December 31, 2016 – The Paris-Vincennes New Year’s Eve feature was the Gr. III Prix Yvonnick Bodin (monte, apprentice jockeys, purse €105,000, 2700 meters, 17 starters). Victory was earned by 7.3/1 odds, barefoot, Safari Dream (10g Gai Brillant-Le Memoria) clocked in 1.14.4kr off even fractions. Mlle. Lolita Balayn piloted the veteran for harness racing trainer Lois Peschet and Ecurie de Rougemont. Safari Dream completes his FR racing campaign with earnings of €573,765. 15.8/1 Be Mine de Houelle (5f Scipion du Goutier-Olita de Kafrauso), a multiple monte winner in Sweden during the summer, was second for jockey Julien Balu, breeder/trainer Franck Leblanc and owner Mlle. Pauline Corty. Third was 26/1 Ugolin du Maine (8g Hugo du Bossis-Oriane du Maine) with Honorin Guerot up for trainer J.Y. Touillet.
The Prix de Damville (purse €70,000, 2100 meters autostart, 13 entrants) went to the rallying 8.3/1 Creation (4f Rieussec-Ovation) for Franck Nivard and trainer J.G Van Eeckhaute. Mlle. Ch. Moreau owns the 1.13.21kr clocked winner that raced barefoot. 10.6/1 Caline des Loyaux (4f Vivaldi de Chenu-Monie des Loyaux) took second for owner/trainer/driver Matthieu Abrivard, with third to 2.8/1 favorite Ctu du Padoueng (4f Prime d’Espace-Orpela) handled by trainer Damien Bonne.
Today’s Quinte+ was the Prix de Tence (purse €40,000, 2700 meters, 18 starters) with victory to 16/1 Busy Money Ringeat (5f Jam Pridem-Moonee Ringeat) reined by trainer Franck Ouvrie for breeder/trainer/owner Theophile Loncke. 21/1 Belle Katie (5f Oiseau de Feux-Quelle Katie) rallied to be second for trainer/driver Jean-Michel Bazire, and 21.3/1 Bogota d’Herfraie (5f Rieussec-Ines d’Herfraie) was third with Pierre Vercruysse driving. Race time was 1.15.4kr.
The co-feature this day was the Prix de Bar le Duc (purse €105,000, 2850 meters, 13 European starters) that went to 1.15.3kr timed and 7/10 odds Avenir de Blay (g Hooper-Mirabelle de Blay). Racing barefoot, the Tony LeBeller trainee (he also is owner/trainer) now shows career earnings of €335,600. 18/1 Valko Jenilat (7m Kepler-Perle du Roc) held second for Eric Raffin and trainer Sebastian Guarato. Third was 29/1 Tagada Tagada (9f Meaulnes du Corta-Lambada Blue) and reinsman Matthieu Abrivard for owner/trainer Emmanuel Varin. The classy mare has earned over €630,000. Tagada was a terror on the summer turf circuit.
Thomas h. Hicks