The day’s featured Gr. I Prix Comte Pierre de Montesson at Vincennes (Criterium des Jeunes, purse €200,000, 2700 meters, three year old open), resulted in an upset harness racing victory by 15/1 Folelli (3f Timoko-Andree d’Ecajeul) with Alexandre Abrivard up. Frederic Pratt is trainer/breeder of this one that Flavien Pratt owns.
Race time was 1.14.5kr.
37/1 Fend la Bise (3f Prince Gede-Una Prima Steed) was second for trainer/driver Franck Anne and owner Ecurie AB Trot. 51/1 Fabriz du Gite (3m Tabriz du Gite-Salamandre du Gite) was home third driven by Franck Ouvrie. 20/1 File Gin (3m Repeat Love) and 4/1 Follow You (3m Ready Cash-Mara Bourbon) completed the top five.
There were five dq’s and they included 1.3/1 Fly With Us, 9/1 Feeling Cash 7.5/1 Fastissime.
Folelli – 2018 Youth Criterium – Vincennes
Brazil day festivities of music, dance and racing included the Prix de la Lusophonie “Finistere” (purse €80,000, 2850 meters, ten starters) and this victory went to 1.13.9kr timed and 25/1 odds Danae de la Frette (5g Quaro-Queen de la Frette) with Adrien Lamy up for trainer Franck Leblanc and Ecurie du Grand Buisson. 2.2/1 Deesse des Landes (5f Millenium Wood-Tifosa) was second for L.M. David, the owner/trainer/driver. 19/1 Daylight (5f Prodigious-Ilexia) took third for Jean Philippe Dubois.
The Brazil Carnival got rolling surrounding the Quinte+ of the day. The Q+ Prix du Bresil (purse €54,000, 2700 meters, 18 European starters) went to 13/1 Valfleury (9g Memphis du Rib-Idague) with trainer Thierry Duvaldestin up, timed in 1.14kr. 8.6/1 Diamond (8g Classic Photo-Gala dei Bessi) with reinsman Matthieu Abrivard held second for driver Paul Hagoort and Ecurie Mille Fleurs. 33/1 Agi de Crennes (8f Joyou d’Amour), 36/1 Twitter (9g Offshore Dream) and 2/1 Siebella Park (7f Varenne) rounded out the top five finishers. Festivities of Brazil Day at the hippodrome surrounded this race.
The very impressive Davidson du Pont (5m Pacha du Pont-Laguna du Pont) recorded an easy victory in the Gr. II Prix Ovide Moulinet (purse €120,000, 2700 meters) for trainer/driver Jean-Michel Bazire and Ecurie Albert Rayon. This 1.1/1 favorite was timed in 1.13.4kr off soft fractions (1.16.1kr at 1500 remaining; 1.14.8kr at the 1000 and 1.14kr with 500 to go) on the front. 2.8/1 Django Riff (5m Ready Cash-Rasta Perrine) was second for Yoann Lebourgeois, trainer Philippe Allaire and breeder/owner Elisabeth Allaire. 5.7/1 Diego Sautonne (5m Look de Star-Olympe Sautonne) took third with Matthieu Abrivard up for breeder/owner Marielle Touillet. Davidson du Pont is a horse to watch in this and future years.
The Gr. III Prix Rio Conseils et Credits (purse €100,000, 2700 meters, four year olds) went to the rallying 1.14.2kr timed and 12/1 odds Voltaire Gifont (4m Quaker Jet-Realm of Fancy). Legendary Pietro Gubellini reined the winner for trainer Cristian Rizzo and owner Mme. Catarina Ballini. 5.2/1 Elvis Madrik (4g Overtrick-Tequila Dara) held second for Frack Nivard and trainer/owner Jean Michel Baudouin. Third was 12/1 Espella Vedaquais (4f Thorens Vedaquais-Marie Blanche) driven by Yoann Lebourgeois for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire.
8.2/1 Vrai Voyou (9g Gazouillis-Oranginette) took the Gr. III monte Prix SLCR (purse €110,000, 2175 meters, European eligibles) timed in a sharp 1.11.2kr off quick fractions (1.09.1kr at the 1500 to go mark; 1.10.2 at the 1000 and 1.11.1kr with 500 remaining). Adrien Lamy was in the irons for owner/trainer P.E. Mary. Favored Val Royal (9m Capriccio-Quarda du Rib) took second for Eric Raffin, trainer J-M Bazire and breeder/owner Ecurie des Charmes. 9/1 Valse de Reve (9f Mister President-Nouba Houba) took third for jockey Guillaume Martin and trainer Alain Roussel.
The Prix Mediatica (purse €36,000, 2100 meters autostart, 13 starters) showcased a 1.13.2kr timed victory for 2.3/1 Diaghilev (5m Goetmals Wood-Qadidja) driven by trainer/owner Jorgen Westholm and Team Westholm AB. 6/1 Diamant d’Isques (5m Rolling d’Heripre) was second for Gabriele Gelormini.
A special annual event near the end of the Winter Meet at Paris-Vincennes is the Prix des Trotteurs Sang-Froid (purse €20,000, 2100 meters autostart, 12 international coldbloods) and 4.9/1 Josveis (9g Viesker) driven by Antti Ojanpera for owner Paul Lindgren of Finland. Race time was 1.25.3kr. 5.3/1 Tand Tuff (9m Jarvsofaks) was a just beaten second for driver J.Ph. Monclin, trainer J-O Persson (the trainer of Jarvsofaks) and owner Christer Lindstrom of Sweden.
Next Sunday at Vincennes is the third leg of the Triple Crown that is the Prix de Paris for €400,000 and contested over 4150 meters.
Thomas H. Hicks