ENGLISH TEXTS
It was on the other side of the year 2000 that Saint des Saints appeared , Jacques Détré ’ s first major coup . The colt had been conceived by Nicolas de Lageneste with the idea of making him a stallion after a career over jumps ( read our article on page X ). But he wasn ’ t particularly attractive . For Jacques Détré , this wasn ’ t so important : “ Macaire used to say that it wasn ’ t the best horse that won , but the least tired one ,“ he recalls . “ That may have changed since , but for us , at that time , pedigree was paramount . So as far as physique was concerned , there couldn ’ t be any major conformation issues , but a flaw with a very good pedigree could be overlooked . And I liked this colt ’ s pedigree .“
Tenacious and curious , direct and pragmatic , perhaps lucky but above all a formidable negotiator , Jacques Détré embarked on the racing world in a skiff similar to all those who , since the dawn of time , have run aground on the first rock they encountered . More than forty years later , he has gradually transformed it , by forcing destiny and seizing every opportunity , into a fast and formidable frigate , then an aircraft carrier .
� PAGE 26After a turbulent start as a gentleman rider in the Charentes region , with a 3
rdplace at Niort as his only trophy , Jacques went to study medicine in Limoges , and only returned to racing once he had established himself .
It was a particularly happy find , as the colt in question won seven races at Auteuil , and over € 430,000 , while remaining entire . It was then that one of Jacques Détré ’ s main qualities came into play : his ability to negotiate . When Saint des Saints , having come up against the formidable Karly Flight , had to retire to stud , he no longer had the aura of the previous spring . So it was his co-owner who , as his partner Nicolas de Lageneste confirms , negotiated with Marc de Chambure and Franck Champion for the horse to enter Haras d ’ Étreham . “ He came from a family originating from the Chambure bloodlines , and I think that played a part ,“ he believes . “ Then , I went to look for the ones I liked among his first progeny , and I bought five , all of whom won . It was only then that the stallion took off . Until then , while waiting for the first races of his offspring , Franck Champion had a hard time selling his nominations ! And we notably had Santa Bamba , who I was only able to acquire thanks to the support of Nicolas de Lageneste , and who finished 2
The rest is a matter of encounters , circumstances and reflection . With Benoît Gabeur and Guillaume Macaire , first , and the phenomenal Brune d ’ Ex , a small find by the prodigious trainer who , once on the track , became a lioness : under the silks of Jacques , which were rarely worn , she would win ten AQPS races in a row , including the Prix de Craon and the Prix Jacques de Vienne , which are Gr1 AQPS races today .
It was with breeder Alain Ranson that he had unearthed Guillaume Macaire , on the very day that the trainer was having a definitive falling out with the owners of his previous stable . Alain and Jacques were thus the first owners to join the trainer when he set up in Royan . Together , they raced Parika , Jacques Détré ’ s first Group winner , but not in his colours .
� PAGE 28FORGING DESTINY
Thanks to the breeder of Azertyuiop Pierre de Maleissye , he saw his silks triumph at the highest level at Auteuil with Pantruche and especially Bipbap , winner of the Prix Maurice Gillois ( Gr1 ) in 1998 .
ndin the Prix Congress ( Gr2 )
ENGLISH TEXTS before winning the Prix Duc d ’ Anjou ( Gr3 ) and the Prix Jean Stern ( Gr2 ).“
But then the icing on the cake came when Santa Bamba was mated with Vision d ’ État and she gave birth to the champion De Bon Cœur . The best of her generation over hurdles at Auteuil between 2016 and 2019 , she won thirteen races for over a million euros in prize money . The mare was trained by François Nicolle , with whom Jacques rediscovered the complicity of his early years in Royan . “ De Bon Cœur could have lasted longer but she had flat feet ,“ recalls Jacques . “ My main regret with her is not having run the Ascot Gold Cup after her Grande Course de Haies d ’ Auteuil . That day , she clocked a time of 1 ’ 8 “ per kilometre over 5,100 metres . A Gold Cup time . Two days later , I woke up in the middle of the night thinking we could still enter her in the Gold Cup at Ascot . An inspiration . François Nicolle wasn ’ t convinced and when I told him that , he wanted to make some phone calls and some dissuaded him from following my advice . We didn ’ t enter her . I still regret it because it ’ s common practice today . We ’ ll never know what would have happened .“
� PAGE 35RUNNING FRANCE GALOP
The year of these victories , the Détré silks also won - in one week - the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure ( Gr1 ) with Oculi and the Prix du Jockey Club with Vision d ’ État , a colt that Éric Libaud had bought as a yearling at Deauville for Jacques .
