by Thomas Hedlund

Benoit Robin’s Hussard du Landret (Bird Parker) qualified for the 2023 Prix d’Amérique (PdA) when he was second to Hooker Berry in last year’s Prix du Bourbonnais in December. This year, he secured his spot in the 2024 Prix d’Amérique with a victory in Sunday’s (Nov. 19) $125,000 Prix de Bretagne at Vincennes in Paris.

Hussard du Landret was far from being the bettors’ favorite in the first preparation race before the Prix d’Amérique, but he showed that he has qualities required for serious participation in PdA in January 2024. Benoit Robin gave his horse a trip second over, mostly, and Hussard du Landret had a strong last half mile to display. This year’s Prix d’Amérique winner Hooker Berry followed in the back of Hussard du Landret and these two horses claimed the top places. The third horse to grab a spot in the Prix d’Amérique was Hokkaido Jiel, who finished quickly in the stretch.

Replay here.

Hussard du Landret won in a mile rate of 1:55.4 over 1.6 miles and overall, the first B-race was perceived as a real racing story where most of the drivers were eager to win, or at least eager to finish top three.

The 3-year-old trotters had nice races to enter during the Sunday card at Vincennes. In the $125,000 Prix Guy Deloison for fillies, Thierry Duvaldestin trained Katinka du Mouchel (Prodigious) impressed a lot as she was served quite a tough trip that included a three wide attack with a kilometer to go. Katinka du Mouchel had to stay three wide during the rest of the race, but could still hold the favorite Kana de Beylev behind her. The mile rate for the 3-year-old filly was 1:58 over 1.6 miles.

The colts battled in $125,000 Prix Pierre Plazen and first choice Koctel du Dain (Boccador de Simm), who has belonged in the top of the crop all season, won after being pushed to the lead at an early stage of the race. Philippe Allaire’s horse won in a mile rate of 1:58.2 over 1.6 miles.

GOCCIADORO DOMINATED IN ITALY

Alessandro Gocciadoro’s horses claimed the top three places when the $210,000 Gran Premio Anact Stakes Plus for 2-year-olds was held in Turin, Italy on Saturday (Nov. 18) afternoon.

Italian driver Gabriele Gelormini, based in Paris, sat behind Gocciadoro’s Filadonna (Muscle Hill), owned by French top trainer Philippe Allaire and Gelormini found a perfect spot in second over with his drive.

Filadonna was given the order to attack at the top of the stretch and she disarmed the inside horses and held quick finisher Funny Gio, who Gocciadoro drove, behind her at the wire. Stablemate Foxylady was third and the success for the Gocciadoro stable was total.

Filadonna won in 1:58.2.

Gocciadoro navigated towards Modena for Modena’s race card on Sunday (Nov. 19) afternoon and the success for the dominating trainer continued. His Diamond Truppo (Varenne) hit the lead 500 meters into the race for driver Antonio Simioli in the $217,000 Gran Premio Unione Europa and in that position Diamond Truppo proved hard to beat. Stablemate Denver Gio was second after a pocket trip, while the third Gocciadoro trained horse, Dolce Viky, was third.

Diamond Truppo won in a mile rate of 1:57.2 over 1.3 miles and that was part one of the successful day for Gocciadoro. The yellow suited trainer/driver also claimed the top two places in the filly division of the $80,000 Gran Premio Unione Europa and the trainer himself sat in the bike behind Daughter As (Father Patrick), who played with her opponents on the lead. Daughter As won in 1:56.3 and stablemate Dea Sprint Bar claimed the silver medal ahead of Due Italia.