ENGLISH TEXTS
� PAGE 102
MARIE VÉLON
1Flat jockeys ride short and therefore cannot use their legs much for assistance . In these conditions , the whip is the only aid they have to give commands . Four strikes per race is a very strict limit and it is scrupulously respected . You have to misunderstand our profession to want to abandon the whip . We handle horses weighing over 500 kilos , sometimes , and at very high speed . You have to realise what that means .
2I ’ m torn on this subject . While I must say that the reduction of the jockeys championship calendar has had a clear effect and left more opportunities to local riders , I don ’ t know if this new rule affects many of us .
3It seems to me that there are enough claimers around , but this is not my area of expertise . I don ’ t really have an opinion on this question , which is probably more for trainers and owners . While I ’ ve always wanted to be a jockey , I ’ ve never wanted to be a trainer , even after my career . So I focus on the things that concern me directly , so that my career is the best it can be .
4I ’ m looking forward to riding
Irésine again ! Among the younger horses , I think the Aga Khan filly who finished 2 nd in the Prix Marcel Boussac ( Gr . 1 ), Zarigana , has a great potential . Otherwise , I saw a very good little grey horse this winter in Cagnes . His name is Dioptase , he is trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and he looks like something out of the ordinary to me !
BERTRAND LE MÉTAYER
1This is a topic I have discussed a lot . I understand that from the rider ’ s point of view , with animals of this size going at such speeds , you might need a whip to balance your mount . So , it ’ s mainly a safety issue , in my opinion . However , I hate to see a jockey going at their mount and we don ’ t see that anymore . But having spoken to people who weren ’ t in the racing world , and I ’ m talking about pragmatic people , not ideologues , it ’ s unacceptable . You can ’ t ask today ’ s public to love a sport where an animal is hit , even painlessly .
2This type of measure can allow more modest jockeys to come to the fore and ride more often . The decline in our jockey population poses a problem that we could help solve by giving more opportunities for local jockeys to distinguish themselves .
3There are not enough , especially in the higher claiming prices . In the USA , they have claimers at $ 100,000 and we don ’ t have them anymore over here . However , I think it ’ s a good way to keep the stable ticking over , to bring in some cash when the timing isn ’ t right due to a setback or because the horse is ready at a time that doesn ’ t correspond to a sale .
4On the Flat , Zarigana made a big impression on me last year and she has captured my imagination , for all that she represents and for her own talent . Over jumps , I have high hopes for Hassadam . We own him with the Hub de Montmirail stable and the MacLennans . He ’ s a son of Kapgarde and the champion mare Perfect Impulse , bred by Richard Corveller and Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé , and he ’ s turning 4 . He won on his debut in September and in my view , he ’ s a Grand Steeple-Chase horse .
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NICOLAS DE CHAMBURE
BACK TO THE ARTICLE �
1This is a subject on which we need to be persuasive and not make reactive choices . Therefore , in order to be able to make and stand by a decision , we need to build the widest possible consensus and then be consistent . It is an important and even strategic issue , which is why we need to take the time to form a proper opinion .
2That seems quite sensible to me . Avoiding big journeys between two distant meetings will undoubtedly allow different jockeys to find opportunities . This rule has been the subject of debate and we have , I believe , chosen a happy medium , leaving the door open for minor , local meetings that may be close to Premium fixtures in the regions .
3There were too many claiming races at one point and that created a parallel market that wasn ’ t functioning healthily , because the horses weren ’ t changing hands . This resulted in disguised takeovers that distorted the system . Claimers were not being used wisely . However , these races must generate trade to serve the industry . They can provide an exit route for certain categories of horses and that is why they are useful .
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