World class performance on Paris’ last winter race card

by Thomas Hedlund

Sébastien Guarato-trained Face Time Bourbon (Ready Cash) had no problem keeping more merited horses behind him in Vincennes’ $250,000 Prix de Selection on Saturday afternoon.

Swedish top driver Björn Goop, the permanent pilot behind Guarato’s 4-year-old, made no mistakes with the dominant trotter. Face Time Bourbon hit the lead at an early stage and Goop didn’t make the game easy for the horses that started 25 meters behind. The pace was high and although runner up Davidson du Pont put up a mile rate of 1:52.4 over 1.3 miles, he was never really close to challenging the flying winner. Face Time Bourbon came home in mile rate 1:53.4 (since he started 25 meters ahead of the older horses), which is new track and stakes record for 4-year-olds.

“I have called Face Time Bourbon my new Bold Eagle and you can’t say that I’m so wrong in my prediction. His next big objective is Criterium des 4 ans at Vincennes”, said trainer Sébastien Guarato after the race.

Falcao de Laurma finished strongly for third place after a fourth inside trip.

Jean-Michel Bazire’s Bel Avis (Ganymede) was outstanding in Prix du Plateau de Gravelle ($100,000) at Vincennes earlier on the race card. Position first over didn’t stop Bel Avis, who left his opponents in the last turn and sprinted to safe win in mile rate 1:53,4 over 1.3 miles.

Face Time Bourbon replay

Bel Avis replay

Solvalla announces Elitloppet invitation

The Elitloppet at the end of May can be something special this year. Two of the best trotters in the world the previous seasons are set for the battle at Solvalla after Propulsion, on Saturday, got his fourth consecutive invitation for the race.

Daniel Redén’s trotter has been the runner up in Elitloppet two years in a row and now he will face Timo Nurmos’ star Readly Express over the mile.

Elitloppet 2018 replay