Sunday’s harness racing featured monte Gr. I Prix des Elites (purse €240,000, 2200 meters, 12 starters) at Paris-Vincennes went to 3.1/1 Cyprien des Bordes (5g Ouragon de Celland-Perle des Bordes) timed in 1.12.1kr and ridden by J.L.Cl. Dersoir. Legendary trainer Joel Hallais conditions this one for Ecurie Rib. The five-length winner defeated 12/1 Chancelliere (5f Goetmals Wood) with jockey Alexandre Abrivard in the irons for trainer L.Cl. Abrivard and well-known owner/breeder Jean Pierre Barjon. Third was 3.8/1 three year-old Eye Of The Storm (3m Village Mystic) and jockey Yoann Lebourgeois for owner/trainer Philippe Allaire.

The program at Vincennes included two Gr. III contests. The monte Prix Georges Dreux (purse €105,000, 2850 meters, eight international starters) was won by 16/1 Alienor de Godrel (7f Orlando Vici-Julietta) with jockey Damien Bonne up. Franck Anne trains the property of Ecurie AB Trot that was clocked in 1.13.6kr. 6/1 Ulka des Champs (9f Offshore Dream-Melissa des Champs) took second for Mathieu Abrivard, ahead of 6.2/1 Tornado Bello (10m Jag de Bellouet-Enfilade) with Camille Levesque up for trainer Thomas Levesque and owner Pierre Levesque. Enfilade is dam of Offshore Dream, the well-regarded Prix d’Amerique winner. The other Gr. III event was the Grand Prix du Portugal (purse €85,000, 2850 meters, 10 European starters) and 7/1 Coeur Baroque (5g Offshore Dream-Joie Baroque) scored in this contest timed in 1.14kr for reinsman Eric Raffin, trainer Thierry Raffegeau and owner J.Y. Roze. 30/1 Cere Josselyn (5f Kaisy Dream) was second for Yoann Lebourgeois and 13/1 Bad Boy du Dollar (6m Magnificent Rodney) was home in the third spot for Mathieu Abrivard.

This day’s Quinte+ was the Prix d’Ancenis (purse €54,000, 2850 meters, 18 European starters) and 27/1 Arius du Douet (7g Oyonnax-Nakita du Douet) scored timed in 1.13.9kr for trainer/driver Franck Nivard. 72/1 Uranium (9g Jag de Bellouet) was second for trainer/driver Junior Guelpa ahead of 7/1 third finishing Viking Fromentro (8g Capriccio) and driver Thomas Levesque.

Earlier in the week (Friday) at Paris-Vincennes was the Grand Prix de L’UET (purse €60,000, 2100 meters autostart, European four year olds seeking a spot in the September 30 UET Finale). Drole de Jet (4m Coktail Jet-Likely Jet) was a game winner timed in 1.13.2kr for trainer/driver Pierre Vercruysse. Ecurie Opale owns the winner that was bred by Jean Etienne Dubois and shows the size, speed and manners to be a good future performer. Dawana (4f Ready Cash-Sanawa) was second for Anthony Barrier and trainer Philippe Allaire. Third was Dream Darling (4m Sam Bourbon-Lets Go Darling) teamed by Gabriele Gelormini for owner Jean Pierre Dubois and trainer Vincent Lacroix.

The top four in this race will join eight others, shown below, for the UET Finale September 30^th.

1st Elimination:

1. Born in the U.S.A. (Nora Udjus Hanssen – Eirik Höitomt) – 1’12’’8
2. Makethemark (Petri Salmela – Ulf Ohlsson) – 1’12’’9
3. Bruno Bagheera (Stefan Melander – Per Lennartsson) – 1’13’’0
4 Monark Newmen (Fredrik Persson) – 1’13’’1

2^nd Elimination:

1. Gareth Boko (Conrad Lugauer – Christoffer Eriksson) – 1’12’’1
2. Global Trustworthy (Timo Nurmos – Jorman Kontio) – 1’12’’2
3. Cokstile (Jan Kristian Waaler – Lars Anvar Kolle) – 1’12’’3
4. Doctor Doxey Zenz (Mathias Andersson) – 1’12’’3

On Thursday at Vincennes was the Quinte+ Prix Bernard le Quellec (purse €70,000, 2850 meters, European starters) with victory earned by El Catwalk (6f Classic Photo-El Mistress Leena) reined by J.Ph. Monclin for the 1.17.4kr timed score. Alamo du Goutier (7g Quido du Goutier-Opa de Tourelle) took second for Vincent Hebert, ahead of Speed Delicious (5m Fast Photo-Ala Delicious) reined by Franck Nivard. Bakchich and Diadora BR completed the top five.

Thomas H. Hicks