€240,000 Prix des Centaures to Athena de Vandel

Mathieu Abrivard teamed 12.5/1 Athena de Vandel (6f Prince Gede-Maelia de Vandel) to victory timed in 1.11kr (1:54.24 mile rate) in today’s Gr. I Prix des Centaures (purse €240,000, 2200 meters, 12 starters, monte) for harness racing four through six year-olds at Vincennes. 

The winner is trained by Cedrik Megissier for owner Ecurie Le Tour de Vandel. 10.7/1 Cloane du Vivier (4f Repeat Love-Royale du Vivier) drifted wide but held second for Eric Raffin, trainer Sebastien Guarato and owner Jean-Yves Lucuyer. Favored 1.7/1 Bilibili (5m Niky-Quetty du Donjon) was third today for Alexandre Abrivard, trainer L.Cl. Abrivard and Jean-Pierre Barjon, the owner. It was a dead-heat for fourth, 12.5/1 Attentionally (6f Jasmin de Flore-Intentionally) with David Thomain up and Americaine (6f Chef du Chatelet-Marine Raudiere) with Antoine Wiels in the irons reached the line together.

Replay” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2EEE7indQY

The excellent Vincennes program also included the Gr. III Prix de Luneville (purse €76,000, 2700 meters, 10 monte starters) produced a rallying 1.14.7kr victory for 4.7/1 Canadien d’Am (4m Ready Cash-Kanadia). Mathieu Mottier teamed this one for Franck Leblanc, trainer, and Laurent Edin, owner. 11.8/1 Caid de Bengale (4g Loulou Jet-Tierce de Bangale) held second for Eric Raffin with 12/1 Chiricahua  five lengths back third.

Three year-old males contested the Prix Michel Potiez (purse €46,000, 2700 meters, 12 starters) with the 1.15.5kr victory earned by 5.4/1 Dahlia du Rib (3m Oyonnax-Passiflore du Rib) with J.L.Cl Dersoir driving. Joel Hallais trains the winner for Ecurie Rib. 5.4/1 Diablo du Noyer (3m Jasmin de Flore-Une et Indivisible) held second for trainer/driver William Bigeon with 2/1 favorite Dragueur (3m Speedy Blue-Tilda) third for trainer/driver Mathieu Mottier.

Bisaon du Cebe (5g Melchior Jet-Novissima Verba) scored at 18/1 for Martial Viel in the monte Prix les Voyages de Thybus-Reseau Selectour Afat (purse €90,000, 2850 meters, 12 starters). Franck Leblanc owns and trains the winner. 3.5/1 Botido Mottier (5g L’As de Neige-Otida) was second for Mathieu Mottier with 1.7/1 favorite Bolide Jenilou handled by Anthony Barrier. The winner was clocked in 1.15kr.

The Prix de Macon (purse €56,000, 2700 meters, nine starters) at Vincennes went to 10/1 Bianca Thepol (5f Sancho Panca-Le Diva de Riez) with trainer J.L.Cl. Dersoir aboard. Timed in 1.15.4kr off even fractions the winner defeated 3.6/1 Velieve Seven (5f Jasmin de Flore-Lea Vinoir) for trainer/driver J-M Bazire and 27/1 Bodega Chereviere.

Comete Somolli (4f Millenium Wood-Ophelia Somolli), at 30/1 odds, took the Prix de L’Amitie Franco-Russe (or the Prix Josselin, purse €37,000, 2700 meters, 13 strarters)) for driver Gabriele Gelormini and trainer Patrick Godineau. Timed in 1.17.1kr the winner defeated 1.8/1 favorite Chistera (4g Querty-Medicis) handled by Pierre Levesque and 4/1 Calineka Gwen (4f Orlando Vici-Kaline de Tellor) with Anthony Dollion aboard.

The Prix de Juvigny (purse €72,000, 2700 meters, 18 European starters) went to 19/1 Badius de Tilou (5m Pagalor-Quetty Turgot) with P-Y Verva driving. The 1.13.7kr timed victory left 5.9/1 Brindor (5g Mage de la Merite-Houba des Etangs) second with Franck Nivard up and 2.9/1 Barrio Josselyn (5m Scipion du Goutier-Pika Joselyn) held third for trainer/driver J-M Bazire.

