Open `Amérique` qualifier

Paris-Vincennes, Sunday, 1 January: To kick off the year, the Prix de Bourgogne (4th race/15.15/120,000 Euro/2100m) is the third `Amérique` qualifier on the programme at Vincennes. Nine of the 18 participants last competed in the Prix du Bourgogne (Group 2).

Hooker Berry (Nicolas Bazire) won amazingly easy against Hussard du Landret (Benoit Robin), who had already fought for the victory in the Prix de Belgique (Group 2) before, but was subsequently taken out of the classification. Etonnant (Anthony Barrier) also did well, leaving Decoloration (Gabriele Gelormini) and Delia du Pommereux (Pierre-Yves Verva) just behind. The trade press sees Heraut d`Armes (Jean-Michel Bazire) far ahead. The five-year-old recently jumped in front in the Prix Tenor de Baune (Group 1) at the beginning of the home straight. In the same competition, Beads (Yoann Lebourgeois) surprised in third place. Cokstile (Vincenzo Piscuoglio Dell`Annunziata) crowned his final season with victory in the Yonkers International Trot (Group 1), in which Etonnant finished unplaced. Zarenne Fas (Eric Raffin) ran under saddle and repeatedly announced himself as second. Bleff Dipa (Alexandre Abrivard) will have a large following as the surprise winner of the Prix Doynel de Saint-Quentin (Group 2) over Heraut d`Armes, Hokkaido Jiel and Hanna des Molles (Laurent-Claude Abrivard), among others. Ampia Mede Sm (Franck Nivard) was at least better than Flamme du Goutier (Theo Duvaldestin) and Hooker Berry in the first `Amérique` qualifier.