Vernissage Grif with Alessandro Gocciadoro led from start to finish in the Gran Criterium de Vitesse at Cagnes sur Mer on Sunday afternoon (March 10), winning in a European record and the world’s fastest time this year of 1:49.3.

Vernissage Grif led from start to finish in the Gran Criterium de Vitesse. Gerard Forni photo.

The winning time is not only a new record for the race, it is also the fastest time ever achieved on a European racetrack.

It was only the second start for Vernissage Grif this year.

Vernissage Grif won by two lengths ahead of the 10-year-old mare Emeraude de Bais with Franck Nivard. Third was the race favorite Go On Boy with Romain Derieux, who again had a bad run and was too far down the field to be in contention for victory. But Go On Boy again finished fantastic and finished ahead of Inmarosa with Leo Abrivard in fourth place. Italian Vivid Wise As with Matthieu Abrivard, who was looking for his fourth victory in the race, finished fifth.

Vernissage Grif received 90,000 Euro for the victory.