The question marks over the mighty Bold Eagle have soared even further after another terribly disappointing performance in the Grand Prix du Bourbonnais, the second of the trial races for the world’s greatest trotting race, the Prix d’Amérique.
After only finishing fourth in the G2 Grand Prix de Bretagne, the first lead-up three weeks ago when having every chance with a three wide cart-up into the contest, he failed miserably on December 9 in Paris. Bold Eagle missed a podium (top-five) finish for the first time in many years, not including the Swedish debacle in May and a race where he was all but pulled up.
The winner of the G2 Bourbonnais over the 2850 metres was five-year-old mare Délia du Pommereux driven by Damien Bonne for trainer Sylvain Roger.
The daughter of Niky has just continued to go from strength to strength with a Group 2 victory in August before finishing a narrow second in the Group 1 Critérium des 5 ans, French Five-Year-Old Championship, to the new star Davidson du Pont.
This Winter meeting she has won a G2 race over the 2100 metres, which is a sprint race for French standards, for the four and five-year-olds and finished a two-metre second to Davidson du Pont in the Bretagne three weeks ago.
It was a quinella for the mares with Bélina Josselyn getting back to form to be a short half-head second with Bird Parker, last year’s winner, a game third and Carat Williams, Briac Dark and Uza Josselyn running fourth, fifth and seventh. Bold Eagle was sixth in a mile rate of 1:57.3.
Second favourite Traders was second last to complete the course but his big target will be the Prix de Cornulier, the world monté championship, on January 20, one week before the Prix d’Amérique.
The winners of both lead-up races so far for the Prix d’Amérique have been five-year-olds, who will be six-year-olds by the big race as the age goes with the calendar year in Europe.
Bold Eagle, who drifted from 1.2 to even money on the PMU, settled second last in the field of 12, relatively small for a race of this nature, and excuses were made with driver Franck Nivard launching him with 1000 metres to go whilst going up the hill.
He got about two metres in front of his rivals but had had enough by the time the field had entered into the home straight and weakened badly.
Despite Nivard making his run very early, I still personally got the feeling that it just wasn’t the Bold Eagle that we know he can be and, surely, if he is any chance of winning the big Group 1s throughout the winter he will have to be driven with the last run if Sunday is anything to go by.
Readly Express, aiming to defend his title, heads the PDA market at $3 in Europe with fellow Swede champ Propulsion at $3.50 and Bélina Josselyn and Bold Eagle, the quinella from 2017, at $7.50. The latter is surely still huge unders. Davidson du Pont and Délia du Pommereux look the overs at $8.50 and $12 respectively.
The next big races of the Winter in France are the G2 Prix Ténor de Baune for five-year-olds and G1 Critérium Continental for four-year-olds on Sunday December 23.
The winner of those two races will gain automatic entry to the Prix d’Amérique whilst the next trial for the older horses takes place on Sunday December 30, which is the G2 Grand Prix de Bourgogne and is the sprint trial over 2100 metres from behind the mobile.
LOOKING to the US and below are the performances of Australasian bred horses who have raced in the States in the last week or so.
I hope to add this to the end of each World Racing column in the future.
Sunday 2 December
Philadelphia
Race 1 (27.2, 29, 27.2, 28.6, 1:52)
2nd Wick
6th Fearless Leader
Race 2 (27.6, 29, 27, 28.2, 1:51.8)
2nd Western Delight
5th Persistent Threat
Race 9 (27.4, 29.4, 27.2, 28.8, 1:52.8)
1st Sevens Hope
4th Vapour
Race 12 (28.2, 30.8, 27.8, 28.8, 1:55.6)
7th Velocity Sub
Race 14 (27.4, 29, 27.8, 28.4, 1:52.6)
1st Iammrbrightside
2nd Express Stride
Rosecraft Raceway
Race 3 (27, 29.8, 28.2, 28.8, 1:53.8)
8th Second Wind (2010 G1 Taylor Mile winner over Sleepy Tripp, Bonavista Bay, Tintin In America, Captain Joy etc)
Winner was 14-year-old living legend Foiled Again for the 107th time in the Foiled Again Enjoy Your Retirement Invitational for 10-year-olds and older as he continues his farewell tour.
