ENGLISH TEXTS trying their luck over the Auteuil fences are rarer , whereas Willie Mullins can send horses that are seen over fences in England to race over our hurdles . Conversely , French chasers are very adept at jumping English obstacles because they are used to adapting to varied obstacles , different in their approach , requiring complete schooling and , perhaps , better reflexes . The last major difference , literally : the weight carried . In France , it is very rare to run a horse with a weight exceeding 70kg . Across the Channel , they go up to 76.5kg without batting an eyelid , so jockeys can be heavier , last longer , and remain amateurs , sometimes even over quite long careers . It must be said that horses in England and Ireland generally start later than ours because of the prominence of the novice programme . They also benefit from a trial programme that we don ’ t have here , the point-to-points . These amateur races are often organised by hunts to raise funds : there are bookmakers on site at these rural meetings , and they contribute to the organising associations ’ coffers , which also rely on the bar to round off their season . Professionals use these alternative circuits to give their horses some experience before selling them or converting them to official racing “ under rules .“ So we can see that the two ecosystems are very different from each other . Yet our horses do very well in Great Britain and Ireland after being exported . Why ? Probably because French breeding is much more heavily subsidised than in England and Ireland , where there are practically no breeders ’ premiums . Thus , French genetics and breeding methods have progressed in such a way that we can now say that we breed the best jumpers in the world . Secondly , French breakers and trainers , conditioned by a very generous French programme for 3- and 4-year-olds , have been able to improve their training methods to produce young jumpers . And young horses learn faster than their elders , just like humans . Finally , these Frenchbred horses are often available on the market because there are fewer French owners willing to invest in jumpers , and they are less willing to take risks than their English and Irish counterparts , who spend freely in the hope of winning at Cheltenham or Liverpool , or even Leopardstown and Punchestown in Ireland . Thus , France has invited itself to Cheltenham , first by winning a few races there in the 1990s and 2000s under the impetus of François Doumen and then Guillaume Macaire , but above all since then thanks to the remarkable work of our breeders and trainers , supported by the proactive prize money and premiums of France Galop . And so , around Saint Patrick ’ s Day at Cheltenham , the planets align for the happiness of all three countries !
PAGE 110 They pass here for the first time in front of the grandstands and their formidable roar . © Jean-Charles Briens
PAGE 111 The parade ring is ‘ The Place To Be ’, and spots are highly sought after . © Hannah Baycroft
IN GREAT BRITAIN AS IN IRELAND , THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO BREEDER PREMIUMS .
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PIERRE BOULARD
BLOODSTOCK AGENT
By Karisma Consulting
“ Cheltenham is the equivalent of Auteuil for us , it ’ s the ultimate prize .“ First purchase : Quevega , a small AQPS who had won three bumpers in France and turned out to be an incredible champion , holding the record with six victories in the Mares ’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival . Since then , the list of FR-bred horses discovered and purchased by bloodstock-agent Pierre Boulard on behalf of Willie Mullins has continued to grow with great success . Notably , it includes Al Boum Photo , acquired after a “ fall ” through his trainer Emmanuel Clayeux and who delivered his legendary trainer his long-coveted first Gold Cup victory . A conversation with Pierre Boulard on the Chantilly tracks two days after the latest Leopardstown prep races to discuss the contenders , understand the market , share memories , dive into strategy , and outline Team Mullins ’ hopes for the 2025 edition of the Cheltenham Festival .
“ CHELTENHAM IS THE EQUIVALENT OF AUTEUIL FOR US ; IT ’ S THE HOLY GRAIL .”
Pierre Boulard
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