March 3, 2017 – A Nice Boy (7g Niky-Pretty Perle) won today’s Grand National du Trot Paris-Turf at Amiens, the first GNT leg. The €90,000 purse, Gr. III, 2900 meters harness racing event was contested by 18 horses.
The winner, off at 2.9/1, was teamed by David Thomain, trained by J.P. Thomain and owned by Haras d’Erable. Race time was 1.14.8kr.
9.6/1 Arthuro Boy (7m Le Retour-Guyane) was second for breeder/owner/trainer/driver Yves Dreux. 5.7/1 Ambassadeur d’Am (7g Orlando Vici-Halatte des Acres) was third for Christophe Martens. 14/1 Verzee Carisaie was fourth for Eric Raffin and fifth was 23/1 Vichenko Chep for Ch. Dreux. The 2.3/1 favorite Avenir de Blay was tenth.
The Grand Prix de la Ville d’Amiens (purse €27,000, 2900 meters, 16 European starters) today went to 17.6/1 Upper de Naganda (9g Jan Pridem-Fregate de Nyanda) reined by Erik Raffin. Times was unreported.
Yesterday at Cagnes-sur-Mer the Prix du Jamin (purse €25,000, 2925 meters, 14 starters) went to 1.15.3kr clocked and 2/1 favorite Deal On Line (4m Oiseau de Feurs-Tears For Fears) driven by Romain Derieux, also trainer. Mme. Mauicette DeSousa owns the winner that was bred by Mme. Etiennette Dubois. 30/1 Dorthez Prestance (4m Real de Lou-Quelle Prestance) was second for Christophe Martens, trainer Vincent Martens and breeder/owner Joseph Vanduffel.
Thomas H. Hicks