Race 10 ($100,000 Potomac Pace Invitational) (26.4, 28.8, 26.6, 27.6, 1:49.4)
3rd Duplicated (2nd start since moving to the US and in the same connections of Shartin, both Dean Braun exports)
Rideau Carleton Raceway (Canada)
Race 9 (27.2, 58, 1:27.6, 1:57.4)
1st Flying Isa
Race 13 (28.2, 57.4, 1:26.8, 1:56.8)
8th Uncle Ben
Truro Raceway (Canada)
Race 3 (29.2, 60, 1:31.2, 2:03.2)
1st Beach Fighter
Monday 3 December
Dover Downs
Race 7 (28.2, 28.8, 28.4, 28.2, 1:53.6)
8th Extreme Machine
Race 10 (27.6, 29, 27.8, 27.4, 1:51.8)
7th Prince Of Pops
Race 13 (27.2, 29.2, 28.4, 28.8, 1:53.6)
7th Buckeye
Dayton Raceway
Race 8 (27.8, 28.6, 28, 29.8, 1:54.2)
7th Crombie (2012 Inter Dominion Heat winner and 2013 Western Australian Cup runner-up)
Monticello Raceway
Race 2 (28.2, 31, 29.8, 29.2, 1:58.2)
1st Simple Saver
Race 5 (28.4, 31.4, 29.8, 29.6, 1:59.2)
6th Media Queen
Race 8 (29.8, 30.4, 29, 29, 1:58.2)
6th Miss Irish Rose
Northfield Park
Race 2 (27.6, 29.2, 28, 28.8, 1:53.6)
6th Best Shot
Race 7 (27.2, 29, 28.8, 30, 1:55)
2nd Supreme Mach
Race 9 (27.4, 29.2, 27.6, 29.6, 1:53.8)
3rd Copper Coast
Pompano Park
Race 5 (27.6, 28.6, 28.2, 29.4, 1:53.8)
2nd Drunken Desire
Yonkers
Race 4 (27.8, 30.4, 28, 30, 1:56.2)
1st Bronskimackenzie
Race 6 (27.6, 30.4, 29.2, 28.8, 1:56)
7th Poppy Drayton
Race 7 (28, 29.8, 28.6, 29.2, 1:55.6)
2nd Kept Under Wraps
4th Galactic Galleon
Race 8 (28.2, 30.4, 28.4, 28.8, 1:56)
1st Hundie
Race 9 (26.8, 29.6, 28.8, 29.2, 1:54.4)
5th Black Chevron
Race 10 (27.6, 29.8, 27.6, 29, 1:54)
2nd Itsonlyrocknroll
Tuesday 4 December
Dayton Raceway
Race 9 (28, 29.4, 29, 28.8, 1:55.2)
9th Ultra Shok
Race 10 (26.2, 28.6, 28, 28.6, 1:51.4)
2nd Armabluechipboy
Monticello Raceway
Race 5 (28.8, 29.2, 28.2, 29, 1:55.2)
7th Ascot Encounter
Race 7 (28, 29.2, 29.2, 30, 1:56.4)
3rd Tenacious One
Race 9 (28.4, 29.6, 28.6, 29.8, 1:56.4)
7th Mister Livan
Northfield Park
Race 13 (27.8, 29.2, 28.4, 29.2, 1:54.6)
2nd Elrama
Race 15 (27, 28.2, 28.8, 30, 1:54)
1st Montana Pablo
Pompano Park (Qualifiers/Trials)
Race 3 (29.8, 29.8, 27.8, 28, 1:55.4)
1st Epaulette
Pompano Park
Race 3 (27, 29.6, 28.8, 29.2, 1:54.6)
7th Mccovey Cove
Race 5 (27.8, 29.4, 27.8, 28.4, 1:53.4)
8th Macy Blue Chip
The Meadows
Race 4 (28, 30, 28.6, 30.4, 1:57)
4th Areyoureadygirl
Race 9 (27.8, 29.6, 27.6, 28, 1:53)
2nd Strawb’s Chippie
Yonkers
Race 1 (27.8, 29.8, 29, 28.8, 1:55.4)
7th Northern Assassin
Race 2 (27.4, 29.8, 29.4, 30.2, 1:56.8)
6th Ultimate Flyer
Race 3 (27.6, 29.4, 29.4, 30.8, 1:57.2)
3rd Myidealson
4th Fernleigh Rebel
Race 5 (27.4, 29.2, 28.8, 29.8, 1:55.2)
2nd Alta Leroy
4th New World Order
