by Thomas Hedlund

The third and concluding Grand Prix-race during Paris’ winter meeting, the $430,000 Prix de Paris, was on Vincennes’ Sunday (Feb. 25) race card and the spectators got to see an outstanding performance by one of France’s true fighters.

Benoit Robin-trained Hussard du Landret (Bird Parker), who has been one of the most successful horses at Vincennes during the last two seasons, proved strongest in the 4,150 meters long marathon race.

Paired with Yoann Lebourgeois, Hussard du Landret had to trot the entire race in second line — and most of the time first over — a few lengths behind leader Izoard Vedaquais.

The pace was high throughout the whole race and Izoard Vedaquais was fired up in the lead. The horses in front of the field battled until the end, but leader Izoard Vedaquais was beaten and tired before the last turn and Hussard du Landret became the new leader, with horses like Hooker Berry, Ganay de Banville and Inmarosa chasing from behind.

Hussard du Landret kept his pace strong in the stretch and the performance was truly mind blowing as he took a safe win in Paris’ third Grand Prix for the season. The mile rate for 4,150 meters (approximately 2.6 miles) was 1:55.3. Contesting the uphill part of the track two times is a demanding task and, historically, Prix de Paris’ previous record time was 1:58, set by Diable de Vauvert 2022.

Inmarosa finished strongly as the runner up ahead of Hooker Berry.

The next big race at Vincennes is on Saturday (March 2), when Idao de Tillard will contest the $250,000 Prix de Selection. After that, the meeting in Paris is over for this winter.

Prix de Parisreplay.

IDAO DE TILLARD GETS FIRST INVITE TO ELITLOPPET

May might seem far away, but time flies and spring approaches, even in the cold and dark Nordic European countries. Already on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 24), the harness racing fans got a taste of spring as the first invitation to Elitloppet was announced by Solvalla’s sports manager Anders Malmrot. And the first horse receiving a ticket to Solvalla’s big event on May 26 is French top trotter and Prix d’Amérique winner Idao de Tillard, trained by Thierry Duvaldestin. Idao de Tillard might very well be the best older trotter in the world right now and this is of course a big honor for Solvalla, to attract a horse like Idao de Tillard. Great news for all harness racing fans in the world.

BIG UPSET IN CRITERIUM DES JEUNES

Three-year-old trotters battled in the $220,000 Criterium des Jeunes at Vincennes on Sunday (Feb. 18) last week and the event ended with a massive upset winner (90-1) as Louis Baudron trained La Joyeuse Wicz (Fabulous Wood) sprinted to victory for a quite unknown driver named Gwenn Junod.

Junod served the 3-year-old filly a ground saving trip as fourth on the inside and when La Joyeuse Wicz found a gap between horses in the last turn, she had plenty of speed to use in the stretch.

Louis Baudron’s trotter won in a mile rate of 1:59.4 over 1.6 miles.