January 25, 2017 – Solid trotting action took place this day at Cagnes sur Mer and Hambourg. At Cagnes siur Mer the Prix Houston Laukko (purse €31,000, 2150 meters autostart, 13 starters) went to 1.13.3kr timed and 1.6/1 odds Bea Ecus (6f Quick Wood-Iffrida) with Markku Vartainen up, he is also the harness racing breeder/owner/trainer. 6.4/1 Calicot du Vivier (5g Repeat Love-Kalika du Viver) was second for owner/driver Jean-Pierre Dubois and Yves Boireau, trainer. Jean-Yves Lucuyer bred this one. 48.2/1 Bolide de la Cote (5g Quatre Juillet-Scarlet Pride) held third.
1.3/1 Douce Aventure (4f Sam Bourbon-New York) took the Prix Dollar de Meslay (purse €24,000, 2150 meters autostart, 10 starters) timed in 1.14.5kr. Breeder/owner/trainer Louis Baudron reined the winner.
Another Sam Bourbon offspring won the Prix Tigre Royal (purse €24,000, 2150 meters autostart). The 1.13.3kr timed winner was 4/5 favorite Dixon Dark (4m Sam Bourbon-Queen des Charmes) owned byStall Rita and driven by Jorma Niskanen.
The Quinte+ was at Cagnes sur Mer in the Prix Une de Mai (purse €55,000, 2925 meters, 14 starters). 3/5 favorite Baby Lou Max (6g Gazouillis-Kamaxie) scored victorious for Nicolas Mortagne ahead of 103.7/1 outsider Boss du Meleuc (6g Lucky Blue-Rafale du Meleuc) with owner/trainer Y-A Briand driving. Third was 117.2/1 Undici (9g Kaiser Soze-Jobeth) for trainer/driver David Bekaert. Race time was 1.13.8kr.
Well respected Cash Hanover (5m Love You-Impasse) took the Preis de Hamburger 2016 Champions at Hambourg, Germany. Michael Nimczyk is trainer/driver for owner Ulrich Mommert and the winner was timed in 1.15.9kr over 2200 meters for a €7,000 purse.
Thomas H. Hicks