Today’s Prix Isara (purse 80,000€, 2850 meters distance handicap, 15 starters) at Vincennes, France brought out several Winter Meet harness racing stars (Davidson du Pont, Belina Josselyn, Delia du Pommereux, Carat Williams, Django Riff).
For some the aim was victory, for others it was a workout. This made 1.4/1 Dark Night Love (6f Royal Lover-Querida de Vonnas) the favorite and for good reason as the J-M Bazire trainee scored, timed in 1.13.9kr for breeder/owner Sebastien Moureaux.
It was her 11th career victory in 25 outings now for 295,100€ earned. This one faced no distance handicap.
The 21/1 Delia du Pommereux (6f Niky-Noune du Pommereux) was second for Franck Nivard overcoming a 25-meter penalty and trained by Sylvain Roger for breeder/owner Noel Lolic. 2.6/1 Carat Williams (7m Prodigious-Miss Williams) was third for David Thomain and trainer Sebastien Guarato, he facing the 25-meter handicap.
The 15/1 Django Riff (6m Ready Cash) was fourth. The handicapped starts were off the board – Express Jet seventh, Davison du Pont tenth, Belina Josselyn 14th.
On the undercard was the Prix Timucharia (purse 70,000€, Gr. III, 2750 meters, 13 starters) with victory to 12/1 Gipson Creek (3m Rieussec-Ultifeda) clocked in 1.13.8kr with Gabriele Gelormini up for trainer Guarato and breeder/owner Nathalie Gonin.
She recorded career win 11 in 16 starts for life earnings of 127,584€. 3.8/1 Guillermo Sport (3m Orlando Sport) and 6.6/1 Galilea Money (3f Bold Eagle) completed the top three, the latter with J-M Bazire the trainer/driver for breeder/owner Yvan Bernard.
The Gr. III Prix California (purse 74,000€, 2850 meters, eight starters) completed the top-level action and in this one 2/1 Éclair du Mirel (5m Orlando Vici-Tentation du Mirel) scored timed in 1.12.8kr with Matthieu Abrivard up. Mme. Suzanne Vachet trains the seven-time career winner for life earnings of 218,810€.
The 3.2/1 Eclat de Gloire (5g Teigo d’Etang) was next for Loris Garcia and third was 7.5/1 Fresneaux (4m Timoko) for Christophe Martens.
by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink