Thursday (Nov. 3) was the first day in the prestigious Winter meeting at Vincennes, Paris, France, a meeting that has 745 races programmed with €40.3 million in prize money, which is an increase of €2.5 million from last season.

On average, prize money will be €54,824 per race with 73 percent for harness and 27 percent in under saddle races. There are 40 open international races, and 135 races open for European bred trotters.

The first group race, a Group 3 race over 1-3/4 miles, was won by the 8-year-old gelding Elie de Beaufour (sired by Royal Dream), with trainer/driver Jean Michel Bazire.

As usual, the Prix d’Amerique will be raced the last Sunday in January (the 29th) and the four test races, the “B-races” as they are called, will be raced on the following dates:

Nov. 20: Prix de Bretagne
Dec. 11: Prix du Bourbonnais
Jan. 1: Prix de Bourgogne
Jan. 15: Prix de Belgique