Race 6 (28.2, 29.6, 28.2, 29.4, 1:55.4)
2nd Dongal Rundlscrk
Race 7 (27.8, 29.6, 28.6, 28, 1:54)
8th Our Regal Ideal
Race 8 (27.6, 29.2, 28.2, 29.2, 1:54.2)
6th Milliondollar Wave
7th Spondulicks
Race 9 (28.6, 30, 28.2, 29.2, 1:56)
2nd Shez Sugarsweet
4th Rockin The Boys
Race 10 (27, 29.8, 27.8, 28.6, 1:53.2)
1st Imarocnrollegend
6th Starsky’s Dream
Wednesday 5 December
Batavia Downs
Race 3 (28.4, 30, 28.6, 30.8, 1:57.8)
3rd Quicksilvercandy
Race 4 (29, 29.4, 29.2, 29.6, 1:57.2)
1st Carrickmannon
Race 7 (28.4, 29.8, 28.6, 29, 1:55.8)
5th Quick Draft (Former David Aiken mare)
Dover Downs (Trials)
Race 1 (29.2, 29.8, 29.8, 28, 1:56.8)
2nd Never Say Never
Dover Downs
Race 8 (26.8, 28.6, 28.2, 28, 1:51.6)
1st Nerida Franco
2nd Mischief Maker
Race 10 (26.6, 28.6, 28, 28, 1:51.2)
3rd Jewel Lehigh
Race 11 (27.4, 29.4, 27.6, 28.4, 1:52.8)
7th Blacknsweet Adda
Race 12 (27.2, 29.2, 28, 28.2, 1:52.6)
4th Bettor Trix
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Race 1 (27.4, 28.6, 28.2, 29.4, 1:53.6)
7th Uncle Lile
Race 4 (27.6, 28.4, 28.8, 29, 1:53.8)
7th Machtu
Monticello Raceway (Trials)
Race 4 (30.8, 29.8, 29.6, 29.4, 1:59.6)
3rd Terror Time
Monticello Raceway
Race 4 (28.6, 30.2, 29.6, 30.2, 1:58.6)
1st (Our) High Octane
Pompano Park
Race 4 (27.4, 29.6, 27.8, 29.6, 1:54.4)
3rd Dynamite Dude
5th Backup
7th Styxit To Em
Rosecraft Raceway
Race 10 (27, 29.2, 28.8, 29, 1:54)
6th Threedee Delight
Thursday 6 December
Dover Downs
Race 3 (27.2, 29.2, 28.8, 27.8, 1:53)
2nd Get Outta Eyre
Race 5 (26.2, 29.8, 28, 27.8, 1:51.8)
2nd Bad Boy Brad
Race 7 (26.6, 29.4, 27.6, 28.2, 1:51.8)
4th Cyclone Kiwi
Race 9 (26.4, 28.6, 27.2, 28.4, 1:50.6)
6th Machamillion
Race 11 (26.8, 29.2, 27.4, 27.4, 1:50.8)
6th Abraxas Blues
8th Super Imposed
Race 12 (27.2, 29.6, 27, 27.6, 1:51.4)
4th Sprinter
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Race 3 (27.6, 29.4, 27.4, 29.6, 1:54)
3rd Rainbow Romance
5th Quick Fun
Race 10 (28, 30.2, 28.6, 29.8, 1:56.6)
9th Idle Bones
Meadowlands
Race 1 (27.8, 27.8, 28.6, 28.8, 1:53)
4th Our Els Dream
7th Miss Ali Mach
Race 5 (27.2, 28.2, 28.2, 28, 1:51.6)
2nd Seel The Deal
5th He Can Fly
Race 6 (27, 28, 28.2, 27.4, 1:51)
2nd Marty Monkhouser (2014 Breeders Crown winner)
7th Kiwi Ideal
Race 8 (27.4, 28.4, 29.4, 28.6, 1:53.8)
4th Freespin
Monticello Raceway
Race 5 (29.4, 31.2, 29.8, 29.8, 2:00.2)
3rd (Our) Mercurio
Pompano Park
Race 7 (27.6, 28.8, 29, 29.4, 1:54.8)
3rd Thumpem
The Meadows (Trials)
Race 4 (28.8, 30, 28.6, 28.8, 1:56.2)
3rd Poacher
Friday 7 December
Batavia Downs
Race 2 (29.2, 30.4, 30.2, 30, 1:59.8)
7th The Royal Garden
Race 3 (28.8, 29.4, 29, 29.8, 1:57)
