Go On Boy takes third Grand Prix de Wallonie

by Thomas Hedlund

There was little drama in the final leg of the UET Elite Circuit, Saturday’s (Sept. 19) €140,000 Grand Prix de Wallonie at Mons, where Romain Derieux and Go On Boy captured the race for the third time.

Heavy favorite Inexess Bleu (Vittel de Brévol) broke stride immediately as the gate pulled away from the field. Alexandre Abrivard was unable to get the gelding back on gait and his race was over almost before it began.

Keep Going (Follow You) went to the lead for Mathieu Mottier, while Gabriele Gelormini settled Cobra Killer Gar (Readly Express) into the pocket.

That left Go On Boy (Password) first-over, a position Derieux had no intention of accepting for long. After approximately 650 meters, he sent Go On Boy to the front. Once there, the pace slowed considerably — and very little happened from that point on.

Go On Boy drifted out a path at the top of the stretch but remained comfortably in control, holding off the strong-closing Jingle du Pont (Niky) and Krack Time Atout (Face Time Bourbon).

The winning time was a 1:55.2 mile rate for 2,840 meters.

Go On Boy previously captured the Grand Prix de Wallonie in 2023 and 2024, while Inexess Bleu won last year’s edition.

Saturday’s victory also gave Go On Boy the 2026-27 UET Elite Circuit title, as he moved past Epic Kronos in the standings in the final event of the season. The final in UET Elite Circuit will be held in Turin, Italy on Oct. 11.

FRANCE APPROVES TRANSPORTED CHILLED SEMEN

After months of debate, a decision has been made. Beginning with the 2027 breeding season, France will allow the use of transported chilled semen for artificial insemination of mares.

The SETF committee approved the proposal Thursday (Sept. 17) by a 28-22 vote, after the measure had previously received the support of the breeding commission.

“For the more remote regions, and in order to maintain a functioning geographical network for the French trotter throughout the country, I believe this is a good decision,” committee member Maxime Busset, who voted in favor of the proposal, told LeTROT.

The decision is opposed by the organization representing professional stallion owners.

François Cotreuil, president of the Syndicat des Étalonniers Professionnels de Trotteurs, fears the change could weaken the position of stallion stations and alter the market for French standardbred breeding.

The proposal will now go before the stud book commission before the necessary rule changes are implemented.

ATG SCRAPS V85, BRINGS BACK V75

Swedish wagering operator ATG is abandoning V85. Compared with V75, the V85 turnover was down by nearly SEK 100 million during the summer months of June, July, and August.

Beginning Nov. 28, V75 will return as Swedish harness racing’s primary betting product, although with one significant change: the price per combination will increase from SEK .50 to SEK .60.

“When we see that we’re losing customers in horse racing wagering, we have to act,” said acting ATG CEO Jörgen Forsberg.

V85 was introduced on Oct. 25 last year, replacing V75 after the latter had spent 32 years as Swedish harness racing’s flagship wager. But V85 has struggled during 2026, prompting ATG to reverse course.

“When we launched V85 last year, we believed the game would contribute to change,” ATG chairman Peter Norman said. “We viewed V85 as a marathon, and we stand by that. But the growth we had hoped for has not materialized. It hasn’t gained the same traction among customers who wager frequently and for smaller amounts.”

So V85 is out and V75 is back — at a 20 per cent higher base price than before.

And the same ATG board that approved the switch from V75 to V85 remains in place.

That’s how it works in Sweden.