At Farjestad on Friday the Folke Hjalmarssons for 100,000SEK (US$11,873) to the winner (2140 meters autostart, ten starters) went to Trinity Zet and driver Orjan Kihlstrom. Off at 6.3/1 this five year-old daughter of SJ’s Photo-Kleo Zet-Angus Hall is trained by Daniel Reden for Stall Zet. She recorded victory in her first 2016 appearance and her sixth lifetime in 25 starts. Roses Glory (5f Yankee Glide-Spring Gala-Self Possessed was second for trainer/driver Veljo Heiskanen and third went to Star di Poggio (5f Conway Hall-Glory de Poggio-Viking Kronos) and driver Kenneth Haugstad.
On the same card, the featured Prins Carl Philips Jubileumspokal (1640 meters autostart, 250,000SEK to the winner, ten starters) went to US import Propulsion at 1.9/1 odds for driver Orjan Kihlstrom. Daniel Reden also trains this one for Stall Zet, as Propulsion secured his first 2016 victory in his initial start. He won three times in Europe after winning twice at the Meadowlands in July 2015. The five year-old son of Muscle Hill-Danae-Andover Hall now has 12 wins in 25 career starts for earnings of 1,032,583SEK. Je t’Aime Express (5g Symphonic Hanover-Je t’Aime Marron-Sugarcane Hanover) was second for trainer/driver Peter Untersteiner with third to Fire To The Rain (5g Yankee Glide-Adelaide Hall-Conway Hall) for driver Ulf Ohlsson.
The Friday evening Quinte+ (jackpot €3.75 million) at Paris-Vincennes was the €52,000 purse Prix Maia over 2850 meters with 18 mares at the start. The 1.12.6kr timed winner was 33/1 outside Violine Mourotaise (7f Le Retour-Mourotaise) with Matthieu Abrivard teaming. 2.9/1 Verzee Carisaie (7f Ni Ho Ped d’Ombree-Harmonie Carisaie) was second for Eric Raffin and 23/1 Victoire de Levres (7f Lontzac-Eve Liria) ended third for Franck Nivard, ahead of the 3/2 favorite Akayama (6f Prodigious-Hirosaka) and David Thomain.
Three year-old females also battled on Friday evening in the Prix Alcyone (purse €36,000, 2200 meters, 14 starters) on the petite piste. The 1.16.3kr timed victory went to 9/10 favorite Dobra Droga (3f Goetmals Wood-Oublies Moi) with Franck Nivard aboard. Fabrice Souloy trains the Hodij Coatings BV owned trotter. 6.2/1 Deesse Port (3f Uniclove-Maria Port) rallied up to be second for trainer/driver Thierry Duvaldestin and 24/1 Danseuse For Ever (3f Rodrigo Jet-Union du Plaisir) held third for reinsman Matthieu Abrivard.
Thomas H. Hicks