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 Jean-Michel Bazire (the man with 16 ‘Sulkys d’Or’!), Up and Quick is capable of making the race his own and doing so from start to finish. This is a vital asset to have in a race which is as intense as the Prix d’Amérique, where the end result can be heavily influenced right from the start. Up and Quick is totally indifferent to pressure, and another point in his favour is the fact that he knows the Paris-Vincennes cinder track incredibly well. All of his ten victories (including five at Group level) have been won at the harness racing mecca and his ability to succeed over the 2700-metre ‘Grande Piste ‘ commands respect: an 80% success rate in either first or second place!
In order to optimise the chance of a win for the Quick Star Stables champion, his entourage have concocted a tailor-made programme for him to ensure that he is in peak condition for the big day.
Up and Quick had nine months off between February and November 2014 and has not been unshod on all four for almost a year. All of these factors distinguish Up and Quick as a prime candidate for taking the title of Harness Racing World Champion.
