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Feature Race Review: Vincennes' UET Meeting.
Last Friday, Vincennes staged an excellent trotting card featuring three Group One races, as part of the annual Union of European Trotting (UET) major races. All were run from behind the autostart.
First up of the feature events was the G1 Grand Prix de l'UET (2100m) for four-year-olds. The Sébastien Guarato trained French horse Idéal du Pommeau was an impressive runaway winner, never looking in danger in the home straight when sprinting clear ahead of Swedish challenger, Iznogoud Am and French runner, Inoubliable finishing third.
In the driving rain, Matthieu Abrivard settled the winning son of Ready Cash towards the back of the field, then made a bold move at halfway sweeping round the group to take second position at the 1000m marker. Turning into the home straight, many had good chances with it looking an open race, but Idéal du Pommeau showed a sudden turn of foot as he accelerated clear to prove an easy winner. His record now read's nine victories and two placings from fourteen career starts. An impressive career profile. Friday's triumph was also a kilometre rating record for the four-year-old of 1'11''5. Iznogoud Am also displayed good speed at the finish.
The next highlight saw the age group increase by one for the G1 Championnat Européen des 5 ans (2100m) where France ran the one, two, three. Autumnal weather conditions continued, and the tempo of the contest was strong throughout. Sire, Ready Cash made it a G1 double when Héraut d'Armes put his head in front when it mattered to win for driver and trainer Jean-Michel Bazire. He won narrowly from the favourite, Hohneck in second and the very fast finishing Hip Hop Haufor in third. Best of the International raiders was Italian challenger, Blackflash Bar who was sixth.
This was an excellent result for trainer Jean-Michel Bazire who not only had the winner but also had the fourth and fifth with First Blood and Hooker Berry respectively.
The final of the European races was the G1 Championnat Européen des 3 ans (2100m) where Deus Zack recorded a fifth career success from seventeen starts taking the prize for Eric Raffin and trainer, Sébastien Guarato who completed a G1 double. This three-year-old by Victor Gio is lightly raced in France but has mixed racing since January this year between his native country, Italy and now France. Friday's win was also a career best kilometre rating with a 1'11''3. Two highly promising performers in Juliet Papa Bravo (also by Ready Cash) and Just A Gigolo filled the placings.
Away from the International races, the G2 Prix Edmond Henry (2700m) was an intriguing mounted race where Hanna des Molles made all to score for jockey Alexandre Abrivard and trainer, Laurent-Claude Abrivard. This was an eighth success for the five-year-old mare. Happy and Lucky made it very interesting for the judge when flying home in the final 100m but the challenge proved too late.
Fantaisie maintained her excellent winning record posting a twenty-third career triumph when justifying strong favouritism to win the mounted G3 Prix Gordonia (2850m) on the inner course. The consistent mare was unchallenged and looked impressive.
These five Group races provided an excellent prelude to the upcoming Winter Meeting with many of the runners being set for the feature races scheduled during the next four months.
