December 25, 2020 – The Christmas Day Groupe contests began with the Prix Une de Mai (Gr. II, purse 85,000€, 2175 meters for harness racing two-year olds).
Here the 1.13.7kr time victory was earned by 10/1 outsider Illusive Artist (2f Prodigious-Real Artist) reined by breeder Jean Philippe Dubois for his Ecurie Victoria Dreams and trainer Philippe Moulin.
45/1 Iseult Flower (2f Nahar de Beval-Amilka) was second for trainer/driver Anthony Muidebled and owner Regine Bejot, ahead of 17/1 Ialka Jenilat (2f Kepler-Dalka Jenilat) handled by Franck Nivard for trainer Sebastien Guarato and owner Sebastien Dewulf.
Illusive Artist
The Prix Sans Dire Oui (Gr. III, purse 70,000€, monte 2850 meters European five-six-year olds) saw 8.3/1 Flicka de Blary (5f Sam Bourbon-Kalinkaga) score in 1.12.9kr for jockey Mme. Camille Levesque and owner/trainer Thomas Levesque.
Flicka won for the seventh time in her career and increased her life earnings to 274,680€.
The 6.8/1 odds Egao Jenilat (6g Village Mystic-Queen Jenilou) took second for pilot Mathieu Mottier and breeder/trainer Louis Baudron.
40/1 Flore de Janeiro (5f Vanishing Point) was third.
Flicka de Blary
The post positions and driver assignments are set for the Criterium Continental and Prix Tenor de Baune on Sunday, both which promise to be competitive races and the winners will receive an Amerique invitation.
Criterium Continental (Gr. I, International, 2100 meters autostart for four-year olds)
Prix Tenor de Baune (Gr. II, International, 2700 meters for five-year olds)
Thomas H. Hicks