5th Lightning Raider (Prepared by Cran Dalgety and then Luke McCarthy when in Australasia, dead heated for second with Our White Knight behind Bitobliss in the 2011 Kilmore Cup)
Race 7 (30.8, 30.6, 28.4, 29.8, 1:59.6)
1st Empire Earl
Freehold
Race 5 (28.8, 30.4, 28.8, 30.4, 1:58.4)
7th Macjestic Toddy
Race 7 (28, 29.4, 29.4, 29.6, 1:56.4)
1st The Spinster
2nd Foxy Dame
6th Pasulitmatedelite
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Race 10 (27.4, 28.4, 26.6, 29.6, 1:52)
8th Shady Secret
Dayton Raceway
Race 11 (27.8, 29.8, 26.8, 28, 1:52.4)
8th Lerato
Race 14 (27.2, 28.4, 29.2, 30.6, 1:55.4)
3rd The Empiressister
Meadowlands
Race 5 (29, 27.8, 27.6, 27.6, 1:52)
1st Gold Orchid
8th Sudden Change
Saratoga
Race 5 (27.8, 28.8, 28.6, 29.6, 1:54.8)
1st Betabcool
3rd Culinary Delight
Race 6 (27.6, 29.6, 28.2, 28.2, 1:53.6)
1st Gina Grace
Race 7 (28, 29.4, 28.4, 29.4, 1:55.2)
1st Glenferrie Bronte
Race 10 (28.4, 30.8, 29, 30, 1:58.2)
3rd Conway Beach
Yonkers
Race 3 (27.2, 29.4, 29.4, 29, 1:55)
8th Ima Tragedy
Race 5 (27.4, 29.8, 28.6, 29.6, 1:55.4)
6th Our Gamma Lady
Race 7 (28.2, 30.2, 28, 29, 1:55.4)
2nd Milady Denver
4th Sheeza Shark
5th Bronze Over
Race 8 (26.6, 29, 28.6, 29.8, 1:54)
4th Feel The Need
Race 9 (27.4, 29.6, 28.8, 28.8, 1:54.6)
2nd Shesjustadelight
Race 10 (28.4, 29.8, 28, 28.8, 1:55)
2nd (Heez) Orl Black
3rd Macon Georgia
4th Bettor Reason
Race 11 (27.6, 29.4, 29.4, 30, 1:56.4)
1st Ella Michelle
2nd Coveredndiamonds
8th Sell A Bit
Western Fair Raceway (Canada)
Race 3 (29.2, 60.4, 1:29.6, 1:59)
7th Bute Courage
Saturday 8 December
Batavia Downs (Trials)
Race 2 (30.8, 31.2, 30.2, 28.6, 2:00.8)
1st Brunello
Freehold Raceway
Race 1 (28.8, 30, 29.6, 31, 1:59.4)
4th Sir Richie
Race 3 (28.2, 30, 30, 31.6, 1:59.8)
6th Esprit De Kayjay
Race 4 (29.6, 30.8, 29.4, 30.2, 2:00)
3rd Myeyesadoreya
Race 6 (27.6, 30.2, 28.8, 29.4, 1:56)
6th Midnight Dylan
7th Change Stride
Race 8 (28.8, 30.4, 29.8, 30.2, 1:59.2)
4th Southern Pursuit
Dayton Raceway
Race 8 (28, 28.8, 28.6, 27.6, 1:53)
4th Bettor Spirits
Race 13 (27.4, 28.4, 28, 28.8, 1:52.6)
5th Return To Sender
Meadowlands (Trials)
Race 2 (29.4, 30.2, 30, 27.2, 1:56.8)
5th Commander Paris
Race 3 (29.2, 28.8, 28, 27.2, 1:53.2)
2nd Franco Rayner
3rd Mighty Mr Sharkey
8th Bobjacks Angle
Race 4 (27.4, 28.8, 28.8, 28.2, 1:53.2)
2nd Messi
Meadowlands
Race 6 (28, 28.4, 28.4, 27.2, 1:52)
7th Alta Shelby
Race 7 (26.8, 28, 28.2, 27.2, 1:50.2)
4th Tact Tate
Race 9 (27, 28.8, 28.2, 27.2, 1:51.2)
1st Threeofthebest
Race 10 (28.4, 29, 28.2, 27.2, 1:52.4)
2nd Brookies Prince
Northfield Park
Race 10 (28, 27.4, 28.8, 29, 1:53.2)
