With the Winter Meeting at Vincennes beginning to heat up there is plenty of trotting news including new personal winner records being achieved...
Trotting
The winners continue to flow for Eric Raffin who has now recorded 336 victories for the season. He will be aiming to break the record of 345 which he shares with Jean-Michel Bazire.
In the Amateur Driver ranks Pascal Garreau has 48 winners for the season, a number equaling the record held by Sophie Blanchetière achieved in 2013.
Now based in France, Italian reinsman Gabriele Gelormini reached the 100 winners in a season milestone at Cabourg last Thursday. This season he has been associated with Billie de Montfort winning the G1 Premio Costa Azzurra in Italy in April. He also finished second with Devil of Vauvert in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and overall is positioned twelfth in the premiership rankings. His best season in France was in 2016 with 131 winners.
Two drivers recorded four-timers this week – François Lagadeuc last Tuesday at Vincennes and this was followed by Jean-Philippe Monclin at Nantes. For François Lagadeuc he now has 156 wins in 2021, this being a personal best. He is also in the top-ten of the various national rankings (Sulky d'Or, Etrier d'Or and Combined).
Diable de Vauvert will miss next year's G1 Prix d'Amerique after disappointing in both qualifying races to date. Both his times and performances are below what he was able to achieve last season.
In 2010 Timoko ran 1'12"6 winning the Critérium des 3 Ans, a record. Last Sunday winner of this years' edition Idylle Speed credited 1'12''2 with the next three home Izoard Védaquais, Idéal Ligneries and Infant Perrine also beating Timoko's twelve-year record.
This Friday at Vincennes the G2 Prix Jules Lemonnier has attracted a strong book of entries including Délia du Pommereux making her mounted debut and to be ridden by Benjamin Rochard. That jockey has combined with trainer Sylvain Roger in the past and managed a G1 mounted victory when Gangster du Wallon won the Prix de Vincennes in 2019. G1 Prix de Cornulier will be the winter target for Délia du Pommereux.
Following a second last Sunday in the G2 Prix Ariste Hémard, Swedish filly Sayonara will next compete in the Qualif # 3 Prix d'Amérique Races – the G1 Critérium Continental (Gr.1) next Sunday.
Two provincial feature (Grade B) 2-year-old races were conducted last Sunday at Bordeaux and Lyon. Jodie d'Albret remains undefeated in four starts and recorded 1'16"8 (within one-tenth of the course 2-year-old record) at Bordeaux whilst at Lyon Jenjoy Maybe delivered her first win in five races.
Jolly Roger gave his sire Drôle de Jet his first winner at Vincennes last Wednesday. Making the win even more poignant is that Drôle de Jet died recently. Jolly Roger was able to lead throughout in the mounted contest and recorded 1'15''8 winning easily.
Despite already having recorded three wins at the Winter Meeting, Grace of Digeon will be given a break from racing following a qualifying session at Laval. Trainer Charles Dreux indicated that something was amiss with her and whilst not serious, he felt it was better not to risk her.
Flat
Cristian Demuro is currently riding in Japan and produced a four-timer at Hanshin last Sunday. During his first full weekend of riding, he totaled five victories and currently has a 29.7% strike rate with 11 winners from 37 mounts. Meanwhile, French jockey Christophe Lemaire is on target to win his fifth Japanese premiership. He is currently on 193 winners for the season (24.6% strike-rate) and is aiming to eclipse 200 for the third time in a season.
A share in the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak was sold at auction last week for €380,000.
Jump
Axel Lepage, 18, scored his first victory last Monday week at Cagnes-sur-Mer winning the Prix du Col du Somport onboard Halite riding for his master Serge Foucher. This was only his third race ride, the first was on November 11th.
