by Thomas Hedlund

Jean-Michel Bazire has dominated the final of $160,000 Grand National du Trot for the past seven years, but in Sunday’s (Dec. 3) final, another participant proved best after a tough first over trip.

Gaspar d’Angis (Quaro), trained by Jean-Michel Baudouin and driven by Eric Raffin, had claimed six elimination races in the GNT-series races distributed all over France during the season. In the final, the 7-year-old gelding Gaspar d’Angis claimed this well-deserved triumph in a mile rate of 1:57.2 over 1.7 miles.

Geldings are allowed to race in the GNT series, unlike most of the other group races at Vincennes during the winter. The preparation races before the Prix d’Amérique for example, are closed for geldings and on Sunday (Dec. 10) it’s time for chapter two in the hunt for spots in the 2024 Prix d’Amérique.

The $125,000 Prix du Bourbonnais over 2,850 meters looks to be a spectacular race with a lot of well-merited trotters — among them, Elitloppet winners Etonnant and Hohneck.

HORSES IN THE PRIX DU BOURBONNAIS

(The complete entries list was not available before publication time).

Etonnant

Hohneck

Flamme du Goutier

Hooker Berry

Ampia Mede Sm

Diable de Vauvert

San Moteur

Gu d’Heripre

Hanna des Molles

Elvis du Vallon

Hussard du Landret

Izoard Vedaquais

Horsy Dream

Hokkaido Jiel

Ganay de Banville

Eric The Eel

Happy Valley

Evaluate

NEW WINS FOR GOCCIADORO?

Big races are happening this weekend in Italy. Today (Dec. 8), champion trotter Vivid Wise As will be the probable favorite in the $105,000 Gran Premio Duomo in Florence.

French trainer and driver Matthieu Abrivard will steer Alessandro Gocciadoro’s top trotter from post 3 behind the gate and only six opponents will face him.

Gocciadoro seems to have a pretty good chance to claim the title in Sunday’s (Dec.10) $105,000 Gran Premio Royal Mares in Naples, where the dominant trainer has five out of eight competitors.

The 2-year-olds will race for $190,000 in two divisions of the Gran Premio Allevamento Masaf in Naples the same day. Fourteen fillies showed interest in the prestigious race while 15 boys will try their luck in the colts’ division.