by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

The top French driver Franck Nivard picked the right horse to drive in the main event at Vincennes on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 6), the final in the Gran National du Trot with a purse of $75,000 to the winner.

Nivard had to choose between the 5-year-old mare Anna Mix, who he has been behind in six of her eight races this year, or the 7-year-old male trotter Ulster Perrine, who he never had raced in 2015. Nivard opted for Ulster Perrin and that turned out to be a wise choice.

Anna Mix, who had Pierre Vercruysse in the bike, refused to race in two attempts and was taken out of the race, while Ulster Perrine and Nivard would win the final in a close race over Uniflosa Bella, driven by Eric Raffin.

This was victory number 202 for Nivard this year — 170 wins in sulky races, 32 in under saddle races.

In Florens, Italy, the Gran Premio Duomo — a mile event — was won by rank outsider Pacha dei Greppi, driven by Antonio Greppi, who was in command from the start. Pacha dei Greppi won in a new race record of 1:55.1. The purse for the winner was $30,000.

Pacha dei Greppi, who is trained by the leading trainer in Italy, Holger Ehlert, paid 36-1 as the winner.