December 7, 2018 – The 1.3/1 odds favorite Dorado Bello (5g Pad d’Urzy-Jora de du Fruituies) took the Friday evening harness racing featured Quinte+ Prix Hestia (purse 50,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 16 starters) timed in 1.12.4kr. The now seven time winner in 27 career starts, Dorado Bello was teamed with Eric Raffin for trainer J.M. Baudouin and owner Ecurie le Rivage. Dreamer de Chenu (5g Timoko) at 11/1 was second for driver J-M Bazire and breeder/owner/trainer Franck Pellerot. 21/1 Dandy Gede (5g Rancho Gede) took third for driver Damien Bonne. 12/1 Devil Or Angel and 11/1 Dad du Cedre completed the top five, and the exact order 2€ ticket Q+ payoff was 8,556.40€.
On Saturday there are a host of groupe contests worth the watch:
- Prix Albert Rayon (Gr. III, 76,000€, 2100 meters autostart, three year olds) led by Fabria;
- Prix Raoul Balliere (Gr. II monte, 120,000€, 2175 meters) with Ferreteria, Feeling Cash and Flamme Speed among the starters;
- Prix Ariste Hearard (Gr. II, purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, four year olds) with Elladora de Forgan and Electra Jet in the field;
- Prix Narquois (Gr. III, purse 95,000€, 2700 meters, European eligibles) with J-M Bazire’s Dreambreaker at the start
The Sunday menu includes three more groupe events:
- Prix Octave Douesnel (Gr. II, purse 120,000€, 2700 meters, four year olds) led by Earl Simon
- Prix de Mansle (Gr. III, purse 76,000€, 2100 meters autostart, three year olds) with Fun Quick and Fuego de Houelle at the start;
- Grand Prix du Bourbonnais (Gr. II International, 120,000€ purse, 2850 meters) with the now barefoot Bold Eagle in the field – he previously raced with shoes on behind). Bold Eagle was last year second in the Bourbonnais, Bourgogne, Belgique, Amerique and de France before winning the Criterium de Vitesse at Cagnes sur Mer in March.
Thomas H. Hicks