ENGLISH TEXTS
brown, running in the colours of Frédéric de Lagrange, was the first foreign horse to win the Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1865, even claiming the English Triple Crown that year, in addition to the Grand Prix de Paris. After five years with Tom Carter, Henry Jennings, nicknamed“ Old Hat” because he always wore the same old hat and known for his volcanic temper, decided to strike out on his own. After years of fruitful collaboration with the Prince of Beauvau, he became the first public trainer in the modern sense, working for several prominent owners. He developed his activity at La Croix- Saint-Ouen, in the Forest of Compiègne. Over the course of his career, he won the Jockey Club four times and the Diane ten times. Henry married Ann Carter, Tom’ s younger sister. However, they never had children, and after Ann’ s death in 1887, the septuagenarian widower caused a scandal by remarrying his wife’ s young relative by marriage, Mathilda Watkins, who had come to keep house- and was only 21 years old. Three children were born of their union. The youngest, named Henrietta, married the crack jockey William Head. They became the parents of Alec and the grandparents of Freddy and Criquette. The history of the Head family is therefore deeply, and even genetically, linked to that of Chantilly.
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BY SERGE OKEY
HARAS DU QUESNAY, A ROYAL BREEDING FARM HEADING TOWARD A NEW FIVE-STAR DESTINATION
Sold in 2022 a few months after the passing of Alec Head, Haras du Quesnay is an integral part of the Head legacy. Located 6 kilometers as the crow flies from Deauville, right in the heart of the breeding“ golden triangle,” this landmark is undergoing a major transformation toward a change of purpose: a five-star palace hotel.
At the time of the sale, the property was split in two. The stallion Intello only had to cross the road to join its new entity, the Haras de Beaumont owned by the Chehboub family. The unbeaten winner of the Prix de l ' Arc de Triomphe and the Prix du Jockey Club, and voted Horse of the Year 2023, Ace Impact naturally became the emblem of this new entity. On the historic estate, Stéphane Courbit is said to have invested millions of euros in renovations to convert the château into a reception venue with four suites, transform a house into eight suites, restore three other houses, and create a wellness and sports area featuring a spa, jacuzzi and hammam. As a side note, one of these many projects car- ries the codename“ Stallion.” Known for his utmost discretion, Stéphane Courbit is the founder of Banijay Group, one of the world’ s largest audiovisual producers, whose catalog includes Koh-Lanta and Fort Boyard. A former head of Endemol, this self-made man rose rapidly by producing Les Enfants de la télé and Loft Story. His holding company, LOV Group, owns several subsidiaries such as the pastry house Ladurée and the betting operator Betclic. It also specializes in luxury hospitality. Its palace hotels, such as Les Airelles in Courchevel or Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez, offer a glimpse of Quesnay’ s potential future. As discreet as its owner, this project heralds a rather grand shift for this flagship of French breeding, founded in 1907 by William Kissam Vanderbilt. A member of one of the most prominent families in the United States, he built his fortune in railroads and maritime construction. A businessman, owner, and breeder of horses, the co-founder of the New York Jockey Club won, among other prestigious races, the Prix du Jockey Club four times and the Grand Prix de Paris twice between 1906 and 1919. At his death, he sold not only Quesnay but also his château in Carrières-sous- Poissy, which included a stud farm and a racetrack, to an American businessman and breeder named Abraham Kingsley Macomber. During World War II, Haras du
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