January 26, 2019 – The Quine+ Prix du Luxembourg (Gr. III, purse 100,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 15 starters) was the Saturday harness racing feature and it showcased some of the continent’s better older trotteurs.
As the punters expected the 6/10 favorite Cleangame (7g Ouragon de Celland-Red Bell) secured victory with relative ease.
Trainer Jean-Michel Bazire handled the reins for owner JH-M Rancoule timed in 1.10.8kr.
The pace was quick from the outset (1.07.9kr at the 1500; 1.09.7kr with 1000 meters remaining; 1,11,1kr at the 500).
Cleangame now has 21 career wins in 35 starts for 681,470€ earned.
His breder was Alain Louis Beaumont. Finishing second was 9/2 odds Cash Gamble (8m Ready Cash-No Way Back) and pilot Franck Nivard with third to 7.8/1 Dijon (6m Ganymede-Sonate d’Aunou) with Romain Derieux the trainer/driver.
21/1 Sharon Gar (8f Varenne-Geneve Gar) was fourth abd 22/1 Abydos du Vivier completed the top five, the latter with Nicolas Bazire up.
Cleangame
The Q+ exaxt order payday has many winners over 6,700, of the 214€ payoff for a 2€ wager.
The Saturday opener was the Prix Offshore Dream (purse 47,000€, 2850 meters, 10 monte starters) with the double Prix d’Amerique winning trophy presented by his trainer/driver Pierre Levesque to the 9/10 favorite winning Evening Star (5f Magnificent Rodney-Pay The Bill) with jockey Anthony Barrier in the irons for trainer Gregory Thorel and Ecurie La Pinsonniere.
Race time was 1.15.1kr and the winner wore down pacesetter 6.1/1 odds Lorina Citron (5f Niky-Valley Victoria) in the lane.
Alexandre Abrivard teamed the second place check winner for trainer Bjorn Goop and owner Jean Pierre Barjon, who last night bought the highest priced 71,000€ yearling in the Amerique sale, the Charly du Noyer sired colt Irish Whiskey.
The third check in today’s monte event was 3.1/1 Etonne de Carsi (5f Okepi de Fael) ridden by Yoann Lebourgeois for trainer Franck Leblanc..
Evening Star
The Prix Moni Maker (purse 35,000€, 2700 meters, 15 starters) saw Italy’s Zahra Mil (4f Nad Al Sheba-Clea d’Alfa) scored at 8.5/1 odds for reinsman Bjorn Goop, trainer Jerry Riordan and owner Pimpicks Srl.
This rugged mare raced in, out, in front, trailing the leader before powering past in the lane for the 1.14.7kr victory, off slow fractions (1.17.8kr at the 1500 meters remaining point).
The winner raised her modest career earnings to 51,776€ with today’s victory.
5.2/1 Fulmida (4f Reisling-Jenillidia) was second for owner/trainer/driver A.G. Maillard and third was 12/1 Flora Vensei (4f Gazouillis) that Franck Nivard piloted.
Zahra Mil
The Prix Varenne (purse 41,000€, 2850 meters, 13 starters) continued races named for legendary trotteurs, and it went to 1.15.3kr timed and 1.2/1 favorite Energie d’Echal (5f Tiego d’Etang-Traviata de Fleur) with Eric Raffin up for breeder/owner Claudine Minier.
25/1 Elvetica (5f Ubriaco) and 10/1 Elegant Delo (5f Goetmals Wood) were the next pair to the line.
Energie d’Echal
The fifth race, Prix Ready Cash (purse 52,000€, 2850 meters, 13 starters), saw 3.9/1 Duel du Gers (6g Quaker Jet-Le Chasse Verte) score for trainer Matthieu Abrivard, reining for owner J-M Rancoule. Race time was 1.13.1kr for the now nine time winner in 21 life starts good for 167,590€ earned. 4.2/1 Destin Carisaie (6f Uniclove) was next with Eric Raffin aboard and third was 4.8/1 Ragaa da Sopra (6g From Above) for trainer/driver Bjorn Goop.
Duel du Gers
The Prix de Chateaubriant (purse 29,000€, 2200 meters, 14 starters) saw 2/1 Gallant Way (3m Ready Cash-Queen Flore) defeat a group of inexperienced three year olds timed in 1.17.4kr with Eric Raffin up.
Philippe Allaire trains this first time winner for Jacques Pauc, the breeder/owner.
7/1 Gwendalo Bello (3m Booster Winner) was second for Christophe Feyte and 47/1 Gentilove Job (3m Love You) took third.
Gallant Way
The European amateur drivers contested the Coupe d’Europe des Amateurs (purse 16,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 16 entrants, one scratch) today and it was a good race won by the pacesetter and 6/1 odds Staro Ivy League (8g Make It Happen-Staro Bello Dorine) driven by Leonardo Vastano. Peter Untersteiner trains this one for Kgosterien AB.
Second was fast closing 9/1 Final Oak (9m Make It Happen-Cara Bobs Crown) with Mlle Kassandra Fresneau aboard and third went to 4.6/1 Panoramic (9g Scarlet Knight) with Piet Van Ollaert up for trainer Henk Grift.
4.9/1 Brandeis Jet and 35.1 Brome des Lunes completed the top five, these reined by Dennis Kristiansen and Nicklas Benzon.
Staro Ivy League
At Wolvega on January 25, 2019 was the Grand Prix Willem H. Geersen (purse 9,900€, 2600 meters, 12 starters) in honor of that legendary horseman.
The victory was earned by 10/1 Thai Investment (10g Broadway Hall-Thai Wonder) timed in 1.14.3kr and reined by Jaap Van Rijn for trainer H.A.J. Grift and owner J.A.C. Vanduffel. The winning trotter now has career earnings of 127,524. 3.4/1 Gustafson (6g Quick Wood-Ultimate Lady) was second for Rick Ebbinge and trainer J.W.M. Engwerda, ahead of 11/1 Flavius (7g Pegasus Boko-Yemaya). The 1.3/1 favorite Ustinof de Vivier was fifth.
Thomas H. Hicks