ENGLISH TEXTS
generosity . Partnered with Sarah St Lary-Leroy , Polly dominated arenas and topped rankings in Category A and A Elite show jumping for more than two years .
POLLY IS CONSIDERED A HIGH-LEVEL ATHLETE .
No matter what the bigger ponies may think , when Polly steps onto an arena or track , he won ’ t be intimidated . The 1,300 meters of the all-weather track at Calas training center - where he sharpens his skills a week before each race - are a mere formality . Even when flanked by towering Category D ponies , who only outpace him in the last 100 meters thanks to their longer strides , Polly holds his ground . Polly ’ s big heart is undeniable , but so is his character ! Standing just 93 cm tall , Polly knows how to command respect when it ’ s time to compete . Driver and jockey better hold tight - Polly knows why he ’ s there , and he ’ s ready for action !
A track record and ... care In recent years , Polly has formed a sensational duo with Gino Corallo- Scandella . With the exception of a racing incident during the Liond ’ Angers meet on July 14 , 2023 - supervised by stars like Christophe Soumillon and Clément Lefèvre - or his second-place finish at Vichy on July 20 , Polly boasts an astonishing record : 15 races , 13 victories , and two second places since April 2022 . Like his equine counterparts , Polly is treated as a high-performance athlete and , like any champion , must be in peak condition to perform . Under the care of Laura Scandella , Polly benefits from cryotherapy sessions to optimize recovery after races or to maintain the health of his legs . Ponies , too , are an integral part of the # RaceAndCare ethos .
And to further cement his supremacy , Polly once again outshone the competition during the last race meeting on December 8 at the Marseille-Vivaux racecourse . See you in the spring !
MAIN Polly and Gino during their victory at the Lion-d ’ Angers racecourse . © Poneys au Galop
PAGE 97 - TOP Polly during a cryotherapy session .
PAGE 97 - BOTTOM Polly and Gino a few minutes before their victory in Hyères . © Poneys au Galop du Sud-Est
PEDA- GOGI- CAL
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By Céline Gualde
CROSS-COUNTRY HORSES , TIMELESS STARS
Sometimes they don ’ t quite measure up to win Group steeplechases , or perhaps they ’ ve grown weary of classic races where they ’ ve “ lost their heart .” Cross-country racing allows many horses to forge a ( new ) destiny while winning legendary and popular events . Contrary to the current trend of increasingly fast races with horses entering the fray as early as three years old , cross-country offers a refreshing breath of air to obstacle racing .
November 15 , 2024 , Cheltenham . Sweet David , trained by Gabriel Leenders and bearing the colors of Moïse Ohana , starts in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase . Despite being sired by Clovis du Berlais , the horse is English-bred , purchased at the Yorton sale and imported to France — a reversal of the typical trend of obstacle horses moving in the opposite direction ! Even more unexpected , this Frenchadopted contender boldly challenges his former compatriots on their turf . Ridden by Félix de Gilles — also English and “ imported ”— he triumphs with ease in a somewhat chaotic race where one of the favorites took a wrong turn . Sweet David himself clipped a rail , which could have disqualified him . But Moïse Ohana and Alexandre Pucheu , co-owners with Gabriel Leenders , relished this extraordinary experience : entering Cheltenham ’ s winners ’ enclosure as victors !
Rescued Just in Time Sweet David began his career with a victory over hurdles in Nantes in September of his three-year-old season . He continued modestly until an easy win at Auteuil in a steeplechase for four-year-olds in June 2023 , followed by a fourth-place in the Prix La Périchole ( Gr . 3 ). He seemed to lose his spark , delivering poor performances in Pau and even falling in a claiming race in January 2024 . “ We wondered whether to end his career or try cross-country ,” explains trainer Gabriel Leenders . The owners were consulted . Moïse Ohana recalls : “ Sweet had reached
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