by Thomas Hedlund

The winter meeting in Paris has come to an end. Saturday (March 2) is the final race card for this season and as usual, the $250,000 Prix de Selection is scheduled on the meet-closing card.

Prix de Selection is a race where 4-year-old trotters starts from distance 2.175 meters while 5- and 6-year-olds begin 25 meters behind.

Sébastien Guarato-trained Face Time Bourbon has dominated in the ”F-crop”, the 4-year-olds, so far, but in Prix de Selection he will face Falcao de Laurma, Feeling Cash from same distance and top trotters such as Earl Simon and Davidson du Pont from second line, so the probable first choice cannot have a bad day at the office if he wants to win the race.

Positive news from this year’s meeting in Paris is, according to French sources, that the betting handle has increased with 3.8 per cent compared with last year’s winter meeting.

Prix de Selection 2019

2,175 meters:
Horse – Driver
1. Fighter Smart-Mathieu Mottier
2. Fanina des Racques-Franck Nivard
3. Falcao de Laurma-Anthony Barrier
4. Fric du Chene-Gabriele Gelormini
5. Fend la Bise-Franck Anne
6. Face Time Bourbon-Björn Goop
7. Feeling Cash-Eric Raffin
2,200 meters:
8. Elea Madrik-William Bigeon
9. Estola-Yoann Lebourgeois
10. Enino du Pommereux-Mathieu Abrivard
11. Earl Simon-Franck Ouvrie
12. Davidson du Pont-Jean-Michel Bazire

Drivers set for World Driving Championship in Sweden

In May, in connection to The Elitlopp at Solvalla, the World Driving Championship will be held at five different racetracks in Sweden. The 12 drivers from all around the world will get an opportunity to race at Solvalla during the weekend of Elitloppet, which most certainly will be an experience that they will remember for the rest of their careers. The audience at Solvalla during this particular weekend is well known for the great enthusiasm they give the actives on the track.

Participants:
Todd McCarthy – Australia
Mika Forss – Finland
Franck Nivard – France
Doug McNair – Canada
James McDonald – Canada, title defender
Rodney Gatt – Malta
Rick Ebbinge – The Netherlands
Eirik Höitomt – Norway
Blair Orange – New Zeeland
Ulf Ohlsson – Sweden
Michael Nimczyk – Germany
Yannick Gingras – USA

Tracks that will play host to the World Driving Championship:

Solvalla May 24 3 races
Solvalla May 25 1 race
Lindesberg May 27 5 races
Eskilstuna May 28 5 races
Rättvik May 29 5 races
Gävle May 31 5 races

Previous winners:

1999 Sylvain Filion, Canada
2001 Jody Jamieson. Canada
2003 Mark Jones, New Zealand
2005 Roberto Andreghetti, Italy
2007 Christophe Martens, Belgium
2009 Birger Jörgensen, Denmark
2011 Jody Jamieson, Canada
2013 Pierre Vercruysse, France
2015 Dexter Dunn, New Zealand
2017 James MacDonald, Canada