Today’s Quinte+ Prix des Alpes (purse €48,000, 2100 meters autostart, 18 starters) went to a host of outsiders including the 1.13.7kr timed winner Venquero Phedo (7g Le Retour-Imparable) with Damien Bonne up for harness racing owner/trainer Pierre Touvais.
This 176/1 longshot defeated 40/1 Valmayor (7g Le Retour-Korinaya du Bois) with owner/trainer Vincent Viel driving. 19/1 Vasco du Gite (7g Laetenter Diem-Nageuse du Gite) was third for Franck Ouvrie. 7.8/1 Valse du Pirai and 62/1 Violon de Bez were fourth and fifth.
The longshots resulted in no exact order Q+ winning tickets (below). Note, the sire of the top two, Le Retour, is a somewhat obscure 1999 son of Sebrazac-Veillee Charmeuse, a winner of US$625,000 with a 1:56 mile rate record.
Next Sunday’s Gr, II Prix du Bourbonnais (purse €120,000, 2850 meters) now has 37 early entrants including Timoko, Bold Eagle, Tiego d’Etang, Univers de Pan, Voltigeur de Myrt, Akim du Cap Vert, Bird Parker, Anna Mix, Amiral Sacha, Lionel, Trebol and US expats Delicious and Propulsion.
The Sunday program also includes the Gr. I Criterium des 3Ans over 2700 meters for a €240,000 purse. This groupe includes Django Riff, Dollar Macker, Dawana and Douce Rebelle, and its been a solid trotting pack throughout the year.
The Gr. II Prix Ocatave Douesnel (purse €120,000, 2700 meters) will also attract interest with Charly du Noyer and Cobre Bleu in the field.
Thomas H. Hicks