Mauquenchy instead of Vincennes

Mauquenchy, Friday 29 April: To avoid a strike by the French trade union, today`s Paris-Vincennes event has been unceremoniously moved to Mauquenchy, where two Group 2 tests will take centre stage.

The first main race is aimed at five-year-old saddle trotters in the Prix Louis Forci (4th race/20.50pm/120,000 euros/2850m). Hirondelle du Rib (Jean Dersoir) stands out by class. She last completed a build-up race in front of the sulky, before that she was third in the Prix des Centaures (Group 1) with allowance. In the Prix Paul Bastard (Group 2) she defeated no less than six of her competitors today. Happy Star Dry (Alexis Collette) and Happy and Lucky (Adrien Lamy) were the best behind the Hallais mare, while Herbue des Valois (Camille Levesque), Hytte du Terroir (Alexandre Abrivard) and Harley Charentaise (Pierre-Yves Verva) already had a bigger gap.

The Prix Rene Palyar (6th race/21.44 pm/120,000 Euro/2225 m), reserved for four-year-olds, will also be decided under saddle. In terms of prize money, a three-way battle is emerging between Ici C`Est Paris (David Thomain), Ideale du Chêne (Paul Philippe Ploquin) and Inoui Danica (Francois Lagadeuc). The trio met in the Prix de Pardieu (Group 2), among others. While the former failed by a canter, Ideale du Chêne, as before in the Prix de Vincennes (Group 1), won superiorly ahead of Inoui Danica, who had nothing to fear for third place. In the most recent appearance in the Prix Louis Le Bourg (Group 2), the Le Mer protégé had to give in to the Allaire stallion in the fight for silver.