by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

July is a busy month for harness racing lovers in Europe and this weekend you could go to either Italy, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany or Finland to watch first class trotting races and here are some of the highlights.

In Norway Creatine made his first start after he joined Jimmy Takter’s European operation. Creatine, with Johnny Takter in the bike, had drawn the outside post in the Anders Jahres Trophy at Jarlsberg, a race over the 1-5/16th mile distance.

Johnny Takter was able to direct Creatine to the front, but after the first quarter the heavy favorite Papagayo E, driven by Vidar Hop, made his move and went past Creatine. Papagayo E won easily in 1:53.3f (mile rate) while Creatine dead heated for second with Italian trotter Rid Stewart; they were both timed in 1:54f (mile rate).

Creatine will probably race next time in a fortnight in Finland in the St Michels race over the mile.

The main event at Jarlsberg was the Ulf Thoresens Memorial for 3-year-olds. Italian bred, but Dutch owned and trained Tuonoblu Rex (sired by Cantab Hall) was the 4-5 favorite and won in 1:58.1f driven by Robin Bakker. Tuonoblu Rex is unbeaten in five lifetime starts.

The filly division was won by Saturday Mornings (sired by Muscle Hill), driven by Björn Goop in 1:58.2f.

In France, 10-year old Roi du Lupin, driven by Franck Ouvrie, won the Challenge Trot at the mile race in la Capelle for the second time in a row. Roi du Lupin won by a nose, followed by fast finishing Aladin d’Ecajeul. The time was 1:55.1.

In Germany the Buddenbrock-Rennen, which is the last test race for the German Derby crop before the Deutsches Traber Derby, was raced at Mariendorf in Berlin over 1-3/16th miles. Cash Hanover (sired by Love You), driven by Thorsten Tietz, was a very impressive winner in a new race record of 1:56.4 (mile rate). The old record was from 2000 and was 1:58.2.

Cash Hanover, who has raced five times, winning three races, is considered the heavy favorite for the Derby. Eliminations for the Derby will take place on July 26 and the final is August 2.

The best Italian 3-year-olds met at the new Milan track in the Gran Premio Nazionale over 1-6/16th miles and the race was won by Timone Ek (sired by Mr Vic), driven by Federico Esposito Jr. in 2:00.3f.