Media release
2015 White Turf St. Moritz – The European Snow Meeting
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Race Day 1, Sunday 8 February
10,000 spectators followed the events of the first day of racing at White Turf 2015. Cap Sizun was
the winner in the most important flat race, the first hurdles race for 21 years was won by Vicomte
Alco. It was Dreamspeed and Franco Moro that prevailed in the Skikjöring, whilst in the Arabian race
Alibaba del Sol managed to repeat last year’s win. A total of 62,831 Swiss francs was placed in bets.
We now know the favourite for the ‘Gübelin 76th Grand Prix of St. Moritz’ on the third Sunday of racing: Cap
Sizun from the Zürich-Dielsdorf stables of Monika Müller won in the ‘GP Guardaval Immobilien – Zuoz and
Passugger’ in impressive manner and in doing so was victorious in the most significant race in preparation
for the final Grand Prix. ‘At the beginning I thought it could only go wrong today. Cap Sizun was galloping
badly but then he kept on improving on the backstretch. It wasn’t until we hit the straight that I realised we
could win’, said winning jockey André Best, who will be riding the gelding owned by Rita and Peter
Hartmann again in a fortnight. Three and a half lengths behind in second place was Fabrino (Olivier
Plaçais) ahead of Marunas (Dennis Schiergen) in third.
The day’s racing couldn’t have started in a more exciting fashion than in the Prix Arosa. The first hurdles
race following a 21 year break was won by Vicomte Alco (Anthony Lecordier) after a sensational race. After
initially being far ahead of the field Totem Flow (Milan Zatloukal) had to accept defeat after being pipped on
the finishing line by almost half a length by Vicomte Alco by finishing with a tremendous final spurt of speed.
‘Vicomte Alco had a moment of weakness on the backstretch, but then just kept on improving in speed.
Even the jockey himself couldn’t have believed that he could still win this hurdles race’, commented an
ecstatic trainer Andreas Schärer. Vicomte Alco and Totem Flow are now favourites in the odds for the
‘World Snow Hurdle Championship’ next Sunday.
In the Arabian race, the ‘H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan Listed Cup’, with prize money of 42,000
Swiss francs, it was last year’s winner Alibaba del Sol from the Dutch stables of Karin Van den Bos who
was again victorious. Daniele Porcu was in the saddle of the winner, who showed his stable-mate Athlète
del Sol (André Best) the way to the winners enclosure, thus ensuring the best possible result for the stable.
The cards were completely reshuffled in the Skikjöring. In the ‘CREDIT SUISSE – Celerina Grand Prix’
Dreamspeed - from the German stables of Christian Von der Recke and driven by Franco Moro - took the
lead very early and didn’t let any of his opponents come anywhere near him. Franco Moro commented,
‘During the race I always had a good feeling. Nobody beat us this time.’ The gelding triumphed convincingly
with three and a half lengths from Mombassa (Adrian von Gunten), who at times looked highly dangerous.
Third place went to Acteur de l’Ecu (Erich Bottlang), who managed to pass the reigning trophy winner
Bergonzi (Fadri Casty) at the very end of the race.
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Terry Gahn, last year’s successful trot specialist on snow, had to concede defeat this time in the ‘GP Swiss
International Air Lines’ to ten year-old Belgino in who Claudia Koller-Wehrly as trainer/driver had managed
to find herself a winner. In the second trot race, the ‘GP Blasto / Fraumünster Insurance Experts’, it was
Maître de la Piste, the experienced snow horse guided home by Laurence Kindler, who managed to take
the victory. The gelding is trained by Jean-François Johner.
The ‘GP Handels & Gewerbeverein St. Moritz’ - a flat race on the sprint course - was dominated in
completely superior fashion by Burning Blaze (Jamie Spencer) a British horse from the stable of Olly
Stevens. It was trainer Miroslav Weiss jumping for joy after the ‘GP Data Quest’ – a race for mile specialists
- as his charge Strade Kirk with Robert Havlin in the saddle proved to have the greatest competitive
qualities. A head’s advantage was enough to keep the English guest Berrahri (Steve Drowne) in check.
Further information at: www.whiteturf.ch
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St. Moritz, 8 February 2015
Press office:
WOEHRLE PIROLA Marketing and Communication AG
Claudia Grasern-Woehrle, Member of the Management
Via Grevas 6c · Post Box 19 · CH – 7500 St. Moritz
Telephone +41 (0)81 834 54 31 · Fax +41 (0)81 834 54 32
[email protected] · www.woehrlepirola.ch
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