3 minute read
News In Brief of French Racing.
This Sunday 3 January, Vincennes will see the next Qualifying Heat of the G1 Grand Prix d'Amerique (2700m) take place for with the running of the G2 Grand Prix de Bourgogne (Qualifier 5). This speed heat from behind the mobile over 2100m sees the acceptance of Face Time Bourbon (from Gate 9) who is currently favourite for the Classic race at the end of January. Billie de Montfort (drawn 2) will return to defend her crown and is currently on a high following her success in the G1 Grand Prix des Nations (2250m) at San Siro in Milan, Italy. Other top-class runners include are Vivid Wise As (4), Davidson du Pont (5), Délia du Pommereux (6) and Drole de Jet (14).
Swedish horse Milliondollarrhyme has returned home after two disappointing runs though he did find success in the G3 Prix du Languedoc (2850m) at Vincennes on 14 November.
Trotting driver/jockey Antoine Wiels at Nantes on Monday produced a memorable meeting landing his 1000th winner on Elegant du Lupin. He secured the win representing trainer Jean-Paul Marmion for whom he is the number one stable driver. Wiels has worked for Marmion the past ten years. Now 32 years of age, he was the leading apprentice in 2007 and became a professional in 2008. Another career highlight occurred this year when recording his first Group One victory on Flamme du Goutier in the Prix de Normandy while this month he has notched up eighteen wins.
In winning the feature race last Sunday at Cagnes-sur-Mer, the G3 Grand Prix de Noël, Eclat de Gloire set a new record for the 2700m mobile course of 1'12 '' bettering Viking Blue's 1'12''5 which was also recorded in the same race in 2016.
The well-bred Incahuasi, by Ready Cash, won the Prix des Fraxinelles last Monday at Cabourg maintaining a record of three starts for two provincial wins and a Vincennes disqualification. He is out of Group One winner Sanawa which makes him a full brother to Dawana and Gotland and half-brother to Fubria. Following that win, for trainer Philippe Allaire this success was his thirty-first two-year-old winner of the season from just seventy-four starters.
Ulk Médoc recorded his first two-year-old winner as a stallion when Imperial Gold won on debut at Montauban last Sunday. The stallion has only twenty offspring of this age and three have qualified. Ulk Médoc stands at Haras de Villeréal in Lot-et-Garonne.
Arlington Dream has been retired following his run in the G2 Prix Jules Lemonnier (2175m) where he was disqualified. Trainer Phillipe Allaire made the announcement about the ten-year-old following the race. Winner of fourteen Group races, nine at G2 level, he earned more than one million euros in his career.
Ustinof du Vivier, now aged twelve, has reached one million euros in career prizemoney. Having his 147th start and 55th victory last Wednesday at Mons in Belgium he won the Prix de Noel. Winner of multiple Group Two contests, his personal best was 1'09''8 and this was recorded over the 1609m mobile start at Cagnes-sur-Mer in 2017.
For thoroughbred season 2020, the leading trainers are:
J.-C. Rouget (4.541.132 €)
A. Fabre (3.431.689 €)
F-H. Graffard (2.510.554 €)
F. Rossi (2.472.082 €)
H-A. Pantall (2.109.094 €)
A. Marcialis (1.804.134 €)
F. Chappet (1.698.778 €)
C. Escuder (1.653.630 €)
J. Reynier (1.501.352 €)
C. Ferland (1.350.460 €)
Cap De Narmont will be crowned as the highest prizemoney winning horse in the south-west for 2020 having won €119,430. Remarkably, all was won in the district. He is trained by Denis Brossard about one hour from Bordeaux and has a personal best of 1'12''6 for the Bordeaux 2650m.
Two horses qualified for a place in the G1 Grand Prix d'Amerique have accepted for the Prix de Bar-le-Duc at Vincennes this Saturday. They are Victor Ferm and Diable de Vauvert (winner of the G2 Grand Prix de Bretagne).
