With five Group 1 races being staged, Sunday’s Vincennes meeting is by some margin the most prestigious of the summer months. While the trio of Etrier France finals is dedicated to the monté division (see related article), the harness code features the prestigious Prix René Ballière for older horses, and the 3 year-old highlight, Prix Albert Viel.

Principal attraction in the older-horse division is, predictably, last year’s third-placed Hohneck. Already a multiple Group winner, he most recently secured the coveted Elitlopp at Solvalla and has never been better than he is at present. 

In with a chance of threatening his supremacy is the remarkable Idao De Tillard, winner of last year’s Critérium Continental. He does, however, occasionally lose his action but this appears to be his only achilles heel.

The Fabrice Souloy-trained Ampia Mede Sm not only finished second in the Prix d’Amérique but she followed that up with a brace of Vincennes Gr.1s, before disposing of the opposition to win a Gr.2 on her recent return to competition. Dropping back to 2100m will pose no problem to the versatile mare.

The 15-strong field of the Prix Albert Viel has great depth in quality and it appears a relatively open affair. William Bigeon sends out a pair of classy individuals in King Opera and Kana De Beylev, both of which won their respective Gr.2 preps last time out. They will nevertheless have to contend with the Gr.1-winning Koctel Du Dain who has beaten both on separate occasions, and Philippe Allaire has opted to send him out with four pads fitted for the first time.

Kalamity D’Héripré and Keserasera are two fillies worth keeping an eye on, as is Sébastien Guarato’s progressive and speedy colt, Kristal Josselyn, who faces the stiffest test of his short career.