The sixth of the month is an important date for players at Newturf.com as it stages the finals of the season’s first major competition, the Breeders’ Cup. All three disciplines of flat racing, hurdles and harness racing are catered for. The prize-money pools for these races are getting more and more attractive with each passing season, with record levels attained this term.
The most lucrative of these races falls to the flat race gallopers with more than 80 euros in the pot this time around. Since entries are made prior to the foal’s birth and can therefore be made judged on bloodlines only, this event was the culmination of considerable advance planning. Many dreams had already been dashed in the qualifying races held a few days earlier and in a little over two minutes, reputations would be won and lost and future stud books filled.
Top honors in this season’s event went to Samaritain’s bay colt, Bel North du Coral, representing the team Les Iles. The son of Northug out of the Emizo du Tosc mare, Bel Sahel du Coral was recording his thirteenth success in fifteen career starts to date. The colt made his move on the home turn and swpt by the leaders, coming down the outside in the straight. He got home on the soft surface in a time of 2:03.144 ahead of Tilucky’s Kaprilo Ts and Flying Paper’s Thug Night in third.
Virus du Freco was the hero of the hour in the hurdles final, making a gallant bid to lead from pillar to post. The Frecofou owned, Pepsuke Treize colt would have been something of a surprise winner for many, having finished third in his first round heat and his only previous win coming in a two-runner affair. He showed much improved form to take this valuable event and will surely go on from this to achieve much more. His victory came in a time of 2:17.014 with Tiësto’s Club Life’s Toumo d’Aaronn following him home in second and a creditable third place finish going to Ourasis’ Nothing Rhymed SF.
The trotters were last to take to the Newturf circuit with owner, Tilucky fielding no less than three of the twelve finalists. Representing the Stairway To Heaven team, Tilucky won this event in impressive fashion with his Orcijim Ts, one of only three runners in the race to run with the disadvantage of being shod. The Ormicitar Ts colt, who won his heat on very fast ground looked every bit as much at home on this rain-softened surface. Second place went to another Tilucky owned colt, Orcilon Ts, while the Galotrot83 owned Hancock Boy One finished in third spot.
