Top flight action was on tap this evening at Paris-Vincennes, primarily for three and four year olds.
The opener this day was the Prix Ludovica (purse 75,000€, 2850 meters, 10 starters) with the 1.13.4kr timed impressive victory to 2.9/1 Elena de Piencourt (4f Opium-Una Bella Jain) with trainer Matthieu Abrivard driving for breeder/owner Robert Malherbe. She scored for the third time lifetime in 31 outings and was a decisive winner over 9/1 Extra Light (4f Village Mystic) that Gabriele Gelormini teamed for trainer Stephane Meunier.
The 8.1/1 odds Extasy d’Ourville (4f Tucson) took the third check for pilot David Thomain and trainer Sebastien Guarato. 22/1 Epona des Passage (4f Real de Lou) was fourth for Aymeric Thomas ahead of even money favorite Electra Jet (4f Ready Cash) and Pierre Vercruysse.
The featured monte Prix Phact (Gr. III, purse 65,000€, 2850 meters, 12 European starters) saw 4.6/1 odds Forbes Delo (3m Saxo de Vandel-Reverie d’Ar) score with Adrien Lamy in the irons for trainer Alain Rogier and breeder/owner Elodie Margeard de Barros). Race time was 1.15.5kr in this event for three year old monte specialists. 6.3/1 Fidji Gelle (3f Ubriaco) was second for jockey Matthieu Abrivard and third was 7.2/1 Frison Jiel (3g Rombaldi) for David Thomain. 30/1 Foot des Glenan (3g Hyperion) and 3.1/1 Flying Dream (3m Coktail Jet) completed the top five.
The monte Prix Goberta (purse 46,000€, 2200 meters, nine starters) went to an impressive 20/1 Estelou (4g Texas Charm-Topaze Bourbon) that closed stoutly from sixth at the halfway point. Race time was 1.13.8kr as this winner recorded his fourth career victory in 24 outings for 94,210€ earned. Matthieu Abrivard was in the irons for owner/trainer Julien Dubois and Estelou was bred by Scuderia Bolgheri Srl. Even-money favorite Emir de Rebomard (4g Kepler) was second for Yoann Lebourgeois and trainer Stephane Meunier. Third went to 18/1 Elder Shadow (4m Singalo) with J-Y Ricard the jockey for Ecurie des Charmes.
The winner’s dam is a daughter of Love You-Etta Extra, the family of Mara Bourbon (by And Arifant-Etta Extra) and Vita Bourbon, the dam of Gr.I winner Face Time Bourbon. Note, the exceptional Etta Extra is a daughter of Florestan-Une Crown-Speedy Crown) and illustrative of the Dubois’ Franco-American trotting creation.
Tomorrow is the 11th leg of the Gr. III GNT Paris-Turf at Strasbourg for a 90,000€ purse, with a competitive field that includes Bachar, Balando, Ambassadeur d’Am and Cathy A Quira among the 18 starters.
by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink