Saturday afternoon (April 6) the best 4-year-old French trotter Face Time Bourbon, driven by Eric Raffin, won the Group 2 Prix Phaeton over 1-5/16 mile at Vincennes very easily. Face Time Bourbon was timed in 1.54.1 (mile rate).

Prix Phaeton is a prep race for the prestigious Criterium des 4 Ans to be raced at Vincennes on May 5, but according to principal owner, Italian Antonio Somma, Scuderia Bivan’s Face Time Bourbon could skip the 200.000 Euro Criterium for the Gran Premio Unione d’Europa in Milan, Italy on May 19, a race with a total purse of 405.000 Euros.

Face Time Bourbon is trained by Sebastian Guarato and has Sweden’s Björn Goop as his regular driver. However, Goop is sidelined after surgery and Eric Raffin replaced him on Saturday.

Raffin is currently the leading driver in France.

Raffin is leading with 66 victories followed by the defending champion Jean Michel Bazire, who has 42 wins.

In Sweden, two trotters have now qualified for the upcoming Olympiatravet (Olympic Trot).

Last week Milligan’s School won a qualification race at Solvalla and on Saturday Day or Night In won at Jägersro.

Some interesting United States-bred trotters will return to the races this coming week.

Hambletonian winner Perfect Spirit is entered to race at Ôrebro, where he will meet Kentucky Futurity-winner Snowstorm Hanover and Umåker Propulsion will race in the third qualifier for the Olympiatravet.