May 23, 2015 – Today’s top harness racing action in France was at Enghien. The opener was the Prix de Sare (€36,000 purse, 2150 meters autostart, 13 three year-old female starters) went to 1.16.4kr clocked Calliope de Reux (3f Password-Queen Jet) at 12/1 for owner/trainer/driver Jarmo Niskanen. 7/1 Cinarca (3f Jet Fortuna-Roesie du Loisir) was next for Franck Ouvrie driving for trainer/owner Frederic Prat. 14/1 Circa Be (3f Showtime Bourbon-Pearl Bourgeois) was third for Anthony Barrier.
The Prix du Rhone (€75,000 purse, 2875 meters, 16 starters, Q+ jackpot €4.25 million) went to 13/1 Alpha Saltor (5m Paris Haufor-Glory d’Ariane), clocked in 1.14.5kr, and pilot Mathieu Abrivard. Daniel Bethouart trains the winner. 16/1 Vanna Colette (6f Lejacque d’Houlbec-paloma du Donjon) was second for Joseph Verbeeck with third to the P-Y Verva teamed 22/1 Amiral du Bisson (5g Jeanbat du Vivier-Melodie du Bisson).
The Prix de l’Obelisque (€68,000, 2150 meters autostart, 16 European starters) went to a dominating 14/1 Tabriz du Gite (8m Ganymede-Kabrizia du Gite) for David Thomain racing barefoot. Clocked in 1.12.3kr the winner defeated 11/1 Tellement Haufor (8f Ganymede-Mamba d’Haufor) with Charles J. Bigeon up for trainer/owner Christian Bigeon/Ecurie Christian Bigeon. 17/1 Tischendorf Padd (8g Baccarat du Pont-Milady de Padd) was third for trainer/driver Mathieu Abrivard.
In Sweden at Gavle there were two interesting winners, the first being Makin It Easy (4g Donato Hanover-Azalea Gal-Self Possessed-Working Gal) with Emilia Karlsson up. The 2140 meter autostart event yielded 30,000SEK to the winner that was bred by Libfeld and Katz in Canada. In the Silver Division the winner was Oliver Kronos (7g Varenne-Glide About-Yankee Glide-M.Steward) clocked in 1.12.7kr over 2140 meters autostart for 125,000SEK to the winner. The dam Glide About is a half-sister to Maven. This winner now has four 2015 wins in five outings and is 14 for 28 lifetime. Bjorn Goop was the driver for trainer Ulf Stenstromer. Allev. Kronos Srl Italy bred this one.
Thomas H. Hicks