Horsy Dream, the waking dream. It’s difficult to begin this retrospective without starting with the one who made the Marseillaise resonate in the Swedish capital, on the last Sunday in May: Horsy Dream will have been the champion in the land of the Vikings in 2024. Stratospheric, the crack of Pierre Belloche trotted 1’08” – the new European record – on the Solvalla mile in the 2024 Elitloppet, allowing France to win for a third year in a row the supreme title in Sweden. And the son of Scipio du Goutierreturning to conquered territory a few months later, did not miss one of his other major objectives of the season, by winning the very first edition of the Åby World Grand Prix (Gr. I), in Gothenburg, on August 10. Driven by its developer – Éric Raffin having been injured a few hours earlier, this new Scandinavian challenge was met brilliantly. “It was very pleasant, very fun. I had fun, obviously!”, Pierre Belloche told us when he came down from the podium. Let us add to these two highlights, the René Ballière Prize and the Atlantic Prize: Horsy Dream is the only horse on the Old Continent to have distinguished itself four times at Group I trotting level in 2024.
Izoard Védaquais, the marathon runner. Philippe Allaire’s protégé was heroic in an unprecedented edition of Harper Hanovers. In this event contested over the long distance of 3,140 meters, the day before the Elitloppet in Solvalla, a collision took place in the penultimate turn and a horse therefore found itself free on the track. The race must be neutralized… while the tricolor Izoard Védaquais for his part seemed to be heading towards glory at the start of the final turn. An hour later, at the end of the meeting, the race was contested again. For his baptism of fire in Sweden, Benjamin Rochard’s partner clearly won in the “second round”, with, as a bonus, the record for the event (1’11”8). Almost six kilometers of running completed in less than two hours. An XXL performance!
Go On Boy, the tricolor standard bearer. Already omnipresent on the European scene in 2023, Go On Boy will have represented France in four different countries (Italy, Belgium, Sweden and Finland) in 2024. Except for his disqualification in Solvalla, in the Elitloppet Final (after having won his qualifying battery), the resident of Romain Derieux always responded. Note two second places, behind Borups Victory in the Kymi Grand Prix (Gr. I) in Finland, then in the Grand Prix des Nations (Gr. I) in Milan, won by Always Ek. But above all, he brilliantly defended his title in Mons in the Grand Prix de Wallonie (2,840 meters) on September 21. Three weeks before setting the table again, this time, on the Parisian ashes, by winning the Final of the UET Elite Circuit (Gr. I). His European diligence was rewarded, he also left with victory in the general classification. Cocorico.
Ginostrabliggi, looking to the future. The name of this little champion trained by Philippe Allaire may not mean anything to you at first glance, because it is in Italy that this son of Muscle Hill – where he is registered in the studbook – has (already) won two Group Is during his 2-year-old year, in Milan and Turin. Undefeated in six outings, between the boot-shaped country and the Netherlands, this colt “exceptional, really very very talented”, as his driver Gabriele Gelormini presented to us, has always won brilliantly. Better yet, last October 27, when he won his qualifying round at the Gran Premio Anact in Milan, Ginostrabliggi became the fastest 2-year-old in Europe by trotting 1’11”9. “In Europe, among 2-year-olds, currently, there is not one who goes faster”, his pilot had declared a few days earlier. A good omen for the future…
Ideal San Léandro, the surprise. He was not one of the favorites for the International Trot when he flew to New York at the end of last August. However, the resident of Richard Westerink defied many predictions by taking third place in this group I, won by the Swedish-American champion Jiggy Jog. Shard of Gloryoften seen in Italy in recent months, was also on the trip. He finished seventh.
