Start of the season in Caen

Caen, Monday, 6 March: With eight races the Hippodrome de la Prairie in Caen starts the new season today. The best class is addressed in the Prix de Saint-Etienne (4th race/13.50/35,000 Euro/2450 m).

The `Course D` addresses six-year-old and older horses and will be started from two tapes. Helios Somolli (Mathias Dudouit) enjoys a lot of confidence from the ground mark and bids for victory after heavy duties at Vincennes. He pleased in Saint-Brieuc on 5 February when third behind Helios Si (Sebastien Hardy), who had two other strong performances in January. Glorioso Bello (Julien Travers) always ends up in the betting if he runs faultlessly and is in line for a top spot, as is Graziela d`El (Guillaume Martin), who finished second on the Plateau de Gravelle. From the allowance band, Cea Miquellerie (Yoann Lebourgeois) has it easier this time than in the Prix de Paris (Group 1). Together with Flamme Vive (Benjamin Rochard), Etoile de Quesny (David Thomain) and Esteban Jiel (Francois Lagadeuc), she must not be missed in any consideration.