Bold Eagle to soar in Prix d’Amerique

PARIS: Home-trained Bold Eagle is a short-priced favorite to star in Sunday’s Prix d’Amerique, the trotting showpiece named in homage to the help the United States’ gave France in World War One. The 95th edition of trotting’s equivalent to Australia’s Melbourne Cup, England’s Epsom Derby or the USA’s Breeders Cup Classic, boasts a purse this year of one million Euros ($1 million, £761,000).

Staged at French trotting’s headquarters at Vincennes on the edge of Paris the Prix d’Amerique’s roll of honor reads like a who’s who of trotting greats since its first running in 1920. The 2016 edition, due to be played out in front of a sell-out 40,000-crowd, is destined for Bold Eagle, judging by his cramped odds.

The five-year-old owes his position at the head of the betting to a scintillating display in the Prix du Belgique, where he outclassed his older rivals. The son of Ready Cash, Prix d’Amerique winner in 2011 and 2012, he is trained by Sebastien Guarato in Normandy with Franck Nivard in the sulky.

The winner of 20 of his 23 starts and just short change shy of one million Euros in prize money is a class apart, according to his trainer. “Bold Eagle is a horse that understands everything,” Guarato told AFP. “He knows his work to the letter, I’ve never come across a horse like him. He’s been racing for a long time at the highest level and stands above the rest.

“He can go in front just as well as coming from behind,” he said, although adding that the plan on Sunday was for Nivard to hold him up and come with a late rattle down the straight. If he succeeds Bold Eagle will be the first winner to start from stall 10 in 30 years. Bold Eagle’s opposition is headed by Up and Quick, last year’s French winner driven by Jean-Michel Bazire who was claiming his third Prix d’Amerique.

Norway is doubly represented by Lionel, so named by his breeder Terje Jensen in honor of Barcelona’s five time Ballon d’Or superstar Lionel Messi, and Support Justice. Italian contender Voltiguer de Myrt returns to try to go one better. He is joined by compatriot Oasis Bi. Also figuring in the 18-strong cast is Timoko. The winner of a dozen Grade Is and a survivor of Lyme disease he is out to improve on last year’s third in his fifth attempt at cracking trotting’s blue riband. — AFP