French mare wins in Oslo

Mara Bourbon, a French mare owned and trained by Jean Pierre Dubois, captured the Oslo Grand Prix Sunday at the Bjerke track in Norway, trotting on the outside the entire race and winning in a mile rate of 1:58.2 for the 2,100-meter distance.

Steinlager, last year’s Oslo Grand Prix winner and Norway’s representative in the race, started from post five and was sent to the lead by drier Per Oleg Midtfjeld. But Erik Adielsson, the young Swedish sensation, was not about to concede the race despite starting from post eight with Mara Bourbon. He also left strongly and by the time Steinlager reached the first quarter-mile marker, the mare was at his side.

Steinlager and Mara Bourbon continued to match strides while Jetstile, another Norwegian horse, raced in the pocket and Kool de Gaux followed his fellow countrymen on the outside.

In the final turn the pocket-sitting Jetstile broke stride, perhaps because Kool de Gaux was racing tight. Driver Joseph Verbeeck had to gather up Kool de Gaux and lost three to four lengths on the leaders. Jetstile’s break also jammed up the rest of the field, which included the U.S. representative Justice Hall.

Mara Bourbon was too strong for Steinlager in the stretch drive and Adielsson never had to move a muscle—much less need a whip--to secure the win. (Whips are not permitted in Norway.)

Kool de Gaux finished strongly to take second while Justice Hall finished seventh.

Mara Bourbon is a daughter of the French sire And Arifant, a son of the Italian siring sensation Sharif de Iesolo.

The internationally accomplished Dubois won the Oslo Grand Prix several years ago when he drove his horse Ganymede to victory. Mara Bourbon earned $215,000 for the Oslo win.

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