Essex, UK – There will be two full fields of Trotter Francais LeTrot races at the Betfred owned all weather Thoroughbred track, Chelmsford City Racecourse, on Thursday, November 10.
TROTBritain is the organizers of this first-ever event being staged under the floodlights on the same racing card with the thoroughbreds.
The race meeting will be attended by dignitaries from LeTrot, the French trotting governing body.
“This has become a super inaugural event for both the Thoroughbreds and Trotter Francais racing fans.” Said TROTBritain organizer George Button of Kent. “The officials at Chelmsford City are truly excited about having our LeTrot races as part of their racing program.”
Both LeTrot races will be held over a distance of one mile one furlong on the Polytrack surface. The opening "Fleet Hire LeTrot” race is a 10-horse affair, and on paper is a very open race with any of the ten horses having a shot at winning.
The Fleet Hire LeTrot race will have an International feel with the French based, Swedish woman driver, Theresa 'Titti' Fontaeus, driving the Pimlott Stables six-year-old mare, Alma des Sablettes, and they have #1 on the gate.
She has had winners in five European countries, including France, Sweden, Belgium, Great Britain and Norway, where she won the Nordic Championship in 2007.
Most recently in Great Britain in 2016, Fontaeus had ridden the current "TROTBritain Horse of the Year" Sulky du Bleguin to victory in the first-ever Monte Trotting race at Tir Prince Raceway in Wales.
The second LeTrot race and the last race of the meeting is the "George Button Senior Trotteur Francais Cup" which is for the top French trotters in Great Britain and a stellar field has been assembled.
Feature will be the Irish invader, Twist du Layon, who is the 1 1/4-mile record holder in Ireland in 2.33.3. He takes on Sire Pazenais, who happens to be the 1 1/2-mile record holder in Great Britian.
Other top contenders include the 2015 Horse of the Year, Show Business, the 2016 Horse of the Year, Sulky du Bleguin and Tenor Meslois, the 2016 Grass Champion. There are 11 starters in the race
“These two races fittingly close out the 2016 LeTrot season,” Button added. “and should be a real cracker. It is our hopes at TROTBritain that these two races will have great exposure in all of the Betfred owned bookmaking shops and that SIS will transmit to other bookmaking outlets.
With the culmination of the meeting, TROTBritain hopes that they and the Betfred owned track will be able to continue their agreement and work together in have additional LeTrot races staged in the future at Chelmsford City Racecourse.
“This historic event could not have happened without the enthusiasm and determination of the management of Chelmsford City Racecourse,” Button said, “and the support of LeTrot, the French Trotting governing body. It has taken a lot of work and we hope that everyone considers coming out for the races or have a wager or two via Betfred and help show your support for this special inaugural night at Chelmsford City.”
For more information about Chelmsford City Racecouse, visit http://www.chelmsfordcityracecourse.com/.
By Steve Wolf, for TROTBritain