July 14, 2017 – Friday evening harness racing action was at Cabourg before a huge festival audience with the Prix de la Communaute de Communes Normandy (purse €35,000, 2750 meters, 14 starters) and that 1.15.7kr timed victory was secured by 7.7/1 Excel d’Amour (3m Quaker Jet-Havane de la Motte). Herve Langlois teamed the Sebastien Guarato owner and trained youngster. 42/1 Encore Plus (3f Ready Cash-Ustie Love) took second for Glenny Delaune for trainer Guarato and breeder/owner Ecurie D. 43/1 Electra Green (3f Texas Charm-Hiola du Gault) was third reined by Jean=Philippe Dubois for Ecurie Victoria Dreams and trainer Philippe Moulin.
Excel d’Amour – The Prix de Genets (purse €44,000, 2750 meters, monte, European eligibles) went to 1.13.6kr timed and 6.1/1 odds Corames (5f Speedy Blue-Rene Magic) with Matthieu Mottier driving. Dominique Mottier is the breeder/owner/trainer. Second was 54/1 Taj Mahal d’Ombree (10g Ni Ho Ped d’Ombree-Maharoni d’Ombree) reined by Mlle. Lolita Banayn. Third was 3.1/1 Coconut Creek (5f Jag de Bellouet-Quiza Sun) with Alexandre Abrivard up.
Early on the program was the Prix de Granville (purse €38,000, 2750 meters, 16 starters) and that 1.15.2kr timed winner was 3.4/1 A Toi Jim (7g Kaisy Dream-Rama Jim) for driver J.Ph. Monclin and trainer Stephane Meunier. 7/1 Anaid d’Olaive (7g Gogo-Melodie d’Orlaine) was home second for Francois Lecanu, ahead of 8/1 Venus d’Ardennes (8f Corot-Louve d’Ardennes) for Alain Laurent.
Three year-old colts battled in the Prix de Lisieux (purse €21,000, 2750 meters) and veteran Jean Pierre Dubois returned to the winners circle driving his 2.1/1 favorite El Gusto (4m Love You-Harazina) for trainer Yves Boireau. 58/1 Elton Maslois (3g Real de Lou-Sexy Mesloise) was second for Pierre Belloche and third went to 24/1 Eclope du Guelier (3g Quinto Kebir-Quorantyne) for driver Matthieu Lebrec.
Dubois also secured a victory in July 11 at Cabourg driving Estancia Love (3f Repeat Love-Quelle Aventure) to a 1.15kr win for his Ecurie D and trainer Yves Boireau. The legendary breeder/owner/trainer/driver now as nine 2017 wins in 50 drives (18%) and 1,357 victories in 6,642 starts since 1982 (20.4%).
Thomas H. Hicks