The Prix de Paris “Marathon Race”, scheduled for Sunday February 28 at Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes, will close the Prix d’Amérique Races ZEturf competition. This Group I will also be the third Ultimate Final, after the Prix d’Amérique “Legend Race” and the Prix de France “Speed Race”. The champions will compete on 4,150 meters, or two laps of the Parisian Grande Piste, a very long course which is perfectly suited to competitors who also shine in the uphill, the other discipline of Trotting. Several top competitions under the saddle have won the Prix de Paris “Marathon Race”. Let’s continue this series with Vivier de Montfort.
Versatile champion, Vivier de Montfort obtained his first major victories in mounted trotting. In 1991, he won the Prix du President de la République, a Group I which constitutes one of the most prestigious events on the calendar. The resident Christian Bigeon also ranks second in the Prix de Cornulier 1992 edition, the world championship of the discipline, and immediately triumphs in another Group I, the Prix des Centaures. His entourage then takes the daring bet of presenting him for the first time in a Group I on the harness. He took part in the Prix de Paris “Marathon Race” on February 23, 1992. Test stroke, master stroke for the bay horse. Led by his trainer Christian Bigeon, he won brilliantly in front of the stars of harnessed trotting of the time, in particular Ultra Ducal, second in the Prix d’Amérique “Legend Race” a month earlier, Queila Gédé, winner of the Prix d’Amérique in 1989, and Queen L, who won the Prix d’Amérique the following year. And above all, Vivier de Montfort is one of the rare champions to have won the Prix de Paris “Marathon Race” at the age of 5. They are only 5 to have done it, him and Gélinotte (1956), Jariolain (1958), Picardy (1964) and the aforementioned Ultra Ducal (1991).
Vivier de Montfort had a fine but very short career. He competed in just three seasons, between 1990 and 1992, for 17 wins in just 32 races. Health problems forced him to leave the horse racing scene prematurely. At stud, he became an excellent breeder, giving several excellent trotters. He passed away in August 2018.
