ENGLISH TEXTS
4I ’ m obviously going to be a bit biased by mentioning Misunderstood , a son of Hello Youmzain , our young stallion at Étreham , who finished 3 rd in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère ( Gr . 1 ). The other colt we ’ re dreaming of is a son of Persian King , Treble Tee , who won impressively on his debut at Newmarket for Simon and Ed Crisford .
JEAN-PAUL GALLORINI
1You can do anything , but trotting and gallop are two completely different disciplines . The whip is an indispensable tool for riding . That doesn ’ t mean you have to use it : our parents sometimes hung a riding crop in a prominent place , but they never used it . So the whip is also a deterrent . And if all children were as well treated as racehorses , there would be much less misery in the world . But in any case , I find it abnormal to disqualify a horse that has been whipped too much and to penalise the connections and the punters , who have nothing to do with it .
2It ’ s all Piggott ’ s fault ! He ’ s the one who invented flying from England to Deauville to ride two good horses in the same day . Later , the top rider ’ s championship became a thing , with Asmussen then Soumillon , then others . But I don ’ t think this struggle from one racecourse to another is a good thing . In this profession of jockey , you have to respect yourself and respect others . Everyone has the right to earn a living .
3That ’ s a very good question ! It seems to me that claiming races allowed and still allow , sometimes , to motivate a clientele that also follows handicaps . It takes all sorts to make a world and many of us can ’ t aspire to the Classics and the top of the basket . Those who venture up there don ’ t need claimers , nor certain categories of horses , whereas other owners are quite happy with them . So it ’ s a good bridge and it feeds a fun circuit in parallel .
4I really like Gran Diose . This horse is not only very good but also remarkably prepared by a trainer who knows him , knows how to look after him and follows his programme scrupulously . To go fast in a day , you need 24 hours , not 48 . And she ’ s understood that very well .
NH
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THE ROAD TO ROOOAR
ROAR is the roar of the crowd for the first race of the Cheltenham Festival , the highlight of the NH racing season across the Channel . The audience makes the Festival even more unique : “ It ’ s a crowd of connoisseurs . People love racing and the horses . They understand what ’ s happening . For example , when a favorite makes a mistake at a jump , you can hear a collective gasp of concern . If a notable horse makes a decisive move during the race , the crowd urges it on ,“ explained Katherine Ford on Equidia on March 7 , 2024 . Each year , the Festival gathers competitors mainly from France , England and Ireland , battling it out across 27 events held over four days , including 14 Group 1s . Known for its many twists and turns and the legends it creates , Cheltenham is also the stage for record-breaking achievements . The latest record belongs to the legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins , who achieved an impressive milestone of 100 winners last year , 22 years after his first victory on the famous hill . The record-setting win was secured by Jasmin de Vaux ( Tirwanako ), a French-bred horse discovered by Pierre Boulard , who triumphed in the Champion Bumper ( Grade 1 ) for breeder Didier Desrayaud and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede . Who will be crowned champion at the 2025 edition , held from March 11 to 14 ? Dive into the world of jump racing across the Channel to explore its many facets , with a special focus on a few French-bred ( FR ) horses that started their careers on French hurdles before making their mark in English and Celtic territories .
CHELTENHAM © Jean-Charles Briens
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