December 30, 2016 – 8.6/1 Panoramic took Friday’s Quinte+ Prix de Sainte Marie du Mont (purse €50,000, 2100 meters autostart, 18 European starters) racing barefoot for harness racing trainer/driver Charles-Carmel Degiorgio. Timed in 1.13.5kr the winner is owned by M&G Scicluna of Malta and is a six year-old gelded son of Scarlet Knight-Cartolina Spin.
43.1 Thunder Peak (6m Quatre Juliet-Nikaia) took second for Dominik Locqueneux, trainer H.E. Bondo and owner Nordisr Vabene AB of Denmark. 33/1 Astre d’Or (g Ouragon de Cellard-Quelle Emotion) landed third for breeder/owner/trainer/driver RTichard William Derecher. 17/1 Auteur (6g Overtrick-Onesca)was fourth for Mathieu Mottier and 1.6/1 Speed Delicious (6m Fast Photo-Ala Delicious) was fifth with Franck Nivard at the lines for Mattias Ludvig & Son (Sweden) and trainer Fabrice Souloy.
A most interesting event today was the Prix de Saint Leonard (purse €14,000, 2850 meters, 16 starters, distance handicap for amateur drivers. The race attracted several veteran classy performer that at age 10 will be unable to race in FR in 2017. Based on career earnings these had to overcome 50 meter penalties and they did so. The 3/5 favorite Swedishman (10g GoGo-Volgana) prevailed clocked in 1.14.5kr for driver Christophe Roszak, trainer Thierry Duvaldestin and owner Gaylor Chaudemanche.
Racing without shoes behind, Swedishman now has career earnings of €1,114,750 with 31 victories in 162 starts and a speed record of 1.11.6kr. 6.5/1 Ustinof du Vivier (8g Look de Star-Melba du Vivier) was second, he a career winner of €1.095.000, and third was another outgoing veteran 16/1 Sierra Leone (10f John Arifant-Une d’Havetot) owned by breeder J.Cl. Hallais, she a lifetime winner of €835,000.
The Prix de Chalais (purse €46,000, 2100 meters autostart, 15 starters) went to barefoot 6.3/1 Bon Grain Tivoli (5g Gros Grain-Ma Vero) timed in 1.13kr. Damien Bonne, also trainer/owner, teamed the winner. 3/1 Bahamas (5m Goetmals Wood-Pin Up de la Loge) was second with Alexandre Abrivard driving for trainer L.Cl. Abrivard. Third was 19.3/1 Bikini (5g Niky-Nerimee) for trainer/driver Franck Ouvrie.
The very competitive monte Prix de Pontchateau (purse €50,000, 2175 meters, 18 starters) was won by Verdi de Carrelis (7g Nahar de Beval-Mine de Tillard) reined by Franck Nivard and clocked in 1.13.4kr. The 11.7/1 odds winner defeated 13.7/1 Vezac Duophi (7g Kesaco Phedo-Ocre Rouge) ridden by Francois Lagadeuc and third finishing 21.8/1 Vif d’Or Blanc (7g Coktail Jet-Java Blanche).
Thomas H. Hicks