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French Trotting - Review of Prix Maurice de Folleville

3 minute read

Feature Race Review: Finale Grand National du Trot.

Picture: Hamish Blair/Getty Images

Date Sunday 4 December 2022
Venue Vincennes
Race R8 – G2 Prix Maurice de Folleville - Finale Grand National du Trot (2850m)
Type Driven walk up for five- to ten-year-olds
Winner Gently de Muze
Driver Jean-Michel Bazire
Trainer Jean-Michel Bazire
Breeding Perlando x Obade Mancellerie
Second  Goéland d'Haufor
Third  Edy du Pommereux

Six-year-old, Gently De Muze provided Jean-Michel Bazire with another triumph in the Grand National du Trot series when taking the final on Sunday afternoon at Vincennes.

The eighteen runners were stretched out in the early stages with Eire d'Hélios adopting pace setting duties, easily finding the lead with a strong early tempo. Top trainer in the competition, Jean-Michel Bazire, settled the favourite, Gently de Muze, up close in fifth place along the home straight for the first time. Well over twenty lengths covered the runners.

Winner of the Mauquenchy round of the series, Gamay de l'Iton and August Pornichet heat winner, Fakir de Mahey shared the lead down the back straight with the pace remaining strong. Passing the 1300m marker, Jean-Michel Bazire moved Gently de Muze up from sixth position racing three deep and sweeping past the leaders was able to take up the running and lead with 1000m left to go where, at this point, it looked an open race. 

Turning for home the race had evolved with many chances including Gamay de l'ItonEdy du Pommereux and Goéland d'Haufor all being close challengers to the leader Gently de MuzeBazire kept on urging the six-year-old and had a two length buffer from Goéland d'Haufor who was the main danger now having moved into second in the home run. The large Vincennes crowd cheered home the favourite, Gently de Muze as the six-year-old kept on finding and in the concluding stages of the race never looked in any danger winning the final of the Grand National du Trot comfortably. Jean-Michel Bazire was crowned champion driver with 76 points, champion trainer with 119 points, well clear of the runner-up in the category with Eric Gilles Blot on 66 points.

Gently de Muze won round seven at Toulouse in June but had mixed form since with one of the best recent efforts a third at Craon early September tackling the grass in the G3 Finale du Trophée Vert (2775m)Echo de Chanlecy who finished fifth in the Final on Sunday was the leading horse in the competition with 72 points ahead of Eire d'Hélios in second with 69 points and Django du Bocage who DQ on Sunday was third holding 56 points. David Thomain chased home Bazire in the drivers table with Thomain finishing with 61 points ahead of Nicolas Bazire with 55 points in third.


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