From 3-8 July, the Vichy trotting festival will take place at the scenic centre-France racecourse, with the highlight of the week, the Gr.2 Grand Prix du Conseil Municipal closing out Tuesday’s (4 July) racing.

Since 1925, the race has been a showpiece for a host of classy runners, most recently the 2022 winner, Elie De Beaufour, and being the only black-type event of the week, will unsurprisingly be well-supported. While the size of the field has yet to be determined, it will draw some of the best older horses around who will vie for a slice of the €120,000 pie.

Of the 40 meetings staged, 22 will be dedicated to trotting, the remaining 18 for galop. Vichy’s flat racing festival will be staged between 17-22 July and features the 7th leg of the Défi du Galop (18 July) and the Grand Prix de Vichy the following day.

But for next Tuesday’s big race, last year’s winner will endeavour to make it two in a row. As for the gelding’s trainer, Jean-Michel Bazire, he has won the race no fewer than seven times over the past ten years.

Threats to Elie De Beaufour include Gitano and Oracle Tile, both from the yard of Thierry Duvaldestin. The latter finished third to Hokkaido Jiel in the Gr.1 Prix René Ballière last weekend and, leaving her track of preference, Vincennes, will be the more attractive proposition of the two. Idéal Du Pommeau makes his return for the Sébastien Guarato stable. Unseen since being disqualified in December 2022, he will nonetheless have been prepared for his big return and must be respected. Another worth noting is Eric The Eel, titleholder of the Harper Hanovers lopp, one of the more coveted races on Solvalla’s Elitlopp racecard.