The 94th Gran Prix d’Amerique was held yesterday at the Vincennes Racetrack in Paris. As in previous years, 18 horses lined up for the race, considered by many as one of the major events on the international trotting calendar.

Up And Quick won the prestigious race this year with Jean Michel Bazire as driver.

Mosaique Face (Pierre Vercuysse) stormed ahead and this Swedish horse opened a half-length’s lead from Italian Napoleon Bar (Enrico Bellei), Up And Quick and American Solvato (Orjan Kihlstrom) at the start of the 2,700m distance.

However, with 600m to go Mosaique Face started to fade and was overtaken by France’s Up And Quick which triumphed easily by a length from Voltigeur De Myrt (Gabriele Gelormini) and Timoko (Bjorn Goop).

Yesterday, Uhlan Du Val (Cedric Megissier) produced a very good performance, ending in fourth place.

Up And Quick clocked an average time of 1.12.2” per kilometre.

This was Bazire’s third win in the Prix d’Amerique. He had also won the 1999 race with American mare Moni Maker and the 2004 edition with French Kesaco Phedo.

Meanwhile, the weekend of international races at Vincennes will remain a memorable one for Maltese owners.

Last Thursday, Rionero (Eric Raffin) won the Prix La Valette. This horse is owned by Andre Farrugia and Steve Ciangura.

On Saturday, Rooibos, under the guidance of Swedish driver Bjorn Goop, won the international Prix Ready Cash race on 2,850m.

Rooibos is owned by Josef Cassar.

During the same meeting a horse owned by Darren Mizzi and David Attard and trained in France by Charles Degiorgio, Danish Mils You Love, finished second in the Amateur Drivers race.

Danish Mils You Love was driven by Dutchman Jaap Terstal.

Yesterday, it was Ivan and Etienne Carabott’s Moving On that won the Prix Helen Johansson on 2,100m. The mare was driven by Franck Nivard.