The weather is still quite mild in France so we can spend some confortable days of top-class racing at Vincennes race-track.
The Prix De Chenonceaux was a the highlight of last week-end. A group 3 race for 4 and 5 year-olds. It was a european race and it had attracted a lot of foreign horses. The italian and swedish horses have had great results in the beginning of this winter-meeting but this time the winner was french. Sud, trained and owned by the Janvier family beat Sogo and Treskool Du Caux. Napoleon Bar was the first foreign horse of this Quinté, followed by Stefan Melanders Oracle and Nalda Nof. Nalda Nof recently arrived from Italy. This 4 year-old filly by Supergill is owned by Jean-Pierre Barjon. The businessman behind the lemonade brand Lorina and the owner of Prix D’Amérique winner Meaulnes Du Corta. He is also investing in foreign trotters now, he has just bought some italian trotters and american standardbreds. The winner, Sud is a son of Kerido Du Donjon, Jean-Luc Janviers previous star. Kerido Du Donjon raced at top level in both disciplines and his son, Sud is a good horse under saddle and in the sulky. He wont’t be allowed to race the same races as his father because he is a gelding but Jean-Luc Janvier will probably have a lot of nice moments with this horse !
On Monday 28th there also was a nice european race, the Prix De Sillé Le Guillaume. Petrone Du Vivier and Venividivici Joe went horribly fast but were beaten by the swedish horse Amiral Sund on the finish line. Amiral Sund and Petrone Du Vivier did the 2100m of the « grande piste » in 1’11’7. Petrone Du Vivier is trained by Stephane Meunier. He trains in Normandy, his stable is in great form in the beginning of this meeting, in 10 days he had 4 wins (Uvoline Du Sam, Umaga, Usaurie de Melodie and Recia Du Closet) and 2 second places ( Petrone Du Vivier and Usance Darche who gave him a double as a trainer with Usaurie De Melodie ) for 6 horses racing !
Wednesday 28th, the Prix D’Honfleur was a good monté race. Recia Du Closet a talented and fast mare by Lulo Josselyn won in 1’11’4 over 2175m. Her goal this winter will be the Prix De Cornulier, the world’s most prestigious monté race, it takes place the week-end before the Prix D’Amérique.
The first day in december was also a pleasant day at Vincennes. The Prix Des Landes opened the day, a group 3 race for 6 to 10 year old horses that have earned under 750 000€ smiled to Italy. Jos Verbeeck and Leben RL were first over the finish line before Prestige Guichen and Roc De Montfort. There was a lot of talk around two horses Rachmaninov Seven for JMB and Roberto Donati‘s Roxana de Barbray but they both galloped at the end of the race.
The last prep race for the Prix De Vincennes was on wednesday, Prix Urgent. The victory went to Uranus De Larré who confirms his qualities under saddle and will settle as one of the favourites for the Prix De Vincennes. Nicolas Raimbeaux‘s colt won really easily. He has earned 105 000€ in his last two races and looks like he has much more to give. He still never gets himself tired and nearly looks lazy !
Recia Du Closet isn’t the only mare to go for the Prix De Cornulier this winter. Save The Quick won her third consecutive race in 1’15’2 for the same number of races under saddle in the Prix Joseph Lafosse, a group 2 race over 2700m. In the Prix Edmond Henry also won by Save The Quick, Simba De Nacre was second, he also was second this time but was disqualified after enquiry. The two fillies will have a nice card to play as the best monté horses this year are geldings and are not eligible to race the Prix De Cornulier.
The Group III Prix Des Cevennes was the meeting’s first race for older horses, and allowed trainer Sebastien Guarato to register a nice double with Roxane Griff and Reve De Beylev. The mare has enjoyed a fabulous year so far, winning 5 group races and the black colt Reve De Beylev has made his way to top level. He was twice beaten by the champion Commander Crowe and finished third in the Grand Prix du Conseil Général des Alpes in Cagnes-sur-Mer in 1’09’5 over the mile. The Normandy trainer is very confident with his two 6 year olds, he’s aiming for the Prix D’Amérique with them. The first prep race for the Prix Du Cornulier, the group II Prix Reynolds was also on the opening day. A lot was expected of the geldings Roi Du Lupin and Quemeu D’Ecublei since they’re not eligible to race the Cornulier but they were beaten by the 8 year-old entire Picsou De Villabon who made a great impression.
The Prix Marcel Laurent was the highlight of November10th, a group II over 2100m autostart for 4 and 5 year olds. Timoko was the talk of the day but unfortunately he was a non-runner because of a fever, Hopefully he’ll be back soon! As a norwegian I was looking forward to « the queen » Tamla Celeber’s first race in France. Both the trainer Roger Walmann and her driver Örjan Kihlström told me they would give her a nice race to see how she handles Vincennes. She duly had a nice race and finished 6th. The winner was Main Wise As, his driver Pierre Vercruysse was very happy with his partners race and said Main Wise As is good enough to line up in the Prix D’Amérique.This could be some kind of sign since Ready Cash won the Prix Marcel Laurent last year before winning the Prix D’Amérique… The Christian Bigeon trained Severino sprinted nicely to 2nd place and will probably have another try in the Prix D’Amérique this year ; he finished 6th in the last edition.
This Monday there was also an interesting group II, the Prix Louis Tillaye, 2700m monté for 3 year olds, a prep race for Group I Prix De Vincennes over the same distance on December 25th. Unfortuately the leader of the generation Uppercut Du Rib, winner of 2 group I races (Prix Des Elites, Prix D’Essai) is injured and might never be able to race again. Everything pointed to Up Market, winner of the Group I « St Leger Des Trotteurs » in Caen in May. He raced behind the leader Urfée de Fresny and was a bit unlucky when this one got tired but finished in a nice 2nd place behind a quite surprising Uranus De Larre who was given a perfect race by Matthieu Abrivard waiting in the middle of the field and sprinting to an easy win. This is certainely Uranus De Larre ‘s best race, the Jasmin de Flore colt is trained in Orne departement by Nicolas Raimbeaux. Before the Prix De Vincennes, his next race will be the Prix Urgent in Vincennes on December 1st and should be followed eagerly.
