Sweden’s Just Magic (7g Love You-Sweet Release) with Christophe Martens up took today’s Grand Prix de la Soie (€40,000 purse, 2700 meters, 13 European starters) clocked in 1.15.7kr at 2.6/1 odds.
Spirou d’Haulefois (9g Jolmeto-Carmen d’Hautefois) was second at 5/1 with third to the J-M Bazire trained and reined Urbain de Guez (7g Indy de Vive-Nore de Guez) as 1.9/1 odds favourite.
Also on the Lyon card was the Prix de Strasbourg (€42,000 purse, 2700 meters, 12 starters) and Atilano (5m Quatre Juillet-Oluflo) scored in 1.16kr for P-Y Verva at 6.2/1.
Vespa de Bourgogne (6f Echo-Gym du Bois Morin) and Avenir (5m Kiwi-Musique de Mai) trailed the winner.
The same evening at Vincennes saw Cala Rossa (3f Lets Go Along-Lee Nova) and Julien Dubois take the Prix Marzim (€42,000 purse, 2700 meters, 12 starters) in 1.16.6kr for Ecurie Victoria Dreams and Philippe Moulin, trainer.
The winner at 3.6/1 defeated Coral Sea (3f Niky-Quest For Love) and Cova Josselyn (3f Love You-Sezira Josselyn), the latter the 9/10 favorite for J-M Bazire.
Thomas H Hicks