ENGLISH TEXTS work with the organizations Les Chevaux de l ’ Eden , Association Libre et Sauvage , and Au-Delà des Pistes .
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DOMINIQUE BRESSOU , A WINNING CHOICE
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By Emmanuel Rivron
A reliable figure among obstacle race trainers for over a decade , Dominique Bressou has reached new heights since settling in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel in 2014 . As the trainer of Losange Bleu , an eight-time Group winner , and the man behind Milord Thomas , he shares insights into his stable ’ s current affairs and his training philosophy .
Galorama . Auteuil opened its doors as early as mid-February this year . How do you feel about this earlier start to the racing season ?
Dominique Bressou . It ’ s a good initiative to begin the Auteuil meeting earlier in the year . Of course , it required some adjustments in organization , but what we don ’ t gain in March , we ’ ll make up for in April . During the winter ,
there is always a turnover of horses , with many young ones arriving at the stable , some late bloomers , and a few mares leaving for breeding , such as Alcyone Rouge .
G . You ’ ve been based in Dragey for over ten years now . What prompted this move at the time ?
D . B . I made that decision after careful consideration . It was a bold move , but I had no choice . I had to relocate to the provinces to lower stable costs . Before coming to Dragey , I was struggling to make ends meet from January 1 st to December 31 st . Every month was tough . I arrived with a small dozen horses , whereas now I have around fifty .
G . Did you expect to achieve such success after relocating ?
D . B . My record over the past ten years is quite strong . There has definitely been progress since my arrival in Dragey . Milord Thomas was a game-changer for me , but I must really thank the Papot family for entrusting me with excellent horses like Galop Marin , who won the Grand Prix d ’ Automne four times .
G . How did the Papot family come to work with you ? DB : Xavier Papot reached out to me a few months after I settled in Dragey , after looking at my statistics . Since then , he has consistently entrusted me with horses , with increasingly promising bloodlines . We collaborate closely , from pre-training to training and resting periods . Team spirit is essential for the Papot family .
G . What is your training method on Dragey ’ s specific track ?
D . B . My horses focus a lot on endurance . They do canters like in any other stable , but they are generally more measured because the tracks here are more demanding , deeper than in Chantilly or Maisons-Laffitte . The track is 1,600 meters long with a 3 % incline . This might explain why my horses are known for being tough . They typically jump twice a week .
G . You opened a satellite stable in Maisons-Laffitte last September . Why ?
D . B . First , I am slightly short on space in Dragey . My young horses can now experience a different environment at Maisons-Laffitte . There ’ s another NH track and also the opportunity to train on grass , which helps build stamina . Previously , when I debuted a threeyear-old who had never left Dragey , they would jump as if they had never seen an obstacle before , and that was frustrating ! It still annoys me when that happens !
G . How do you manage operations with this additional stable ?
D . B . The first few months were quite hectic , with a lot of turnover between the two sites . Horses were constant-
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