Vasco Flower wins for Christian Bigeon

6/1 Vasco Flower (7g Niky-Nimea) rallied to take the Quinte+ Prix de Chateau-Goutier (purse €54,000, 2100 meters autostart, 18 European starters). Timed in 1.12.4kr the winner was driven by Charles J. Bigeon for harness racing trainer/owner Christian Bigeon.

2.1/1 Donttellmeanymore (7g Andover Andover-Possessive Lilly) held second for Franck Nivard, trainer Fabrice Souloy and owner Wallen Invest I. 3.1/1 Lover Face (8g Love You-Ambra OK) was third in the blanker finisg with J-M Bazire up for Souloy and owner Bengt Olsson. 8.2/1 Twitter (7g Offshore Dream-Face For Ever) was fourth for Pierre Vercruysse, trainer Bjorn Goop and Stall Goop ahead for 43/1 Listas Rafiki (8g Global Glide-I Am Lavec) for Mathieu Abrivard, trainer Anders Svanstedt and Global Glide AB.

The Prix du Mesle (purse €58,000, 2175 meters, 15 starters) went to the 1.13.8kr timed, .5/1 odds Cedea Josselyn (4f Love You-Dea Josselyn) with trainer J-M Bazire driving for Yvan Bernard. 98/1 Causeway Bay (5f Look de Star-Prime Rose) was second for Christophe Martens with 17/1 Cathy A Quira (4f Password-Quira des Jacquets) third for Franck Nivard.

At Mons-Ghlin Belgium there were four contests each with a purse of €24,000 and over the 2300 meter autostart course. The Prix Kazire de Guex went to 7/1 Big Ben Franca (5g Niky-Pandrea Franca) timed in 1.14.5kr for Manu Rotsaert by open lengths. The Prix Olga du Biwetz went to 1.16.6kr timed winner Berolina at 6.6/1 for Nico d’Haenens. This winner is a five year-old mare by Sam Bourbon-Feralda. The Prix d’Amiral Mauzun went to 1.1/1 favorite Chemin du Lauzet (4g Nahar de Beval-Orseille Julry) for trainer/drivet J-O Corbanie and clocked in 1.17.5kr. The Prix Lady d’Auvrecy went to 41/1 Clio du Geer (4f Jet Fortuna-Ramatuelle) with F-X Mule driving. Timed in 1.16.6kr this winner bested 9/10 favorite Comedy Jet (4f Jad de Bellouet-Mazarina) for trainer/driver Luc Roelens

At Cagnes-sur-mer the Prix Louis Haret (purse €37,000, 2925 meters, 15 starters) went to the 1.14.6kr, 14/1 odds winner Tagada Castelets (9f Jag de Bellouet-Gitane Castelets) with trainer/driver A-A Chavatte up for owner Ecurie des Alouettes. 10/1 Vueland (7m Ni Ho Ped d’Om bree-Oquita d’Harcourt) rallied for second with Christophe  Martens up and 3/1 Sirius de Buquet was a distant third or Junior Guelpa, also trainer.

Sunday shapes up as a fine card at Paris-Vincennes with the Gr. III €100,000 Prix d’Orthez on the program with the Gr. III monte €110,000 Prix du Pontavice de Heussey over 2175 meters. The day’s feature is the Gr. I Criterium des Jeunes (purse €200,000, 2700 meters for three year-olds.

On February 15 at Halmstad SWE trainer Jerry Riordan sent out a winner in a 1640 meter autostart test. Twister Bi scored for driver Christoffer Eriksson at short-odds, defeating Lightning Photo and Graceman. The four year-old son of Varenne-Lorraine Bi-Lemon Dra is owned in Italy by Pasquale Ciccarelli and was bred by Az. Agr. Biasuzzi. He recorded his second win in three 2016 starts and now has a 9-1-1 slate in 22 starts.

Thomas H. Hicks