Udine de la Coudre (8f Fortuna Fant-Hakimore) scored in the Prix des Vosges (purse €65.000, 2850 meters, 18 starters) timed in 1.15.4kr at 123.6/1 odds for Fabien Gence. J-L Forget is trainer/owner. 15.5/1 Soleil de France (10g Giant Cat-Histoire de France) earned second for driver Franck Nivard with 8.8/1 Tallien (9g Extreme Aunou-Gyka de la Chaise) third for Herve Sionneau, owner/trainer/driver. 2/1 favorite Unbridle Charm was first to the line for Jean-Philippe Dubois but was disqualified.

Ten Russian Orloff trotteurs were showcased in the Paris-Vincennes finale today,  the Prix des Trotteurs Orloff (purse €20,000, 2100 meters autostart, 10 International starters). The 1.19.8kr timed winner was 12/1 General (8m Kalokol-Girlyanda) driven by trainer Sergy Kuleshov and owned by Farm Druzhba. 21/1 Komitent (5m Malpost-Kartinka) was second for the same trainer/owner and reined by Anthony Barrier. Third was 6/1 Kolokolchik (5m Kunak-Karmen) driven by Eric Raffin for trainer Alekandor Mashinets and Farm Diurtiulimebel. The Orloff’s put on a nice show and illustrated the usefulness and beauty of the breed. The Orloff trotter is the oldest and most popular "stud" breed in Russia. Orloffs are not as fast as the Standardbred and French trotters, but are more robust, massive, endurable, sure–footed, strong, and tough. Their trotting action is impressive and they are extremely valued in Russia.

At San Siro-Milano (ITY) the €45,100 purse Premio Gran Locatelli went to Radiofreccia FI (6f Ganymede-Castilia-Lemon Dra) in a thrilling finish timed in 1.12.5kr defeating Ranio Lest (6f Love You-Superiors Sun-Diamond Way). Enrico Bellei teamed the winner while Alesandro Gocciadoro reined Rania Lest. Real Mede SM (6m Ganymede-Gil Ast SM-Supergill) finished third. Oncle Photo VL led early before Rania Lest assumed the front and held to the line as the winner inched past. The time was well off the record of Varenne at 1.10.9kr.

7 PR. GRAN PREMIO LOCATELLI E 45.100 mt 1650 – Trio
1°	3	RADIOFRECCIA FI  A	E.Bellei	12.5
2°	8	RANIA LEST	A.Gocciadoro	12.5
3°	6	REAL MEDE SM	M.Minopoli Jr	12.6
4°	5	ONCLE PHOTO VL  A	Fed.Esposito	12.8
5°	9	RUE VARENNE DANY	A.Di Nardo	12.9
6°	11	RICK DEL DUOMO	Mass.Castaldo	13.3
7°	7	SCEICCO	A.Guzzinati	13.3
8°	2	OUDRY DEI VELTRI	V.Luongo	13.5
9°	1	NO MAN'S LAND	P.Gubellini	13.6
	4	RADICE DEL NORD	L.Becchetti	R.P.
	10	PERSIADE LANS	M.Volpato

At Angers this day the featured €28,000 Prix Nominoe (3125 meters distance handicap, `18 European starters) went to 12.6/1 Figaro Sanna (9g Spotlite Lobell-Strands Sparkling) driven by J-F Senet for Happy People Racing AB. Timed in 1.17.2kr the winner traveled the stated distance to defeat the handicapped 10/1 Ursin Meslois and 12/1 Ultra de Gade.

In Sweden the fine US-bred mare Delicious (7f Cantab Hall-Ipsara LB-Lemon Dra) was named horse of the year. Bred by Lindy Farms, Delicious earned US$254,000 in America before export. She earned a 3, 1:52.2 mark at Lexington and recorded eight victories in 23 starts. Her racing career has blossomed in Sweden, especially in 2015.

Thomas H. Hicks