by Thomas Hedlund

Laurent-Claude Abrivard-trained Inexess Bleu (Vittel de Brevol) cruised through the French winter meeting undefeated in five starts and followed up by winning the $90,000 Prix du Bois de Vincennes on March 22. In Saturday’s (April 5) $120,000 Prix Kerjacques at Vincennes, the 7-year-old gelding was faced with some really tough and well-merited opponents.

Etonnant, who showed great form as the runner-up in the Criterium de Vitesse on March 9, was pushed to the front by Anthony Barrier, while first choice Inexess Bleu had to settle in first over, six-to-seven lengths behind the leader after a tough three wide opening.

Seeing Inexess Bleu on the track makes one wonder how much he wants to win races, because he doesn’t look like a champion trotter, more like a standard strong, French horse. Alexandre Abrivard also must be mentioned as a critical part of Inexess Bleu’s big success. Alexandre is definitely one of the best drivers in Europe and when he sits behind Inexess Bleu, he does everything right. In the Prix Kerjacques Alexander played it quite cool on the outside throughout the last turn and he probably felt that he had the victory in his hands as he powered up Inexess Bleu’s speed in the stretch.

Replay here.

Impressive, again, by a horse that very well could make a great contribution in some of the most important races in Europe later this spring and summer.

As a gelding, there is no regard for a sire season, so if the Abrivard family want to aim high, they most certainly will receive tickets to some big events.

The mile rate in Saturday’s race was 1:55 over 1.6 miles.

FIRST HORSE READY FOR PARALYMPIATRAVET

The road to Åby’s $300,000 Paralympiatravet final, scheduled for May 3, started in Bollnäs, Sweden on Saturday (April 5) afternoon as a strong field of trotters gathered behind the gate in the hunt for a place in the final. Sweden’s Horse of the Year 2024, Borups Victory, entered the track for the first time this season and Daniel Wäjersten’s star did a great job as third after a first over trip.

The race’s first choice, Jörgen Westholm trained Castor The Star (Maharajah), driven by Mats E Djuse, aimed for the lead and Djuse was able to overtake the front position after 600 meters whereon the pace slowed down as the field reached the first kilometer.

It looked like Castor The Star could sprint away and leave his opponents behind at the top of the stretch, but from second over, Kentucky River delivered a very strong finish, a finish that probably would have ended with a win without an unintended interference 75 meters before the wire.

Castor The Star held on to win by a nose in a mile rate of 1:56 over 1.3 miles, and Westholm’s trotter is now ready for the final in May.