by Thomas Hedlund

Thierry Duvaldestin’s super trotter Idao de Tillard (Severino) was the big favorite when the $250,000 Prix de Selection for 4-, 5- and 6-year-old horses was held at Vincennes on the closing day of the 2023-24 winter meeting, Saturday (March 2).

The Prix d’Amerique and Prix de France winner Idao de Tillard started with a 25-meter disadvantage to his 4-year-old opponents, but he still solved the task, even if the race became more spectacular than most of the fans expected.

Strong 4-year-old mare Kana de Beylev was in front while Idao de Tillard had to chase for a position second over. But second over became first over, even first three wide in the end of the uphill part of Vincennes’ track and when leader Kana de Beylev tried to leave the rest of the field, it suddenly seemed like Idao de Tillard would have problems capturing the horse in front.

But Idao de Tillard is just a superstar in harness racing right now and his speed in the stretch was enough to claim the prestigious trophy in the Prix de Selection.

Replay here.

A time of 1:52 over 2,200 meters is just a phenomenal mile rate and the spring will be very interesting for European harness racing fans. Idao de Tillard is invited to Elitloppet at Solvalla in the end of May and the plan is that he will make one more start before he travels to Sweden.

Kana de Beylev held strongly as the runner up and Kyrielle was third in Saturday’s race.

The race card at Vincennes also included a Group 1-race for horses racing under saddle. The $250,000 Prix des Centaures over 2,175 meters became a three-horse battle where Julien Le Mer trained Ideale du Chene (Bird Parker) proved strongest at the finish. First choice Jean Balthazar used all his power trying to come back on the winner’s inside in the stretch, but the 6-year-old Bird Parker mare held the opponents behind her as she won in a strong mile rate of 1:54 on a sloppy Vincennes track.

Replay here.

Six consecutive wins since the meeting started in November 2023, are the strong results that Matthieu Abrivard-trained Face Time (Coktail Jet) can brag about when the Paris meeting is summarized.

In the $100,000 Prix du Plateau de Gravelle, Face Time overtook the front position from leader Gaspar d’Angis with three quarters of a mile remaining in the 2,700-meter long race. In front, Face Time had no problem winning the race in a mile rate of 1:55.4 over 1.6 miles and last year’s Prix d’Amérique favorite Horsy Dream followed as second.

Replay here.

The last Group 1-race for the meeting was the $250,000 Prix Henri Desmontil, for horses racing under saddle and 10-year-old Edition Gema (Prince Gede) had the best power in the race’s final part. The 3,000-meter long race is very demanding and a medal for great bravery is assigned to runner up Horace du Goutier, who trotted most of the race in position first over before he overtook the lead in the final turn.

Edition Gema sprinted to a safe win in a mile rate of 1:58 over 3,000 meters.

Replay here.