This Sunday, Tiégo d’Etang and Roxane Griff (photo) will be the two favourites in the Prix de Cornulier. A week later, they will be rivals again in the greatest of trotting races, the Prix d’Amérique Opodo 2015.
What do Jag de Bellouet, Bellino II, Tidalium Pelo and Masina have in common? These four grand champions are the only horses to have registered a double with the Prix de Cornulier and the Prix d’Amérique in the same year. This is an even more remarkable feat as the two greatest trotting events in France are only one week apart. Ten years after Jag de Bellouet achieved this (he was the last champion to do so), Roxane Griff and Tiégo d’Etang are taking up the challenge.
At 10 years old, Roxane Griff is at the top of her game. Sébastien Guarato’s charge has been on the track since she was 3, and is none other than the Prix de Cornulier title-holder. Straight after her Prix de Cornulier win, this iron lady took home a very respectable fourth place in the Prix d’Amérique. As the richest mare in French trotting (2,576,818 €), Roxane Griff had a fantastic year in 2014, winning 5 times and reaping rewards of no less than 868,700 €. This will be her last year of competing in France and she certainly has the means to aspire to the double win.
However, she won’t be the only one who’s dreaming of it. Despite being 8 years old, Tiégo d’Etang still seems to be progressing. Chaillot’s son stormed to victory in the first Prix d’Amérique prep race, the Prix de Bretagne, on November 15th and he will now be refreshed and in top form to tackle his two biggest races of the year. Whether it be in this Sunday’s Prix de Cornulier or the Prix d’Amérique d’Opodo 2015 on January 25th, Tiego d’Etang has the look of a potential winner.
Roxane Griff
Female, 10 years old
Trainer: Sébastien Guarato
Driver: Eric Raffin
Owner: Ecurie Griff
20 wins including the Prix de Cornulier (19th January 2014)
Tiégo d’Etang
Male, 8 years old
Trainer: Christian Bigeon
Driver: Christian Bigeon
Owner: Francis Adam
15 wins including the Prix de Normandie (15th September 2012)
