The suspense lasted half an hour.
Invited to speak this Thursday on Equidia, Antonio Somma, the majority owner of
Face Time Bourbon
, left it to Sébastien Guarato to formalize the change of drive and to announce the name of the one who will now be on the double sulky. winner of the Prix d'Amérique.
"Unsurprisingly, it will be Eric," said the coach.
While Antonio Somma had presented him with "a list of five names: Franck Nivard, Gabriele Gelormini, Yoann Lebourgeois, Eric Raffin and Matthieu Abrivard.
"
“He (Eric Raffin) successfully led him in 2019 in the Phaëton Prize.
I spoke to him.
This change risks causing a bit of a mess in the other teams, in particular that of Sylvain Roger,
Délia du Pommereux's
trainer
.
I recognize that this decision is very hard for Björn, but I bow to the will of his owner, ”said Sébastien Guarato.
Since Monday, the day after the defeat of
Face Time Bourbon
, 2nd in the Prix de France, Antonio Somma had not hidden his anger.
As he told us, the Italian, manager of Scuderia Bivans, pointed out the driver Björn Goop, responsible for this failure according to him: “The defeat is completely his fault.
He didn't do what he should have done to win… The problem is, it's not the first race where I see this.
There are other times when it hasn't been good.
"
“It was Face Time that gave Björn Goop the opportunity to be so successful,” says Antonio Somma
On Equidia, Antonio Somma also returned to the reasons for the ousting of Björn Goop: “You can lose a race, but not in that way.
I spoke to him after the race as well as the Sunday evening of the Prix de France.
Björn did not accept his responsibility.
Losing a race in this way is unacceptable because
Face Time Bourbon
is part of the heritage of horse
racing
.
"And to those who reminded him that Goop had allowed his champion to triumph twelve times in Groups I, including two Prix d'Amérique, the owner immediately reacted:" It was
Face Time
who gave him the opportunity to achieve so much success.
"
Sébastien Guarato has confirmed the presence of his champion at the start of the Prix de Sélection (Group I) on March 6.