1 Dalabama (5f Lets Go Along) with driver Alexandre Abrivard completed the top five and these longshots resulted in no Q+ exact order winning tickets.
Bjorn Goop was a winner in the Prix de la Chartre sur le Loir (purse €48,000, 2850 meters, 17 European starters) driving 9/1 Say That Again (7g Viking Kronos-Kiss Me Again) to a 1.14.4kr victory for owner Stall Kennys. Goop trains the winner that defeated 34/1 Bachar (7m Prodigious-Princesse Victoire) for trainer/trainer Emmanuel Allard. Third was 4/5 favorite MT Joinville (7f Meaulnes du Corta-Ivy LB) for Jorma Kontio and fourth was 31/1 Shatar Club (7m Love Yiu-Iana Club) with trainer Alessandro Gocciador aboard.
7/10 favorite Forgaria (3f Sam Bourbon-Udine) took the Prix de Coulommiers (purse €36,000, 2700 meters, 10 starters) clocked in 1.17.9kr and reined by Matthieu Abrivard. Yves Boireau trains this filly for Jean-Pierre Dubois. 14/1 Fabuleuse Adema (3f Kets Go Along-Samira) was a fast closing second for Gilles Gillot.
Goop returned a winner in the Prix de Larra (purse €37,000, 2100 meters autostart, 12 starters) with 1.14.7kr timed and 4.1/1 Esquire (4m Qwerty-Regate du Berre). Hans Depypere is the breeder/owner/trainer. 2/1 Espoir du Langis (4m Severino-Pepite de Vigne) took second for Charles J Bigeon and owner/trainer Christian Bigeon.
Italy’s Alessandro Gocciadoro reached the winners circle in the Prix des Rouges Terres (€44,000 purse, 2700 meters, 15 European starters) driving his trainee 5.3/1 odds Virginia Grif (4f Varenne-Francy Capar). The winner was timed in 1.16kr for Scuderia Our Passion Srl.
Thomas H. Hicks