Retired in Europe, Champions!!!

This week and in recent weeks a host of top performing European trotteurs were retired. Most recently Delia du Pommereux and Flamme du Goutier have been retired and will be presented a final time to the fans Saturday at Paris-Vincennes.  Delia du Pommereux is an 11 year old harness racing daughter of Niky-Noume du Pommereux that earned 1,893,755€ from 15 wins in 102 career starts.

Sylvain Roger trained the fine mare for breeder/owner Noel Lolic. Delia departs with a speed badge of 1.09.6kr in the 2023 Amerique Zeturf Q5. She also won the 2021 Paralympiatravet at Aby and the 2019 Grand Prix du Bourbonnais. for tribute Saturday

Flamme du Goutier (9f Ready Cash-Utopie du Goutier), known for her monte successes, earned 1,646,955€ for Ecurie Saint Martin from 17 career wins in 62 starts. Thierry Duvaldestin trained this mare that earned a speed record of 1.09.7kr. She was bred by SCEA des Bissons. Flamme won the Cornulier in 2023 timed in 1,11,5kr and 2022 clocked in 1.11.9kr. and she was second in the 2021 edition, the year she won the Prix L’Ile de France.

Other retirees include the Swedish champion Aetos Kronos, an eight year old son of Bold Eagle from the Muscles Yankee mare Will Of A Woman. This Jerry Riordan trainee won 19 timed in 62 starts for 12,420,846SEK (1,200,194€) with a speed mark of 1.09.9kr.

Team Snyder AB and Aetos Dios AB own Aetos  who won the 2021 Prix Bold Eagle and was third in the Prix de France that year along with third in the Amerique ZeTurf Q3. He won the Breeders Course Final and Jubileum Spokalen in northern Europe. A great graited classy looking stallion.

It was announced in Norway that Ble du Gers was retired after making a single 2024 start, his 13th year. The gelded son of Quinoa du Gers-Moorea was recently trained by Frode Hamre and initially he was developed and campaigned by Jean Michel Bazire.

He won 1,212,152€ in France from 19 wins in 75 starts and a record of 1.11.2kr when owned by J.M. Rancoule. Bred by Marie Brigitte Anty this veteran went to Norway and won another 398,701€ from 2019-24 with 19 wins from 50 starts.

Finally, in Italy it was announced that former Yonkers International winner Zacon Gio (9m Ruty Grif-May Glade Font SM-Yankee Glide) was retired after earning 1,590,157€.

He secured 32 career wins and a speed mark of 1.09.3kr. Holger K. Ehlert and Alessandro Gocciadoro trained Zacon Gio who demonstrated extreme speed with Roberto Vecchione at his lines.

Le Trot, Gaet, Sweden Trab files/photos-harness trots

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink