€90,000 Prix de Roubaix at Vincennes

January 16, 2017 – 15/1 Verveine du Mont was victorious in today’s Gr. III Prix de Roubaix (purse €90,000, 2175 meters, 13 starters) at Paris-Vincennes. Mlle. Audrey Laroche was in the irons for Ecurie AB Trot and harness racing  trainer Franck Blandin. The winner scored timed in 1.12.7kr to defeat 10.6/1 A Mery de Chahains (7f Password-Nuit de Plainville) and jockey Florian Prioul for owner/trainer Cedrik Megissier. Third was 75/1 Ardelot (7g Hello Barbes-Kora de Montfort) with Mlle. Lolita Balay aboard.

The co-featured Prix de Brionne (purse €54,000, 2700 meters, 18 European starters) this day went to 3.1/1 Afghan Barbes (7g Meaulnes du Corta-Nuance Barbes), racing barefoot, for driver Ch.J. Bigeon, trainer Christian Bigeon and owner Andre Francis Bigeon. 6.9/1 Bily de Gueriniere (6g Prodigious-Haldane) was second for trainer/driver Matthieu Abrivard and for breeder/owner Pierre Gypteau. 7/1 Sylvester America (6g Varenne-Armbro Voice-Garland Lobell) raced close-up throughout and ended third for Franck Nivard and owner/trainer Jerry Riordan. 18.6/1 Spirit Real closed quickly from far back to be fourth for Eric Raffin and owner/trainer Riordan. Time Machine (8g Super Arnie-Union Highness) was fifth at 109/1 for Dominik Locqueneux and owner/trainer Jorgen Westholm.

Thomas H. Hicks