Pierre Levesque reined 1.7/1 Orient Horse (8m Abano As-Irma del Rio) to victory in Wednesday’s Q+ Prix de Beaune (purse €65,000,2700 meters, 18 European starters) at Paris-Vincennes. The Thomas Levesque trainee raced barefoot for Italian owner Mme. S. Bruni in this 1.13kr score. 51/1 Arazi Boko (9g Varenne-Laura Kemp) rallied for second with Yann Lorin up for Fabrice Souloy and Ecurie Pirat of Sweden. 7/1 Vasco de Viette was third.
On the same card the Pick5 Prix de Noailles (purse €46,000, 2700 meters, 15 European starters) went to 1.13.8kr timed, 1.4/1 odds favorite Archangel AM (6g Going Kronos-No More Time) with Pierre Vercruysse aboard for trainer Lutfi Kolgjini and Stall Behall AB of Sweden. 4.1/1 Azur Somolli (6g Obrillant-Ophelia Somolli) was second for trainer/driver Sebastian Ernault with 37/1 Valse de Pirai third for Michel Lenoir.
The Gr. II featured Prix Pierre Gamare (purse €120,000, monte, 2700 meters, nine starters) went to 1.15.7kr timed 6.2/1 odds Dreamer Delo (3m Ready Cash-Reverie d’Ar) for Eric Raffin in quite easy fashion. Sebastian Guarato trains the Scuderia Winner Stable owned colt. 7/2 Doesse d’Arquenay (3f Okapi de Fael-Manon d’Angis) was second with Anthony Barrier in the irons. 21.4/1 Dominator Blond (3m Kenor de Cosge-Orchidee Blonde) was third for Damien Bonne and 4/5 favorite Dhikti Vedaquais (3m Thorens Vedaquais-Marie Blanque) was fourth for trainer/owner Philippe Allaire and jockey Yoann Lebourgeois.
The evening program at Cagnes sur Mer featured the €44,000 purse Prix de la Bollene-Vesubie raced over 2925 meters by 11 starters. The 1.13.1kr timed winner was 5.4/1 Urac (8g Coktail Jet-Innee de la Loge) racing shoeless for J.Ch. Feron and trainer Nicolas Ensch. Louis Derieux is the owner. 1.8/1 favorite Varus du Bocage (7f Paisy Dream-Noria du Bocage) was second ahead of 73/1 Tip Top Nelliere (9g Go Lucky-Novely Blue) in a blanket finish.
Today (August 25) at Les Sables d’Olonne was the Prix de la Societe des Courses for a €30,000 purse over the 2775 meter course. 14 European contestants were at the start of this Pick5 event. The 1.16.6kr timed winner was Italy’s 3.8/1 Riviera As (f Cantab Hall-Fortune As) with J.Ph. Monclin up for trainer Salvatore Campolo and Belgium owner Ecurie Z. 22/1 Big Headache (6g EL Mikko-Southwind Roselle) was second with trainer Philippe Daugeard up for Finland owner Timo Hulkkonen. 95/1 Bahamas (m Goetmals Wood-Pin Up de la Loge) landed third with trainer L.Cl. Abrivard at the lines.
Thomas H. Hicks