December 23, 2018 – Eridan (4m Ready Cash-Topaze d’Atout), off at 13/1 odds, rallied late to win the Gr. I Criterium Continental (purse 240,000€, 2100 meters autostart, 18 starters all harness racing four-year olds, the Quinte+ race of the day) at Paris-Vincennes, and with the victory came an auto-invite to the Prix d’Amerique.
David Thomain teamed the Sebastien Guarato trainee that was off at 13/1 odds and is owned by Philippe Dewulf.
Eridan now has eight career wins in 25 starts for 562,950€ earned.
Race time was a quick 1.10.3kr (mile rate 1:53.11 over the 1.305 miles distance) off fast fractions (1.05.1kr with 1500 to go; 1.09.2kr at the 1000 meters remaining mark and 1.10.3kr at the 500).
The 3.4/1 Italy invader Vitruvio (4m Adrian Chip-Tigre OM) was second for trainer/driver Alessandro Gocciadoro and 4.3/1 Earl Simon (4m Prodigious-Tindrana) was third for Franck Ouvrie and trainer Jarmo Niskanen. 89/1 Estola was fourth for Alexandre Abrivard and 101/1 Eros du Chene was fifth with Gabriele Gelormini aboard. 2/1 favorite Erming d’Oliverie was a dq, as was Vamp Kronos.
In the last 14 years there have been three Criterium Continental winners that moved on to win the Prix d’Amerique, two of them, Bold Eagle and Offshore Dream, won the big race twice,
Next up for the classics is December 30 when the Grand Prix de Bourgogne will be raced and January 20th is the Prix de Cornulier for the monte stars.
Thomas H. Hicks