Today’s Paris-Vincennes co-featured Gr. III Prix Aigle Azur (purse €85.000, 2700 meters, 11 starters) went to 3/5 favorite Dante Boko (5g Going Kronos-Margherita Rosa) timed in 1.13.4kr for driver Dominik Locqueneux, trainer Lutfi Kolgjini and owner Stall Be The Best. Another Kolgjini trainee, 12.5/1 Radieux (5g Love You-Dordogne) was second for driver Mathieu Abrivard and owner Ecurie Kolgjini AB. Third was 24/1 Artiste de Joudes (5m Prodigious-Memory des Joudes) with David Thomain up for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire. Dante Boko impressively led most of the way and steadily increased speed (1.15.8kr at 1500 to go; 1.14.3kr at 1000; 1.13.9kr at 500) to assert himself as a future top-class performer.
Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Fw0ZfeaNg
The Quinte+ (jackpot €3.55 million) Gran Prix du Portugal (purse €54,000, 2700 meters, 18 European starters) went to Udo’s Oiler (7g Orlando Vici-Carmela Kemp) at 9.9/1 for driver Dominik Locqueneux, trainer Robert Bergh and owner Etoile Sweden HB. The winner scored in 1.14kr by two lengths. 7/1 Unique de l’Iton (7g Capriccio-Majesta de l’Iton) was second for Eric Raffin and trainer Hughes Levesque. 15/1 Oudry del Veltri (7f Varenne-Pamela Stra) was third for Mathieu Mottier and trainer Johanna Lindqvist.
1.9/1 favorite Belina Josselyn (4f Love You-Lezira Josselyn) easily took the €82,000 purse Prix d’Auvergne over 2700 meters with 14 European participants. This 1.13.5kr winner was teamed by trainer J-M Bazire for owner Yvan Bernard. 8/1 Bahia Quesnot (4f Scipion de Goutier-Queen Ines) was second for reinsman Eric Raffin and 6/1 Balva Montaval (4f Magnificent Rodney-Primavera de Lou) was third for Gabriel Gelormini.
The Vincennes co-featured Gr. III Prix Alfred Lefevre (monte, purse €100,000, 10 starters over 2850 meters) went to 9.6/1 Volcan d’Occagnes (6g Quido du Goutier-Hermina Beaucea) with Mathieu Abrivard in the irons. This pair scored in 1.13.8kr off even fractions (1.14.1kr at 1500; 1.13.6kr at 1000; 1.13.4kr with 500 to go). Franck Nivard teamed 4.8/1 Veloce du Banney (6g Quaro-Jiva du Banney) for trainer Franck Leblanc to finish second ahead of 13.1/1 Valse de Reve (6f Mister President-Nouba Houba) and Camille Levesque for trainer/owner Alain Roussel. Fourth was 9/10 favorite Uppercut de Manche (7g Neutron du Cebe-Nuit du Manche) with Damien Bonne up for trainer Thierry Raffegeau.
Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHatLh78d6Q
Today at Ecommoy on the turf, the Prix de la Ville d’Ecommoy (purse €34,000, 2750 meters, 18 starters) went to 13/1 outsider Udine de la Coudre (7f Fortuna Fanbt-Hakimora) driven by Fabien Gence.
6/1 Titan du Lieuvin (8g Gogo-Milady de Paris) was second for Bertrand Le Beller with 13/1 Uno Dancer (7g Offshore Dream-Laura Dancer) third.
Turf trotting contests continue to attract good crowds at venues throughout France.
Also on turf at Alencon was the Prix Serma BTP (purse €40,000, 2625 meters, 18 European starters) and 4.6/1 Sierra Leone (9f John Arifant-Une d’Havetot) was the winner for teamster J.Cl. Hallais and trainer J.W. Hallais. 14/1 Viking Dream (6g Iserio-Helfie) was second ahead of 8.5/1 Un Poco Loco (7g Kenya du Pont-Port Vila).
On Saturday (September 19) at Kincsem Park the 600,000Huf Uli DIJ over 1960 meters distance handicapped went to Reste Premier (10h Laetenter Diem-Certitude Bertini) that overcame a 20 meter penalty to win in 1.16.6kr for Istvan Papp, trainer Joseph Rutkai and owner Prolongo Kft.
Also on the card the US-sired Andorra Gold (7f Andover Hall-Olympics) scored in the Labdarozsa Handicap (purse 360,000Huf, 1800 meters autostart) for Csaba Lakatos, trainer/driver, and owners Drimwind 2011 Kft and Ari Pylvakinen timed in 1.19.1kr.
Another of Olympics offspring also was victorious this weekend in the US (On The Podium at 1:55.4h winner at Saratoga).
Thomas H. Hicks