Chelmsford, UK – The first-ever harness racing events to be held at the Thoroughbred racecourse, Chelmsford City, Thursday evening have been deemed a rousing success.
Arranged by TROTBritain, there were two Le Trot races held over the 1,700 meter Polytrack course. The races were also featured for wagering throughout all of the UK and Ireland via Betfred, William Hill and Ladbrokes.
"This was the first time ever LeTrot races have been tagged onto a galloping meeting in the UK and the response from all those who witnessed it was only positive." Said TROTBritain organizer, George Button. "Chelmsford City Racecourse and Betfred were impressed with the spectacle and the professional way the races were organized. The feedback that we are getting from the bookmakers who laid books on the races on course and online is that the numbers were good."
The main event was the George Button Senior Trotteur Francais Cup for the top division and John Foy's Sulky Du Blequin took no prisoners as the ten-year-old chestnut gelding by Axe Des Sarts showed his heels to his eleven rivals.
Owned, trained and driven by Foy, Sulky Du Blequin was in prime shape and romped over the field by eleven open lengths. Tenor Meslois (Rhys Evans) was second with Titan De Prelong (Phil O'Neill, Jr.) third.
Tenor Meslois was the early leader in the race until a half mile to home when Foy opened up with Sulky Du Blequin and pulled away from the field.
The 2016 Trotter of the Year in the UK, Sulky Du Blequin had little trouble covering the deep track with an estimated time of the one mile one furlong distanced clocked in 2:24:01. He went off at odds of 5/2.
Foy's next challenge will be representing the UK in the International Drivers Challenge at Vincennes, France in December.
The Fleet Hire Le Trot was the first race staged at Chelmsford and an upset performance was given by Thunder Jiel and trainer/driver Ian Pimlott, who paid 5-1 to his backers.
It was Salvado Bello and driver John Foy who had command of the race to the top of the stretch, but then faced a strong challenge by Ubu Of Fairy and trainer/driver Jason Ali.
As those two began to battle neck and neck towards the finish, up on the outside came Ian Pimlott with Thunder Jiel to steal the limelight, winning by three lengths in 2:28.98.
"You can't kick early," said Pimlott after the race, "as horses tire easy on this surface."
It took the photo finish camera to declare Ubu Of Fairy a nose placing over Salvado Bello for second and third place.
It was the first victory since coming to the UK for Thunder Jiel, a nine-year-old stallion by Historien, and no one could have been happier with the victory than owner George Button, Sr. of Kent, the main man responsible on the committee of TROTBritain in working with Chelmsford City Racecourse management to have the inaugural Le Trot races.
There were four representatives from Le Trot in France who were welcomed guests at Chelmsford. They were Emmanuelle Morvillers, Marie Ann Schwartz, Marie-France Wissocq and Damien Beau.
"The LeTrot representatives were impressed with Chelmsford's facilities and the track and remarked how good the big screen was for viewing." Button added. "They were also pleased with the way TROTBritain organized the races on the night.
"All this can only be favourable for further racing at Chelmsford." Button added, "These are the types of all-weather venues that TROTBritain need to be organizing more races on, to take trotting forward with Le Trot sponsorships. This is the end game and we are going to do all in our power to make this happen. The longevity of trotting in Great Britain is in the hands of TROTBritain and we are determined to take it forward in the right way, so it is sustainable for the future."
According to Darren Owen, the track announcer that evening at Chelmsford, "It was a super debut for TROTBritain tonight. Track management seemed happy with the two Le Trot events and a lot of thoroughbred fans seemed to stay on for trots."
By Darren Owen and Steve Wolf for TROTBritain