Paris-Vincennes’ winter festival has already started since a month, but is getting into a crucial phase with the Prix de Bretagne, the first of six #opodoraces and the first qualifier leading to the Prix d’Amérique Opodo raced on January 31st, 2016. The winter festival and the Prix d’Amérique Opodo in particular can be considered as an action-packed serial: we know…
Up And Quick and Jean-Michel Bazire have just magnificently landed the 2015 Prix d’Amérique Opodo. The hot Big Race favourites both lived up to their reputation. Jean-Michel Bazire drove a faultless race and Up And Quick responded perfectly. Mosaique Face set off at a very stiff pace in the early phase while the others made tactical moves mid-field to get…
In 4 hours the 94th edition of the Prix d’Amerique Opodo will be underway. It’s the Big Day at last for the International 18-runner field. The weather conditions are perfect. Cold but bright and no rain forecasted. The VIPs have started arriving and the crowds gave been getting thicker since the doors opened at 11 am this morning. No non-runners…
Jean-Marie Bazire’s exceptional career has always had the Prix d’Amérique as backdrop. When he landed his first Prix d’Amerique back in January 1999 on Jimmy Takter’s US champion mare Moni Maker, he had just lifted his first 1998 Golden Sulky title (Sulky d’Or). While finishing just 10th in 2000, the new millennium was nonetheless one to remember for the man…
On a bright Sunday in Sweden, in May 2014, eternal conqueror Timoko forged himself a glorious international victory, worthy of embellishing the outstanding prize list which he has been building up in French racing since he was three. When Richard Westerink called upon the services of expert Swedish driver Björn Goop in spring 2014, he was quietly confident that his…
Up and Quick was runner-up to Maharajah in last year’s Prix d’Amérique, and this time he’s aiming for the highest step on the podium. Buvetier d’Aunou’s son has been preparing for the harness racing world championships for months and he is now set for action, with some enviable cards to play. Trained by the formidale Franck Leblanc and driven by…
At the finishing line of the Grand Prix d’Amérique 2014, Örjan Kihlström’s cinder-smudged face lights up with a smile. He has just won, driving Maharajah’s sulky. This Swedish driver with an outstanding prize list has just had a dream come true; other foreign drivers have done it before him and still more will hope to do it after. What race…
It’s never easy to follow in the footsteps of your elders, especially when you happen to be the grandson of Jean-Pierre Dubois, the son of Jean-Philippe Dubois and the nephew of Jean-Etienne Dubois. After winning his first Group I at 18 years old in the saddle of Texas Charm, Julien Dubois is steadily making his own way. Partnering up with…
There has been no revolution: the queen, Roxane Griff, has held on to her throne after a splendid battle with her eternal rival Tiégo d’Etang. However, there were still a few moments where her entourage had butterflies in their stomachs as she pushed hard to the right and ended up next to the railing. Both competitors demonstrated that they were…
