May 28, 2015 – Harness racing action aplenty this day in France. and Sweden as the Pick 5 Prix SES Racing Team (€28,000 purse, 2800 meters, 18 starters) went to 1.2/1 favorite A Nous Trois (5m Orlando Vici-Quallas) with Eric Raffin up. Sebastian Guarato trains this 1.14.8kr winner. 8/1 Always Perfect (5m Prodigious-Oh Butterfly) was second for owner/trainer/driver Julien Dubois ahead of 2.3/1 Atout du Lerre (5g Oakwood du Closet-Haquikmie) with driver/trainer Franck Anne piloting.
At Nancy-Brabois FR the trotting contests were also interesting. Their Prix Ecole de Nancy (€30,000 purse, 3175 meters distance handicap, eight European contestants) went to 1.18.5kr clocked Kazire du Bob (7g Kazire de Guez-Blow Out Kemp) at 2.2/1 for teamster Franck Ouvrie. Bjorn Goop is his trainer for Stall Torpedo HB of Sweden. 2.3/1 Oronte di Cesato (7m Allison Hollow-Enzaran) reported home second for Christophe Martens, trainer Vincent Martens and owner Onsorio Perfetti of Italy. 13/1 Ungador (7g Gobernador-Oceanic Melody) was third.
Also at Nancy-Brabois the Prix des Freres Muller (€25,000 purse, 2600 meters, nine European starters) went to 1.16.7kr winner Vasco d’Orsinval (6g Malicieux Gede-Nuit de Pontignies) at 6/1 for trainer/driver A. Garandeau. 5/1 Shark Attack (7g April Perfect-Step by Step) was next for Philippe Masschaele, trainer J-F Van Dooyeweerd of Holland with 1.3/1 favorite Unogaren (7g Land du Coglais-Neige de la Garen) third for Julien Raffestin, trainer Robert Bergh and owner Ecurie Etoile.
At Bergsaker SWE a 2014 Elitloppet starter Shaq Is Back (8m Credit Winner-Vivica Hall-Victory Dream) and trainer/driver Daniel Reden won the Travakademiens Sponsorers Trot (30,000SEK first prize, 2140 meters autostart, 10 starters) clocked in 1.11.3kr for a comfortable win over Rocky Race (10m Super Arnie-Etoile Race-Lindy’s Crown) and Leif Witasp. Stall Zet owns the winner that was US bred by Steve Jones and Fair Winds Farm. This was win number 21 for Shaq in 71 starts good for 4,554,037SEK won. Another last year Elitloppet contestant Sanity (9g Love You-Flash Light-Mack Lobell) was third today for Ulf Eriksson. Sanity has 30 wins in 78 starts for earnings of 10,246,942SEK.
It was reported that now retired superstar Maharajah will be presented to the audience on Sunday. He started in four Prix d’Amerique’s winning his last try. He never started in an Elitloppet. The Stefan Hultman trainee won the Olympic Trot, the Prix de Paris, the Swedish Derby, and European Derby and E3. Orjan Kihlstrom drove Maharajah in all but two of his 59 career starts that produced 31 victories for over 23SEK million earned. The “King” will be shown at Solvalla shortly after noon local time.
Thomas H. Hicks