ENGLISH TEXTS
Running the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud wouldn’ t have had the same sporting or financial impact.
G. What’ s his biggest flaw? L-J. G. He can’ t cook!( laughs)
G. We can’ t end without mentioning Zarigana.
L-J. G. Every time Zarigana runs, there’ s a lot of buzz and interest from both the public and the press. That adds a bit of extra pressure, but for Francis, it’ s crucial to put that aside. The main thing is to get the filly in top condition to make the Princess and her family happy. Francis’ s goal is to create beautiful emotions for his owners. That’ s what brings him the most joy, professionally speaking.
CLUB GRC
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STATUTES AND INTERNAL REGULATIONS, NO GRC CLUB WITHOUT ELEGANCE!
Love of competition, passion for horses, and ca- maraderie... these are the shared values among amateur jockeys. But one value stands the test of time unwrinkled: elegance.
The kind you wear, but also the kind you embody on the track and beyond. It lies at the heart of the identity of the Gentlemen-Riders and Lady Riders Club, as stated in its 1922 statutes, which urge its members to“ uphold traditions of perfect decorum, impeccable morality, and selflessness [...] of which Gentlemen-Riders and Lady Riders must, in all circumstances, be exemplars.” Elegance is something Matthieu Sauret embodies with rare consistency. A Gentleman-Rider and member of the GRC Club, he discovered racing through the Grandes Écoles Championship and never looked back! Today, as the Director of Product & Heritage at Jaeger-LeCoultre, a renowned Swiss watchmaking house, he expresses it with the ease of a true enthusiast:“ I love combining my two passions: watchmaking and horse racing!” It’ s a natural connection— both worlds value precision, mastery of time, and impeccable style. A glance at Matthieu Sauret’ s Instagram reveals the coherence in his life: the discipline of the gallop, the refinement of a dial, the care given to watches and horses alike. Through him, the GRC Club aims to inspire an entire generation: elegance is not a vanity, it’ s a tribute. A trib- ute first and foremost to the horses,“ sublime, powerful, refined,” as he often says. And he concludes, with the wit of a true aesthete:“ When you’ re lucky enough to ride such elegant horses, the least you can do is live up to them. At least up to the hoof!” This elegance is also on display during the Club’ s galas at the Jockey Club de Paris or the Hôtel Barrière Le Royal Deauville. No one could receive a Golden Whip without a tuxedo or evening gown... A definition of style passed down from generation to generation among members.“ Being an amateur means knowing the joy of dressing up and standing out through elegance, truly a privilege for us!” says a podium-regular Lady Rider.
RUMOR HAS IT COCO CHANEL ONCE RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH A TOP GENTLEMAN-RIDER...
A towering figure in the horse racing world of the early 20 th century, Etienne Balsan made headlines both on the turf( notably as leading Gentleman-Rider in 1904 and winner of the Prix de France in 1910) and in high society— as the chivalrous companion of a certain Coco Chanel. He also featured in a much-discussed romantic-sporting affair, tied to a mare named Fragilité, winner of the 1906 Grande Course de Haies d’ Auteuil under the saddle and silks
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