by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

The 9-year-old top French trotter Un Mec d’Heripre, driven by Jos. Verbeeck, went to post as the 4-10 favorite in the prestigious Italian stake race Gran Premio Costa Azzurra at Turin, a mile race with a purse for the winner of $73,450.

Gerard Forni photo

Un Mec d’Heripre was a narrow winner in the Gran Premio Costa Azzurra at Turin.

Verbeeck guided Un Mec d’Heripre to the lead after the first quarter and seemed to control the race. Going into the stretch the French trotter looked like a sure thing, but on the outside he was attacked by stablemate Timone Ek, driven by Enrico Bellei and Ringostarr Treb, driven by Roberto Vecchione.

Surprisingly Un Mec d’Heripre could not find another gear, but he just managed to keep his head in front and won by a nose followed by Ringostarr Treb and Timone Ek. They were all timed in 1:55.3f.

Un Mec d’Heripre will probably race again in Italy in the Gran Premio Lotteria in Naples on May 7.

He is now trained by Philippe Billard, the brother-in-law of Fabrice Souloy, the top trainer who has been set down for one year because of a positive doping case in France.

Souloy could face a longer sentence as another doping case — involving Un Mec d’Heripre and two other trotters who tested positive in Norway and Sweden last year — will be settled within a couple of months.