9th Islay
Saratoga
Race 1 (27.6, 29.6, 27.8, 28, 1:53)
5th Cerberus
Race 3 (28, 28.8, 29, 29.6, 1:55.4)
1st Barimah
7th Teo Enteo
Race 6 (28.4, 29.2, 28.2, 29.2, 1:55)
5th Tenacious One
Race 7 (27.6, 29.2, 27.6, 29, 1:53.4)
3rd Hug The Wind
6th Crockets Cullen
Race 8 (28, 29.6, 29.2, 29.2, 1:56)
1st Flem N Em
8th Mister Livan
Race 9 (28, 29.8, 28.4, 28.8, 1:55)
8th Kiwi Tintin
Race 10 (27, 29, 28, 28.6, 1:52.6)
5th Havefaithinme (2016 Miracle Mile winner)
Scarborough Downs
Race 1 (28.8, 30.8, 29.4, 29.6, 1:58.6)
2nd Kid Courageous
Race 3 (29.4, 30.8, 27.6, 32, 1:59.8)
2nd McArdle Royale
The Meadows
Race 8 (27.6, 29.2, 27.6, 28.8, 1:53.2)
1st Anythingforlove
Yonkers
Race 1 (28.4, 29.2, 27.6, 29.2, 1:54.4)
5th Vanquished
8th Amrcanbootscoota
Race 2 (27.6, 29.2, 28.2, 28.6, 1:53.6)
1st Alberto Contador
2nd Kenrick
3rd Stormont Czar
5th Tullow
Race 3 (27.2, 30, 28.2, 28, 1:53.4)
1st Quick Asa Trick
2nd Run Oneover (2016 Inter Dominion Finalist)
4th Sporty Spook
Race 4 (27.8, 29.6, 28.6, 29.2, 1:55.2)
1s Texican
2nd Ideal Tyson
4th Highview Conall
Race 5 (27.2, 30.4, 28.4, 27.8, 1:53.8)
1st Bettors Fire
3rd Mach Time
4th Oh Jonny B Good
Race 6 (27.2, 28.8, 28, 28.2, 1:52.2)
1st Weona Sizzler
3rd Christen Me (Former Grand Circuit Champion including Miracle Mile, Victoria and Hunter Cup)
6th Soho Lennon
Race 10 (27.6, 28.8, 27.6, 28.6, 1:52.6)
3rd Stars Align (Another Dean Braun horse now in America)
4th Our Zak Whitby
Woodbine Mohawk (Canada)
Race 7 (28.2, 56, 1:24, 1:52.4)
2nd Heza Thrill
Sunday 9 December
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Race 2 (26.8, 28.2, 27, 28.2, 1:50.2)
7th Iammrbrightside
Race 5 (27.6, 28.6, 28.2, 29.2, 1:53.6)
3rd Somwherenbrookln
5th Western Delight
Race 7 (27.8, 29.2, 28.8, 28.6, 1:54.4)
4th Machtu
Race won by the 14-year-old marvel Foiled Again making it 108 wins continuing his farewell tour
Race 8 (27.2, 28, 28.4, 29.4, 1:53)
4th Persistent Threat
8th Milliondollar Wave
Race 12 (27.4, 29.4, 27.6, 28.2, 1:52.6)
1st Warminster
2nd Sevens Hope
Pompano Park
Race 6 (27.6, 28.4, 27.4, 28.2, 1:51.6)
3rd Kotare Yael
Race 9 (27.2, 27.8, 28.4, 29.4, 1:52.8)
2nd Drunken Desire
Rosecroft Raceway
Race 4 (27.4, 28.6, 29.2, 29.2, 1:54.4)
5th Second Wind
Saratoga
Race 7 (28.4, 30, 29, 30.4, 1:57.8)
7th Mr Cool Seaeyre
Race 9 (29, 30, 28.8, 30, 1:57.8)
8th Djokovic
Race 10 (29, 29.6, 28.6, 29.2, 1:56.4)
2nd Le Reveur
Scarborough Downs
Race 9 (28.6, 30.6, 29.4, 31, 1:59.6)
1st Northview Punter
5th Sign To Inverell
Flamboro Downs
Race 2 (27.4, 56.2, 1:25.2, 1:54.4)
2nd Toot Toot
Rideau Carleton Raceway
Race 9 (27.4, 58, 1:26.6, 1:55.6)
3rd Uncle Ben
