Harness racing trainer Thierry Duvaldestin teamed Uno Dancer (8g Offshore Dream-Laura Dancer) to victory in today’s Gr. III GNT Paris-Turf, its first leg at Hippodrome Amiens. The purse was €90,000 for the 16 rivals that battled over 2900 meters. Uno Dancer was off at 2.4/1 odds and was timed in 1.17kr to defeat 25.2/1 Ursa Major (8f Ganymede-Good Way) with Francois Lecanu up for St. Provoost, trainer. 17/1 Ulster du Veinou (8m Mirage du Goutier-Mia Amona) landed third for Franck Ouvrie ahead of 65/1 Upman and 11/1 Altesse du Mirel. Ursa Major and Altesse du Mirel tried to overcome distance handicaps.
The Amiens’ Prix Duc de Reve (purse €16,000, 2400 meters autostart, 14 starters) went to 1.18.6kr timed Dazzle Jet (3f Oiseau de Feux-Trackmania) at 2.6/1 odds for Franck Ouvrie and trainer Luc Roelens. 14/1 Diane du Nord (3f The Best Madrik-Odyssee des Bordes) finished second for Pierre Vercruysse, the driver for Ronny Kuiper training fore Stall Escapade AN. 33/1 Diva Tejy was third.
On March 8 the action was at Cagnes-sur-Mer where the €25,000 Prix du Jasmin took place over 2925 meters with ten starters. The 1.18.7kr winner was 6.8/1 Cybele Castelets (4f Quaker Jet-Elide) for driver Nicolas Ensch with second to 4/1 Classic Word (4g Password-Rumba du Moncel) with Gabby Gelormini up for trainer Henk Grift and owner Topkip BV. 1.8/1 favorite Calin de Glasnet (4m Orlando Vici-Mallory de Glasnet) was third for Romain Derieux, driver/trainer for Ecurie AB Trot.
The €21,000 purse Prix des Dahlias over 2925 meters had seven starters with the winner being 1.19.6kr timed 2.4/1 Diabolito(3m Look de Star-Reine de la Roge) for David Bekaert, trainer Romain Derieux and Antoine De Sousa, owner. 29/1 Diable Mauve (3m Repeat Love-For Ever Young) was next for J-Ch Feron with third to 6/1 Dayton (3m Rieussec-Gitane d’Odyssee) with trainer Y-A Briand driving
Thomas H. Hicks