Horse Racing Results

2010 Prix de Bourgogne. Results and comments – 2010 Prix d’Amérique

Prix de Bourgogne – Group II – International Event . Mobile start. Total earnings €110,000 euros. – Harness Racing. – 2,100 m, long track. Distribution of earnings: 1st : € 55,000, 2nd : € 27,500 , 3rd : € 14,300, 4th : € 6,600, 5th : € 3,300 6th : € 2,200 7th : € 1,100 . For horses aged 4 to 10 included, except geldings, with a minimum € 160,000 . Were only allowed drivers who have won 35 races among which 10 harness racings starts.

Priority to Prix de Bourgogne was given to the Prix de Bretagne and Prix du Bourbonnais winners. The Prix de Bourgogne is a qualifying race to 2010 Prix d’Amérique (see qualification criteria for the race). See also: 2010 Prix de Belgique.

Première Steed darts off at the beginning of the race and takes the leads with Meaulnes du Corta in her trail and Olga du Biwetz on her outside. The same does not go for Russel November, Paris Haufor and Nouba du Saptel who stands last, but the latter will soon make the necessary effort to join them in the lead. At the bottom of the slope, Olga du Biwetz takes the lead ahead of Première Steed and Meaulnes du Corta at the fence is a bit stuck between Fabrice Souloy’s 2 horses – Nouba du Saptel is 4th, next to Meaulnes du Corta, Infinitif soon catches up with them.

A little 1,000 m from the finish, the horses speed up and Orlando Sport takes the opportunity to go for it at the outside. At the track cross, his driver pushes him in an attempt to overtake the leader. In the final bend Olga du Biwetz and Orlando Sport are neck in neck – Infinitif gets into gallop and Meaulnes du Corta does all he can to take the lead.

As they are going for the straightway, Pierre Levesque can at last spur Voici du Niel’s son after Olga du Biwetz into victory, but it is already too late and despite an outstanding end of race 2009 Prix d’Amérique winner will be beaten to the final win by his rival. Then comes Première Steed at the fence who finishes 3^rd, ahead of Nouba du Saptel and Paradis Cordière.

What to say 3 weeks away from 2010 Prix d’Amérique? Olga du Biwetz confirms her worth in the Prix du Bourbonnais but she would certainly have been defeated by Meaulnes du Corta if he could have had the best of conditions at the beginning of the race – Nouba du Saptel is steadily making her way and has found where she belongs. The looser of the day might be Paris Haufor who finished 9th. Indeed, in the ranking by point set up after the first 3 qualifying events, it takes the 7^th position scoring 4 points. For the moment he is denied access to the « grand final», at the end of January. The conditions to his taking 2010 Prix d’Amérique will be to finish 2^nd at least in the Prix de Belgique which is the final qualifying event for horses selected by earnings. This event will take place on 17 January.

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