ENGLISH TEXTS
I admire Paul so much, for his ambition and passion. He is an incredible trainer because he doesn’ t have the best horses, yet he manages to place them well and keep them sound so they can have a career. I was only a lad at Ditcheat, but I closely observed how the yard functioned from a practical point of view, and with hindsight I still draw lessons from my time there.” After stints with Mark Tompkins and Michael Bell, George Scott was working for Group 1-winning trainer Eddie Kenneally in the USA when he was contacted to become assistant to Lady Jane Cecil, widow of the legendary Sir Henry Cecil.“ It was a unique period. Some owners, including Juddmonte and the Niarchos family, remained loyal to the stable and it was incredible to have access to horses with such pedigrees.” Among these prestigious bloodlines stood out a certain Noble Mission, full brother to Frankel.“ He gave us a phenomenal adventure, highlighted by his victory in the Champion Stakes. When Lady Cecil decided to retire, it was a perfect stepping stone for me.”
A great traveller In ten years, George Scott has built his own reputation as a trainer open to the world. His first Group success came in Turkey in 2017, and he has since followed up with fruitful trips to Dubai, Bahrain, Germany, Italy, and France where he even ventured to Craon to win the Critérium de l’ Ouest a few weeks before his triumph at ParisLongchamp.“ The world is small and it is easy to travel horses. Fundamentally, British horses are very strong. It makes sense to look for oppor- tunities abroad, especially when you consider the training costs at home and the prize-money levels. Sheikh Nasser is my main supporter and he thrives on novelty and challenges. The international programme is part of my daily strategy, whether for prize-money or black-type opportunities.” The textbook example of a“ George Scottmade” horse would be Isle Of Jura, who rose from handicaps to glory at Royal Ascot.“ He marked a turning point in my career and cemented my relationship with Sheikh Nasser and Sheikh Khalid. He was an extraordinary horse. We bought him for quite a reasonable price at the horses-in-training sales(£ 150,000 at Tattersalls) and he won the Bahraini Triple Crown. To win the Hardwicke Stakes( Gr. 2) at Royal Ascot only three months later was exceptional. My whole family was there, and Sheikh Nasser’ s family as well. It was an unforgettable day.” If the tough school of handicaps and the bravery to travel have characterised George Scott’ s achievements in the first decade of his career, he now has the means to compete in the sales ring, while remaining loyal to the fundamental quality of toughness.“ Today, we are in a good position where I can go to the yearling sales and buy good horses. We like tough and robust horses, with a mentality that allows them to travel and run frequently. We are not afraid to race our horses, I think they improve through racing, it helps them mature and is positive for their future. I like a horse capable of handling a demanding campaign.” A well-bred thoroughbred, hardened by racing, that may be the recipe that will allow George Scott to win one of the races he dreams of, blending classic prestige and international ambition.“ George Boughey is one of my best friends and when he won the 1,000 Guineas with Cachet, I thought it was very cool. Being based in Newmarket, winning the 2,000 Guineas, at home, would be amazing. I would love to win that race, but I also have other ambitions around the world, like the Dubai Turf or the Neom Turf in Saudi Arabia. We are building a reputation as an international stable and I hope to win the most prestigious races abroad.”
JOCKEY
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JAMES REVELEY MADE IN FRANCE
BY PAUL CASABIAN
Arriving for a summer internship in 2008 with Guillaume Macaire, James Reveley finally settled down in France eight years later. A three-time Cravache d’ Or winner over jumps, the British jockey has made his adopted country his sacred land.
As tall in stature as he is in talent, James Reveley has made a name for himself in French racing for over ten years now. Crowned Champion NH Jockey in 2016, he became the first British rider in history to win this honorary and symbolic title in France. Grandson and son of a trainer, this child of Yorkshire, born on April 8, 1989 in Saltburn, has always lived within the world of horse racing. After a short career on his native soil in England, it is truly in France that the most French
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