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Race Preview of Critérium des 3 ans (G1) during the Vincennes Winter Festival.
The G1 Critérium des 3 ans (2700m) brings together the best of the generation for a final time during the Vincennes Winter Festival. The last Group One restricted to three-year-olds during the calendar year, the Critérium des 3 ans has been held since 1924 and often produces a future champion. Originally named the Prix James Watt after a founding stallion of the Trotteur-Français, the contest offers a prize fund of over 200,000 euros and usually attracts a large field of top-class competitors.
In the last seven years, trainer Sebastien Guarato has dominated the G1 Critérium des 3 ans (2700m) with four victories, including last year's G1 Grand Prix d'Amérique (2700m) victor Face Time Bourbon. The race consistently produces future stallion prospects with sires such as Bold Eagle, Timoko and Ready Cash achieving success in 2014, 2010 and 2008 respectively. Timoko still holds the race record with a time of 1'12"6. Defeat in the G1 Critérium des 3 ans does not necessarily limit horses from future fame either. Four-time G1 Grand Prix d'Amérique (2700m) hero Ourasi was second in the 1983 renewal and Idéal du Gazeau also finished runner-up in 1977 before winning two Grand Prix d'Amériques.
The G2 Prix Annick Dreux (2700m) and G2 Prix Jacques De Vauloge (2700m) on 28 November often provide a useful guide to the likely chances for the G1 Critérium des 3 ans (2700m). Hirondelle Sibey justified favouritism to take the Prix Annick Dreux with a kilometre rating of 1'14"8 and will be aiming to continue her dominance of the division in the Group One. The second-placed Hanna des Molles was also a surprise runner-up in the G1 Championnat Européen des 3 Ans (2100m) in early October and rates as a place chance for the G1 Critérium des 3 ans (2700m) if she maintains the same level of form.
In the G2 Prix Jacques De Vauloge (2700m), Hooker Berry defied favourite Hohneck to win by a head for trainer-driver J M Bazire. It was a reversal of form from the G2 Prix Abel Bassigny (2175m) at Vincennes in mid-November when Hohneck defeated his rival by half a metre. These two horses are likely to play a major role in the G1 Critérium des 3 ans (2700m) and it is difficult to choose between them. The Prix Jacques De Vauloge third Helgafell is not to be forgotten either, having scored in the G1 Championnat Européen des 3 Ans (2100m) and G1 Prix Albert Viel (2700m) prior.
