ENGLISH TEXTS
Jockey-Club wins with Roi Lear and Val de l’ Orne, and three Prix de Diane victories with Pistol Packer, Reine de Saba and Harbour. But he also delivered success for other stables, riding San San to victory in the Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe in 1972 for Angel Penna, replacing the injured Jean Cruguet, or Youth for Maurice Zilber in the Prix du Jockey-Club in 1976.
Miesque and the François Boutin era The final part of Freddy Head’ s riding career bears the mark of trainer François Boutin, for whom he won numerous Group 1 races, their shared success crystallising around Stàvros Niàrchos’ s champion Miesque, who won ten times with him in the greatest international contests, notably the 1,000 Guineas, two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Mile, two Prix Jacques Le Marois, the Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches, etc.“ Miesque was exceptional,” said Freddy Head,“ but she was also very forceful, complicated to ride. With her, it was not always straightforward, but she had tremendous class.”
Such a beginning, such an ending In 1997, at the age of 50, Freddy Head secured his 130 th Group 1 victory with Always Loyal in the Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches, under the colours of Maktoum Al Maktoum. It would be the last on the list, as a few months later, at Deauville, the crack jockey announced he was turning the page, after leading to victory, in a Listed race, the three-yearold Marathon, owned by his father and trained by his sister. He wanted to go out on a win, all the more so a family one. Exactly as it had begun.
HIS MOST PRESTIGIOUS VICTORIES
In France: Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe( x4): Bon Mot( 1966), San San( 1972), Ivanjica( 1976), Three Troikas( 1979). Prix du Jockey-Club( x4): Goodly( 1969), Roi Lear( 1973), Val de l’ Orne( 1975), Youth( 1976). Prix de Diane( x4): Pistol Packer( 1971), Reine de Saba( 1978), Harbour( 1982), Lacovia( 1986). Poule d’ Essai des Poulains( x6): see elsewhere. Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches( x8): see elsewhere. Grand Prix de Paris( x2): Dhaudevi( 1968), Chaparral( 1969). Grand Prix de Saint- Cloud( x3): Riverqueen( 1976), Exceller( 1977), Gay Mécène( 1979). In England: 2,000 Guineas: Zino( 1982). 1,000 Guineas( x2): Ma Biche( 1983), Miesque( 1987). In the United States: Breeders’ Cup Mile( x2): Miesque( 1987, 1988). In Ireland: Irish 2,000 Guineas: King’ s Company( 1971).
HIS FAVOURITE GROUP 1
The Group 1 in which Freddy Head was most successful as a jockey is the Prix Saint-Alary, now downgraded to Group 2, but which held Group 1 status until 2023. Freddy Head won the“ Saint-Alary” nine times, successively with Tidra( 1967), Pistol Packer( 1971), Riverqueen( 1976), Reine de Saba( 1978), Three Troikas( 1979), Harbour( 1982), Fitnah( 1985), Lacovia( 1986) and Treble( 1991).
ALAN COOPER:
“ FREDDY AND MIESQUE MADE HISTORY”
BY LOÏC STECHER CHOCRON
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When speaking about the History of racing with a capital H, it is impossible not to mention Miesque. A legend associated with … Freddy Head. Alan Cooper, the long-time manager of the Niàrchos family, looks back on their six years of collaboration.
G. How did Freddy Head come to ride for Stàvros Niàrchos? Alan Cooper. Freddy Head quite simply replaced Cash Asmussen. When the latter left, Mr. Niàrchos offered Freddy the position of first jockey for the stable, which he accepted. Our collaboration began in 1986 and
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