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Weekly Review of French Racing.
The Festive Season was dominated by the Trotting discipline with Vincennes hosting multiple action-packed fixtures including two Group One races. Also, jumping was back with a dramatic Black Type race on Christmas Day from Cagnes-Sur-Mer.
Trotting
Christmas Day's programme at Vincennes included two Black Type events which started the afternoon. First up was the G2 Prix Une de Mai (2175m) for two-year old fillies. Illusive Artist came storming home to arrive in time for driver Jean-Philippe Dubois and trainer Philippe Moulin. She equalled the race record of 1'13''7.
The G3 Mounted Prix Sans Dire Oui (2850m) for five- and six-year olds gave the Levesque family a festive present as Camille drove and Thomas trained the barefoot five-year-old Flicka de Blary to glory. Settled mid field and made steady headway to nab Egao Jénilou in the final twenty metres for a narrow win. This horse had respiratory problems in the summer, so it was a great performance by the team.
Twenty fours later, the Paris venue enjoyed three feature events.
The G2 Prix Emmanuel Margouty (2175m) for two-year-old colts went the way of the well supported Italiano Vero who fought off multiple challenges in the home straight in a busy finish. This son of Ready Cash looks a promising star.
The G3 Prix Constant Hervieu (2700m) for five-to-seven-year olds produced another family success as Théo and Thierry Duvaldestin went one place better after the G2 event thirty minutes prior with the barefoot Flamme du Goutier who raced prominently throughout. Switched on the home turn for a clear finishing effort justifying market support despite the change of discipline from her excellent mounted form including a win in the G1 Prix de Normandie and runner up in the G1 Prix des Elites in September.
The G2 International Mounted Prix Jules Lemonnier (2175m) for five-to-ten-year olds was run and a familiar name dominated. Barefoot eight-year-old, Clegs Des Champs came from last position to first. In the final 600m, he made progress to cover the significant ground needed when challenging the clear leader, Carly. Winner of this G2 last year in 1'11''3, Clegs des Champs performed even better with a rating of 1'10''9 which is close to a personal best.
One of Sunday's highlights was the G1 International Critérium Continental (Prix d'Amerique Races Qualifier 3) (2100m) for four-year olds excluding geldings. As the mobile arms retracted, the G2 Prix Ariste Hémard (2700m) winner, Green Grass galloped and was out of the race.
Gu d'Héripré, Goldy Mary and Go On Boy were in a line with 100 metres to go and the former (Son of Coktail Jet) prevailed for a one length victory securing the champion four year old crown and a fourth Group one. The winner received an automatic entry into the G1 Grand Prix d'Amérique.
Franck Nivard was a notable winner delivering his first Group One success since the spring of 2019. The winning time was a quality effort of 1"11" for trainer Philippe Billard. The first five home also included the two Swedish contenders - Aetos Kronos and Power.
The golden hour of trotting included another feature event, the G2 International Prix Ténor de Baune (Prix d'Amerique Races Qualifier 4) (2700m) for five-year olds excluding geldings. Féerie Wood found top gear in the final 100m to stretch clear for an authoritative success and gain the champion five-year-old title. Laurent-Claude Abrivard has now achieved 2000 winners as a trainer.
Jean-Michel Bazire also made the podium gaining second and third with Feydeau Seven and Rebella Matters respectively.
It was single file traffic in the G3 Mounted Prix Reverdy (Prix Léon Tacquet) (2175m) for four-year olds. Wet conditions took its toll on the track with mud splattered horses being well spaced throughout. Gladys des Plaines was virtually handed the prize with a late disqualification of Galactic in the home straight.
The quality racing kept on coming Sunday at Vincennes with the G1 Mounted Prix de Vincennes (2700m) for three-year olds geldings excluded. The event was full of drama. In the opening stages, multiple horses were tailed off and disqualified leaving the eventual winner, Helitlopet to accelerate into an early clear lead.
Always poised in a great position behind the leaders, the Franck Leblanc trained Helitlopet opened right away from his rivals to deliver in style a hat trick in the mounted discipline under driver Adrien Lamy. This smart prospect represents a trainer who is beginning to do particularly well in the division with a thirteenth Group 1 win in three- and four-year old trotters.
Cagnes-Sur-Mer joined in delivering quality Trotting action as on Sunday the G3 Grand Prix de Noël (2700m) for six-to-ten-year olds took place under the floodlights. Trainer and driver Loris Garcia steered the barefoot six-year-old Eclat de Gloire to glory. Unchallenged in the home straight this horse could be a rising star.
Jumps
Cagnes-Sur-Mer was the location for jumping fans to enjoy some notable Black Type action after a couple of weeks without feature events. On Friday it was a Christmas lunchtime present with the running of the Listed Prix du Comté de Nice Steeplechase (4200m) for four-year olds and above.
As the field left the back straight, Rasango was ten lengths behind the pace setters. The fence on the home turn provided a dramatic conclusion where the favourite unseated and then the loose Berjou wiped out the leader, Spiderman only to take the wrong course as the field entered the home straight. The Rasango team of Régis Schmidlin and François-Marie Cottin were gifted the race to be a clear twelve length winner.