The Quinte+ Prix des Blois (purse €95,000, 2100 meters autostart, 14 European starters) today went to 1.12.5kr timed and 3.1/1 odds Altesse du Mirel (6f Ready Cash-Ina de Mirel) racing barefoot. Pierre Vercruysse trains and drive the winner for harness racing owner Mme. Florence Allera and breeder Mlle Anette Holmgren. Altesse record her 12th career victory now for €543.990 earned, leading this one in quick fraction before yielding after the first 1000 meters.
She then raced in the pocket until mid-stretch when she rallied between rivals to win. Fractions were as follows (1.10.1lr with 1500 to go; 1.11.4kr with 1000 meters remaining, 1.12.5kr with 500 to go). 4.4/1 Arazi Boko (9g Varenne-Laura Kemp_ was second for Franck Nivard, trainer Fabrice Souloy and Sweden’s Ecurie Piret. 2/1 Unice de Guez (8g Capriccio-Eau Blanche) held third on the pegs for trainer/driver J-M Bazire
Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9RZo3yP5W0
The Prix de Murat (purse €54,000, 2850 meters, 18 European starters) went to 5.3/1 Beverly Boulevard (7f Quite Easy-Long Beach) for J-M Bazire, trainer Fabrice Souloy and Swedish owner Mme. Camilla Vikstrom, clocked in 1.15.2kr. 112/1 Cuba Cohiba (8f Scarlet Knight-Havannas Hanna) was second for P-Y Verva ahead of 30/1 Angelina BR (8f Angus Hall-Fiery Chip).
The Prix de Saint-Aubin les Elbeuf (purse €85,000, 2850 meters, 10 starters) went to 1.15.2kr timed and 5.5/1 Bad Boy du Dollar (5m Magnificent Rodney-Nymphe du Dollar) with trainer Sylvain Roger up. 4/5 favorite Baladin Hongrois (5g Bon Conseil-Reludie Hongroise) took second for trainer/driver Arnaud Desmottes. 3.8/1 Bel Avis (5g Ganymede-Gloria Maris) was third for trainer/driver J-M Bazire and Wildenstein Stables Ltd.
The Prix de Blangy (purse €36,000, 2850 meters, 15 starters) went to fast closing 8.4/1 Deepstack (3m Royal Dream-Missrev) with owner/trainer/driver Bjorn Goop aboard. Jean Philippe Izzo was his breeder. 1.1/1 Dream Cash (3g Ready Cash-Susy Love) was second for trainer/driver Jean-Michel Bazire and owner Ecurie Charmes. 30/1 Diplomate d’Em (3m Love You-Kalmie Melody) was third for trainer Thierry Duvaldestin and pilot Mathieu Abrivard. Race time was 1.15.2kr.
Yesterday’s top level monte test was at Vincennes. The 8.7/1 odds Adelia Melodie (6f Lilium Madrik-Piccola Stella) took the Prix d’Honfleur (purse €78,000, 2175 meters, 17 monte entrants) clocked in a sharp 1.12.5kr for Mille Audrey Laroche and trainer Stephane Meunier. Even-money favorite Aventurier Cehere (6g Niky-Iloa de l’Orne was a distant second for Antoine Weils with third to 115/1 Viking de Tremahou (7g Flash de Cosse-Lea Fotuna) for A.Ph. Grimault.
Yesterday’s top events in Sweden took place at Solvalla. The Gunnar Nordins (100,000SEK to winner, 2140 meters autostart) went to Globalsatisfaction (4g Kadabra-Glide path-Yankee Glide) for Ulf Ohlsson and trainer Timo Nurmos clocked in 1.14.3kr. Banthechocolate (4f Chocolatier-Bancroft Hall-Conway Hall) was second for Tomi Haapio ahead of Floyd Fortuna (4g Yankee Glide-Jane O’Donnell-SJ’s Photo) with Erik Adielsson driving.
The Gosta Nordins (100,000SEK to winner, 2140 meters autostart) went to 1.15.2kr timed Attack Diablo (6g Blue YorkYankee-Chanson d’Inverne-SJ’s Photo) for Christoffer Eriksson driving for Peter Untersteiner. Charrua Forlan and Partout Simoni were next to the line. The card also included the Mehammer Stuteri (100,000SEK to the winner, 1640 meters autostart) for two year-olds. 27/1 Drizzle CC (2f Sam Bourbon-Tucson Yankee-Lindy Lane) scored for driver Pierre Nystrom timed in 1.16.4kr. Violet Bi (2f Equinox Bi) was second for Kenneth Haugstad and trainer Jim Oscarsson.
Thomas H. Hicks