by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Un Mec d’Heripre, a top French trotter, was first past the post in the prestigious Aabergs Memorial at Jägersro on Tuesday night (July 29), but was disqualified for interference with Magic Tonight, driven by Johan Untersteiner. Instead, Ed You, driven by Robert Bergh, was the winner of the race and a purse of $150,000.

The incident happened as the trotters turned for home as Un Mec d’Heripre, driven by the top French driver Franck Nivard, found his way between Commander Crowe and Magic Tonight. He pushed a bit to the sulky of Untersteiner to get a free run and Un Mec d’Heripre won easily.

Franck Nivard and owner/trainer Fabrice Souloy were all smiles and returned to the winner’s circle, but then it was announced that Un Mec d’Heripre was disqualified for interference and the winner was Ed You.

Un Mec d’Heripre had to return to the stables and instead Ed You and Robert Bergh came to the winner’s circle. Bergh had never left the track as he had seen the incident and thought that the French trotter was going to be disqualified.

Fabrice Souloy was very upset after the race and refused to talk to Swedish television. He couldn’t understand why his horse should be disqualified. In his home country, France, his horse would have kept the victory, but in Scandinavia the rules are more strict regarding interference, whipping and doping.

The winner Ed You was timed in 1:52.4. He is a 7-year-old gelding sired by French champion Love You.

Love You was also the sire of the first winner in a final in the new European series, Breeders Course. It was the Finnish gelding, Winners Iceman, driven by Jorma Kontio, who just pipped long leading Saturn Kronos with Conrad Lugauer at the finish line. Both were timed on 1:55.1f. The purse for the winner was $75,000.

The former Jimmy Takter-trained Corky, who was sold to Swedish owners and now is trained by Stig H. Johansson, finished second in the Prix Cannes sur Mer over the mile.

Corky, driven by Erik Adielsson, was parked outside leading Tumble Dust, driven by Björn Goop, and fought bravely and was just beaten by a neck. Tumble Dust, who is sired by Crazed and out Affinity, won in 1:53.2f.