December 23, 2015 – Today’s opener at Cabourg was its featured Prix des Mufliers (purse €38,000, 2850 meters distance handicap, 16 starters) and the 3/5 harness racing favorite Violet (6m Love You-La Rouge-Buvetier d’Aunou) scored impressively by three lengths for Pierre Vercruysse, trainer Age Posthumus, owner Jack De Jong and breeder Ecurie D.
The winner recorded career win 17 in 27 starts, the 11 starts being wins.
His career earnings now exceed €190,000. Violet (with a career record of 1.13.2kr) was timed in 115.6kr and he circled the field mid-way, overcoming a 25 meter handicap, and closing strongly off modest fractions (1.17.4kr at 1000 meters to go; 1.16.7kr at 500 to go).
Second was 3.9/1 Vivien Pro (6g Neutron du Cebe-Maria Carnaval) for trainer/driver Aymeric Thomas with 8.5/1 odds Vivario du Bellay (6g Nil du Rib-Liscia de Bellay) home third for driver Franck Nivard. Dam of the winner was a career earner of US$71,000 and dam of US$126,000 winner Red Girl and US$152,000 winner Si Seulement.
Today at Cabourg the Prix des Aristoloches (purse €26,000, 2850 meters, 16 starters) was taken by the 1.17kr timed Big Love (4g Sam Bourbon-Nikita One) at 7.6/1 odds for owner/trainer/driver Christophe Gallier. 93/1 Braque Turgot (4g Nijinski Blue-Innamorata Bella) ended second for Gildas Donio ahead of 6.5/1 Bosard (4g Islero de Bellouet-Papillote Doree) handled by Eric Raffin for trainer/owner Eric-Gilles Blot.
Thomas H. Hicks