January 6, 2019 – The harness racing veteran monte specialist Bilibili (8m Niky-Quetty du Donjon), off as 2.2/1 second wagering choice), won today’s Gr. II monte Prix Calvados (purse 130,000€, 2850 meters, eight starters) timed in 1.12.4kr with Alexandre Abrivard in the irons for trainer J.Cl. Abrivard.
Bilibili scored for the 11th time in a 40 race career and raised his life earnings to 1,159,600€.
Jean Pierre Barjon bred and owns Bilibili that tracked leading and 1.4/1 favorite Traders (7 m Ready Cash-Graziella) until mid-stretch, before surging past for the convincing victory.
Traders was handled by Yoann Lebourgeois for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire.
Third went to 7/2 odds Briac Dark (8m Prince Gede-Queen des Charmes) reined by jockey Matthieu Abrivard for trainer Thierry Duvaldestin for owner Guy Barou.
26/1 Benjamine Gede and 37/1 Cassate were the next pair to the line.
The top three finishers earned an auto-invite to the Prix de Cornulier that this year carries a 600,000€ purse, a week before the Prix d’Amerique.
Bilibili returns
Bilibili rallies past Traders to qualify for Prix Cornulier
The Prix de Vic Sur Cere (purse 63,000€, 2850 meters, 13 European starters) was next and it was a field of upper lever performers led by the J-M Bazire trained Looking Superb, off as the 7/10 favorite with Alexandre Abrivard up.
Races are not certain and Looking Superb was a misque dq.
The field produced a thrilling finish with victory earned to the very game 5.2/1 odds Dexter Chatho (6g Un Amour d’Haufor-Okayama) reined by trainer Christian Bigeon to his eight career win in 21 starts, now for 235,360€ earned.
Race time was 1.13.kr off rated fractions (1.14.1kr at the 500 meters remaining mark).
Second went to 17/1 Dollar Soyer (6g Phlegyas-Quinoa Soyer) with Eric Raffin up for trainer Gregory Thorel.
9/1 Desir Castelets (8m Quaker Jet-Ophelie Jet) took third for Franck Nivard and fourth was 12/1 Moni Viking (6m Maharajah-Jeunesse Doree) with trainer Pierre Vercruysse the pilot.
Dexter Chatho
Thomas H. Hicks