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Preview: Sunday at Vincennes.
Vincennes hosts the summer trotting feature meeting this Sunday with five Group One races across the nine-race programme which in addition to the four-year-old mounted Prix du Président de la République (2850m) include the Prix d'Essai (2700m) mounted for three-year-olds, the autostart Prix Rene Balliere (2100m), the three-year-old driven Prix Albert Viel (2700m) and the inclusion for the first time of the mounted G1 Prix de Normandie (3000m) which will see the champion five-year-old.
Globally, there are very few race-meetings boasting five Group One races on the card. For the first time, Vincennes on Sunday will have this number with two Group Three supporting events.
The Prix René Ballière is for the older horses run over 2100m. There have been four horses completing the Swedish May sprint feature Elitloppet (first run in 1952) and Prix René Ballière (created in 1967) double in the same year. In 1978, Hadol du Vivier was the first followed by Ideal de Gazeau in 1980. Next was Sea Cove in 1993 and then Exploit Café in 2008.
Etonnant arrives on the back of the win in the Elitloppet and has drawn to start from gate 8. There could be a good clash in prospect with Vivid Wise As, having the pole position. At their previous two meetings in France attempting Group One mobile races this season it is 'one-all'. And throw in Diable de Vauvert, winner of the feature distance race at Solvalla last start and victor of the Prix de Paris (G1), the Marathon 4150m Vincennes feature in February where he defeated Etonnant (and the reopposing Galius), the three best horses currently racing will clash for the first time. Diable de Vauvert may struggle with limited experience and a poor autostart record, as is his overall record for short distances.
For many, the feature race on the card is the Prix du Président de la Républic, a race considered to be the best Group One for four-year-old mounted horses. Indigo du Poret has won his past two races at G2 level and in doing so, defeated reopposing rivals. And, he has been very impressive having sat just off the speed before racing away for big victories. The form-line of note dates to last December and the Prix de Vincennes, a G1 for three-year-olds where Ideale du Chene defeated Ines des Rioults and the aforementioned Indigo du Poret along with another G1 victor in Ici C'est Paris. These horses have had some good duels in G1 & G2 races during the past six months and this Sunday could reveal the best of their generation. The surprise runner may be the maturing Icare des Valois.
September has previously been the month for the Prix de Normandie, the five-year-old Group One mounted contest. This year the race has been brought forward as the feature summer fixture and last years' Prix du la Président de la Républic winner Hirondelle du Rib has the opportunity to become the four and five-year-old mounted champion. Her record is good, and she has been coming along progressively, placing the past three outings, all in G2 contests. What she has in her favour is the lack of proven G1 performers engaged. Whilst Handy Bourbon, Hatchet Man and Happy and Lucky have beaten her in recent starts, she will now be at her peak to triumph.
Two three-year-old Group Ones – one harnessed, one under saddle – will produce the early youngster stars. The Prix Albert Viel is the second driven Group One for the youngsters with many reopposing from the first held in February. Winner of that race was Just A Gigolo, and he currently has a record of eleven starts for eight wins. He was very disappointing in the G2 trial in May after a mistake at the start of the race. This was the poorest performance of his career where he started an odds-on favourite. He will need to be at his best to beat the many rivals lining up to remove his crown. The filly Jazzy Perrine is a formidable opponent, and she is the highest prizemoney winning horse engaged. She has won six of her twelve race starts along with six second placings. Joke is the steady improver as is last start G2 winner Jakartas des Pres.
For the mounted Prix d'Essai, 2022 will see this race as the first G1 for the three-years-olds. In previous years the Saint-Léger des Trotters at Caen in May was the maiden G1 opportunity. It is Jaspers Turgot setting the standard with three wins from five mounted races including the G2 Prix de Caen trial in mid-May, defeating many rivals he will be facing again on Sunday. This was his second G2 mounted victory, but he has also been disqualified at this level two runs back in the race won by Jubile Prior. Connections of Jubile Prior had the choice of running him in either of the G1 three-year-old races. Joyeuse is a nice filly and a G2 mounted winner in April. Don't be surprised if Joyner Sport improves and runs well for the first time in a mounted contest.
