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SWEDENPeter Untersteiner’s Dreams Take Time beat a strong field in the Gold Division Legolas Minne over 2140m at Aby on the weekend. Driven by trainer, the Andover Andover stallion put away early leader Arazi Boko at the top of the straight scooting away to beat late swoopers Thai Broadway and Royal Figher. The Group II E3 Revanshen for mares over 2140m at Bergsaker went to Robert Bergh’s Timbal (From Above), who outstayed Pine Chip mare Tro Lo Lo, going clear in the straight. At Sol-valla the Vinterfavoriten went to Undine, patiently driven by Orjan Kihlstrom for trainer Catarina Lundstrom who got up to beat Per Lennartsson’s tearaway leader Gareth Boko (Make It Happen) with Detroit

Rock Sisu (Scarlet Knight) a distant third for Tuomas Kor-venoja. ITALYThe Gran Premio Royal Mares Del Trotto at Agnano, Naples, was won by Pietro Gubellini’s Potenza Om (Yankee Slide)Second was Olona Ok (Va-renne) with Padania Zeta (Turbo Sund) third for Ales-sandro Gocciadoro. The win-ner’s time was 1’11”5.DENMARKFlemming Jansen quinelled the NJ Koster’s Memorial at Charlottenlund with two sons of SJ’s Photo, Mong-tomery Hill defeating O’grady in a three-way finish with Nok’en Fraekkert (Mastery) third. The winner’s time was 1’13”5 for the 2000m trip. Rod Stewart (Love You) was fourth.

UN MEC D’HERIPRE was an imperious winner of the Prix du Bourbonnais at Vincennes on the week-end, throwing yet another ace card on an open Prix d’Amerique picture.

The former Group I Criteri-um Continental winner was an entrant in 2013 but has missed the last two renewals despite half a dozen group wins in open ranks to go with age group wins last year’s Prix d’Amerique winner Up And Quick and world record breaking mare Unique Quick.

He was prominent early in the race as tough German entrant Duke of Greenwood took up the early running, but by the winning post the first time driver Franck Nivard had the son of Orlando Vici bowl-ing along in front.

He was still doing it easy as the crossed the crest of the

hill, and turned for the long sweeping run home, with Spanish flyer Trebol trying to make a move on the outside.

But Un Mec d’Heripre brushed off the attention and was two lengths clear as they turned for home with Nivard sitting quietly in the cart as Village Mystic challenged but Un Mec was untroubled to win by length as Italian-bred Moses Rob (by a French sire) flew home for second place.

Fourth was Vision Intense, a group winner in bike and saddle, who got out from four back on the rails for Jean Phillipe Dubois, last year’s winner Texas Charm, who was a fast closing sixth from dead last at the turn.

The international race was not only a qualifier for the Prix d’Amerique but also the only round of the weekend in the UET Masters Series.

CHARLY DU NOYER just held on to win in a dramatic finish to the Criterium des 3 Ans at Vincennes on the weekend.

Yoann Lebourgeois took Phillipe Allaire’s son of Ready Cash straight to the lead from wide on the gate, controlled the pace, and put half a dozen lengths on the field as Pierre Vercruysse’s Cobra Bleu (Fortuna Fant) set off in pursuit.

Charly du Noyer still had a two lengths lead at the top of the straight but Cobra Bleu found another gear 150m from the line and there was less than a head separating the pair at the finish. Lou-is Baudron’s Combattante (Sam Bourbon) finished on strongly half a dozen lengths away and was the first filly home in third place.

New star Bold Eagle was a

brilliant winner of the Group II Prix Octave Douesnal, the last warm up race for entires for the the Criterium Conti-nental.

Bold Eagle was soon in front but handed up to Briac Dark (Prince Gede) and fol-lowed him up the hill, cruis-ing up and past as they went over the top and around the long bend.

Bold Eagle coasted to the line sevveral lengths ahead of Briac Dark a gap to Bo-ing du Bocage (Sciopion du Goutier) who edged out this year’s Criterium des 4 Ans winner Bird Parker (Ready Cash) in a late charge for third.

The Prix Ariste Hemard for 4YO mares saw the surprise defeat of the crop’s domi-nant mare Billie de Montfort after she got shuffled back to third on the rail, and though she got out late and charged home, Jean Michel Bazire’s Belina Josselyn (Love You)

had too much momentum. Third was Bambina Magic (Nuage de Lait).

The monte Prix Raoul Bal-liere for 3YOs was won by Franck Leblanc’s Caline des Plages (Scipion du Gouti-er) who led all the way to beat Che Jenilou (Goetmals Wood) who came from a long way back and Chiricatua (Pomerol de Laumac), who couldn’t stay with the leader in the straight.

