ENGLISH TEXTS
5 , 2024 , was a special day : Jayarebe , the first flat horse he bred in France , was set to compete in the Prix Dollar ( Gr . 2 ) as a strong contender . It was an exceptional event in a breeder ’ s life , well worth traveling to Paris- Longchamp for the Arc de Triomphe weekend with his wife , daughters , and niece ! Jayarebe , a son of Zoffany and Alakhana — a Wertheimer mare acquired at the AR- QANA Breeding Sale in 2020 for € 75,000 while in foal with this colt — brought immense joy to his connections by winning this prestigious French flat race . Pawle also breeds for jump racing and was fortunate to acquire the Listed-winning mare Tante Sissi ( Lesotho ) at the end of her career for a modest sum — before she became the sister of a certain Épatante ! “ Seeing horses like Kauto Star , Master Minded , or Big Buck ’ s excel under top English and Irish trainers caught my attention . It seemed that France was producing a high number of quality horses , and by sending Tante Sissi there , I could benefit from her AQPS pedigree and your excellent pool of jump stallions , which is superior to those in Ireland and England . Another key factor is the race prize money , which is significantly higher in France . An owner has a much better chance of covering training costs !” Pawle also races in France with horses he has bred and entrusted to Amy Murphy , who recently set up in Chan- tilly , or the George-Zetterholm duo . He believes that the stallion pool for flat racing remains stronger in England and Ireland , thanks to major operations like Coolmore . Two of his top French broodmares have been sent to Bated Breath and Sioux Nation . “ I am delighted to have my mares in France . My only concern is that the level of competition remains as strong as in Britain .”
The Scottish Investors Ailsa and Drew Russell , Scottish investors , currently have no horses of racing age in France but are pinning their hopes on a promising two-year-old jumper , Bonne Etoile ( Nirvana du Berlais ), and are considering further investments at ARQANA this year . “ We discovered French racing through trips organized by the FRBC ( French Racing and Breeding Committee ), which we enjoyed . That ’ s how we bought two fillies at the Decize model and conformation show about ten years ago ,” explains Ailsa . “ We invest in France for three reasons : prize money and bonuses first , then the quality of the horses , and finally , the pleasure of being in such a beautiful country .” A detail that matters to this travel-loving couple is discovering different French regions through their horses ’ racing schedules . “ We have often had excellent meals in Deauville . In Britain , meals for owners are free , but the quality is often very poor . We prefer to pay and enjoy our food !”
France Galop ’ s Foreign Outreach Since the dissolution of the FRBC — previously funded by the racing authority and responsible for attracting foreign investors — France Galop ’ s Owners Department , led by Marie Rohaut , has taken over the task of prospecting . “ This organization is clearer because the FRBC was not always recognized as part of France Galop . Now , we fully use this label in our efforts ,” says Rohaut . While the FRBC used to invite foreign prospects to model and conformation contests , France Galop now focuses on reaching them at major events such as the Cheltenham or Royal Ascot meetings and the Tattersalls sales . “ We go there to network , partnering with French professionals such as trainers , bloodstock agents , and ARQANA . We aim to build personalized relationships with potential investors to attract them to France . The fact that many foreign trainers are settling here is a great asset — Spanish , Italian , and English trainers bring their own client base with them .” International Owners Shaping French Racing The Anglo-Swedish duo of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm formed their training partnership in 2022 with the goal of bringing foreign owners to their Avilly- Saint-Léonard yard , which houses over seventy horses . “ About half of our horses belong to foreign owners . The
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