ENGLISH VERSION on debut at Bordeaux-Le Bouscat.“ He’ s a colt worth following throughout the season. I really like him at home. I don’ t yet know what Lacaro du Croate’ s programme will be, but she’ s in excellent form. I would also advise people to keep an eye on her full sister, Mélodie du Croate, with whom I won a maiden at Toulouse at the end of last year. She’ s still improving and should continue to progress with racing.” As you will have gathered, this 24-year-old jockey, already a multiple Stakes winner, has not finished climbing the heights of the sport.
PONEY
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I’ M 10 YEARS OLD AND I WORE QUEEN ELIZABETH II’ S CO- LOURS!
BY BÉRENGÈRE ROSSIGNOL
Poneys Au Galop is a sporting adventure and a showcase for the industry through the prism of youth and the future. But for the children, it is also an immense source of dreams.
Spring 2023. First came a formal contact, then an exchange of emails, and finally a brand-new partnership was born in Deauville. A royal sponsorship indeed, as Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II( and later His Majesty King Charles III) allowed the children taking part in the French Flat Racing Championship at Deauville Racecourse, during the heart of the summer meeting, to wear the Royal colours. There was a small emotional moment for everyone when the silks arrived at Cécile Madamet’ s and a photo was immediately shared on the WhatsApp group to immortalise the occasion, while awaiting with even greater excitement the draw for the racing silks. During this championship, very prestigious sponsors accompany this highlight of the Flat season. A few days beforehand, a draw is organised and the children can hardly contain themselves as they wait to discover who will wear the colours of Antoine Griezmann, Godolphin, the Aga Khan Studs, Tony Parker, the Niarchos family, Al Shaqab Racing, Gousserie Racing, Wertheimer & Frère, the Devin family, Haras d’ Etreham, Messrs Pilarski, Jathière, Augustin Normand, Benaroussi, Chopard, Rothschild, Noue, Mesdames Odette Fau and Cyprée, Jean-Claude Rouget, Khalid Abdullah, Hubert de Montmirail, Ecurie des Monceaux, Haras de Colleville, Graffard Racing, Ecurie Waldeck, or the Vitz family … The list is not complete, but all are passionate professionals, deeply committed and turned towards the youth competing in this championship, helping these mini-jockeys dream. The children are genuinely overwhelmed with pride to wear such prestigious colours. They prepare little thank-you notes, take to social media to express their gratitude and, yes, they feel a little stress too. But it is a positive kind of pressure— the sort that pushes them to give the very best of themselves to honour their sponsors. Many of the owners are even kind enough to come and greet them, encourage them and reply to their messages. Some even ask the“ stable jockey” to go to the paddock and offer advice and encouragement to the junior rider of the day. When children know their ponies may lack the quality to fight for victory, you can see them carefully working to try to win the prize for best presented pony, awarded by the representative of Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’ s Godolphin operation. Every child finds their own path and joy within this championship, but all are inspired by the prestige of the supporters involved. But let us return to those royal colours during that inaugural summer of 2023! I’ m 10 years old, I’ ve been racing ponies for three years, I’ m not too bad at it, I absolutely love it and I enjoy meeting trainers and jockeys. I was glued to the France Sire broadcast of the silk draw. I hardly dared believe it, but deep down I hoped I would be one of the lucky ones chosen to debut the Royal colours in France. Three of us— one in each pony size category— would have the honour. And luck allowed me
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