There were also several rich Group IIIs at Vincennes last week. The Prix Narquois for French 4YOs saw Alder-man hare off in front by a dozen lengths, and then comfortnably hold off the charge of Altess du Mirel, The international Prix de Blois went to Italian-bred Ori-one Degli Dei (Conway Hall) from Fabrice Solouy’s barn who beat Trophee de Jaba (Kesaco Phedo) and Tabriz du Gite (Ganymede). The Prix Narquois was won by

Joel Hallais’ Ultimate du Rib (Dahir de Prelong).FRENCH FACTThe Criterium des 3 Ans was the final classic for French 3YOs under harness, with only the monte Prix des Vin-cennes still come for this age group. This weekend also saw the completion of the Group II build up races for the 2YOs, 4YOs and 5YOs, and there is a week’s break

before the climax of the Classic season. The 2YOs in France do not have a Group I, but the colts and fillies will square off in the Prix Em-manuel Margouty and Prix Une de Mai respectively. The top French 4 and 5YOs will take on international fields in the Criterium Continental and Prix de Baune, both also qualifying races for the Prix d’Amerique next month.

Charly du Noyer’s Criterium

UN MEC TOO GOODPlot thickens afterstunning PDA trial

Bold Eagle was just too good in the Prix Octave Douesnal on the weekend. PHOTOS GERARD FORNI

Phillipe Allaire (2nd left), and Yoann Lebourgouis (far right) and Charly du Noyer’s happy connections.

THE ROAD TO THE PRIX D’AMERIQUE Date Race Distance purseNov 21 Px de Bretagne (4-9) 2770 €120,000 Winner: Akim du Cap Vert (Franck Anne)Dec 13 Px du Bourbonnais (4-9) 2850 €120,000Winner: Un Mec d’Heripre (Fabrice Solouy)Jan 3 Px de Bourgogne (4-10) 2100 €120,000Jan 17 Px de Belgique (4-10) 2850 €120,000

Points table (Top six qualify Prix d’Amerique) Akim du Cap Vert 12, Un Mec d’Heripre 12, Village Mystic 8, Anna Mix 6, Moses Rob, Texas Charm 2, Solea Rivelliere 2, Vision Intense. Winner only has direct qualificationDec 27 Criterium Continental (4YO) 2100 €240,000 Dec 27 Prix Tenor de Baune (5YO) 2700 €120,000

READY CASHCHARLY DU NOYER (Winner Group I 1’13”6/2700m)ALTESSE DU MIREL (2nd Group III 1’12”6/2700 Vin-cennes) DESIREE (Winner 2100 Vincennes) BOLD EAGLE (Winner Groupe II 1’12”9/2700m) ARNAQUE (2nd 2850 Cabourg) DIVA DES MARCEAUX (2nd 2100m Lyon-Parilly)LOVE YOU BELINA JOSSELYN (Win-ner Group II 2700m 1’14”2/2700m Vincennes) VILLAGE MYSTIC (3rd Group II 2850m Vincennes), UN AMOUR D’HAUFOR (2nd Group III 1’13”2/2700 Vincennes) UNE CHARM FOU (2nd Group III 1’13”2/2700

Vincennes) AMSTRONG JET (2nd 2175 Vincennes) CAP MATYSS (Winner 2850m Vincennes) BERRY’S BOY (Winner 2650m Bordeaux) DIFA GIRL (Winner 2050m Cabourg) DUCATO BOURBON (2nd 2700m Vincennes) COVA JOSSELYN (3rd 2850m Vincennes) AYA DE VAN-DEL (3rd 2850 Cabourg) DRAGON DES RACQUES (3rd 2700m Vincennes) ULTRA DAIDOU (3rd 2650m Bordeaux)REPEAT LOVECRAZY LOVE (Winner 2100 Vincennes) CLOANE DU VIVIER (Winner 2850m Vincennes) BARAKA DU DONJON (3rd 2725m Gre-nade-Sur-Garonne) CRESTA

ROSSA (3rd 3125 Angers)QUAKER JET BIXENTE (Winner Vincennes) CLASS DE BANVILLE (Winner 2650m Marseill-Vivaux) DU GITE (Winner 2425m Angers) DIRECT WAY (Winner 2050m Cabourg) CROSS-ROADS (Winner Nantes)ORLANDO VICIUN MEC D’HERIPRE (Win-ner Group II 2850m Vincennes) CHERIF GRIFF (Winner 2700m Vincennes) CITIZEN KANE (Winner 2850 Vincennes) COLOMBO DU VIVIER (Winner 2950m Cagnes-Su-Mer) CALINEKA GWEN (2nd 3125 Angers) VERVEINE DU MONT (2nd 2850m Vincennes) AVENIR D’OR (2nd 2750m Gre-

nade-Sur-Garonne)DOLORES DE KACY (3rd 2100m Vin-cennes)SAM BOURBONBROSNAN JET (Winner 2150m Cagnes-Su-Mer) COMBATTANTE (3rd (Winner Group I 1’14”3/2700m) CASHINGA DE LOU (Winner 2725m Grenade-Sur-Ga-ronne)QUATRE JUILLETBOLIDE DE LA COTE (2nd 2150m Cagnes-Su-Mer)THE BEST MADRIK CORTICO MADRIK (2nd 2150m Cagnes-Su-Mer)

MILE RATE CONVERSION: 2.00 =1’14”6, 1.57=1’12”7, 1.54=1’10”8, 1.51= 1’09.

Moses Rob, (obscured), VIsion Intense and Village Mystic (centre) can’t catch Un Mec d’Heripre, (right).