February 26, 2018 – Today the Quinte+ was at Cagnes-sur-Mer in the Prix de Barcelone (purse €60,000, 2925 meters, 17 European starters) and the 1.13.4kr timed winner was 29/1 Brune des Forges (7f Rolling d’Heripre-Salsa d’Orgeres) with harness racing trainer Nicolas Ensch the pilot. Ecurie Louis d’Aur is the owner. 5/2 favorite Boss du Meleuc (7g Lucky Blue) took second spot for owner/trainer/driver Y-A Briand. Third was 6.6/1 Cathy A Quick (6f Password) for Romain Derieux and trainer Jarma Niskanen. 4.6/1 Cirrus Atout with Gabriele Gelormini and 54/1 Ultimo des Dovet with Dominik Locqueneux completed the top five finishers.
The Prix de Jerez de la Frontera (purse €38,000, 2925 meters, eight four year olds) went to 1.16.4kr timed and 2/1 odds Ever Pride (4m Prodigious-Queenly Pride) for Gabriele Gelormini, trainer Sebastien Guarato and owner Philippe DeWulf. 3/2 favorite Elvis du Vallon (4m Reve de Beylev) rallied nicely for second drive by trainer Nicolas Ensch, while 13/1 Estancia Love (4f Repeat Love-Quelle Aventure) was third for driver Matthieu Abrivard, trainer Yves Boireau and owner Jean Pierre Dubois.
Three year olds contested the Prix de Madrid (purse €30,000, 2925 meters, eight starters) at end of today’s program and victory went to 27/1 Favorite Fligny (3f Rockefeller Center-Africa Fligny) with Sylvain Dieudonne up for trainer Gregory Thorel. Ecurie La Pinsonniere owns the winner that was timed in 1.17.8kr. Second was 16/1 Frisbee d’Am (3m The Best Madrik) for Jerome Chavatte, trainer Richard Westerink and owner Mme. Nicole Jasiejko. 10/1 Fils de Star (3m Ni Ho Ped d’Ombree-Tata Star) took third for Michael Izzo and owner/trainer Michel Lenoir.
Sunday the action at Paris-Vincennes includes four groupe contests and an open event for Coldbloods. The Gr. I Criterium des Jeunes “Prix Comte Pierre de Montesson” leads the way and the field includes top performers Follow You, Fastissime, File Gin, Feeling Cash and others. It’s also a day that celebrates Brasil. Lot’s of Festivities for sure on Sunday.
Thomas H. Hicks