An associate member of France Galop since 2019 , Jacques Détré then became Vice-President of France Galop , President of the Jumps Board , for four years .
After working under the presidency of Edouard de Rothschild , he was close to succeed him in 2023 , narrowly failing after a whirlwind campaign from which he has recovered .
Winner of the Prix Ganay ( Gr1 ), the Prince of Wales ’ s Stakes ( Gr1 ) at Ascot , and the Hong Kong Vase ( Gr1 ) the season after his French Derby , Vision d ’ État propelled the silks into an unexpected orbit and allowed his owner to experience “ absolute bliss “ at Royal Ascot after turning down several million euros for him .
This experience in the corridors of power of the institution was very demanding for him , as he only drives from Limoges to Paris , which takes 3h30 , and has retained important responsibilities in his clinic . He is also someone who does not like to do things by halves . The situation of French jump racing was worrying and with the benefit of hindsight , and constant attention to the issues that interested him , Jacques now feels that he has done his duty . “ Jump racing in France is doing better ,“ he believes . “ There are more runners , work has been done and we are seeing a renewal of trainers . Horse racing is facing difficulties in England and Ireland and this can create opportunities here . It ’ s a matter of common sense . It remains to reform in depth , to tackle the unnecessary layers so that spending is more coherent . When the Thémis project was launched with the aim of bringing the institutions together for the sake of economy and synergy , the project made sense , but I then had the feeling that this transformation had been organised by the administrators to lock down the systems . This is still true now and it seems to me that it is likely to prevent real progress . However , I remain committed to France Galop and to the new Auteuil project , which I believe is essential
With the Détré silks , everything seems possible , indeed .
“ Money from horses stays in horses ,“ he explains . “ And thanks to Vision d ’ État , I was able to move from DIY to craftsmanship . The success I had that year allowed me to climb a few steps , and doors opened . I started to partner with Thierry Cyprès , breeder of Bipolaire , for example , at that time and that allowed me to expand my string . I realised that with numbers and variety , you compensate a lot . You take the hard knocks more calmly and you have more time . It was also at this time that my children really started to get passionate in their turn and I knew then that there would be a sequel , that we had to think long term .“
Page 28 Brune d ’ Ex wins the 1992 Prix de Craon , the Arc for AQPS at Longchamp . She would even go on to beat thoroughbreds on the flat ! Page 32 With Monpilou , the late Pascal Hervé , Jacques Ricou and Patrice Détré , the dream team … Page 34 : Top : Around Saint des Saints , after his victory in the Prix Amadou in 2002 , here are Jacques Détré , on the left , Guillaume Macaire , Pascal Hervé , rider Benoît Gicquel and Nicolas de Lageneste . Bottom : After the victories of Vision d ’ État in the Jockey Club , « Alone in the world », and the Prince of Wales ’ s Stakes , « A certain vision of France » with the one who is now King Charles , in the columns of the Revue du Galop , the Owners ’ magazine , of which Jacques Détré has kept copies among his many archives . BACK TO THE ARTICLE � 107ENGLISH TEXTS
There is an energy in Jacques Détré that not only stands the test of time , but has also been passed on to his children , particularly to the three sons that his wife Marie has given him , all of whom are deeply bitten by the horse bug .
His three sons , on the other hand , were immersed in this racing whirlwind that showed them the dream side , but Professor Détré is not a dreamer . Instead , he keeps his eyes open , and he has endeavoured to show his children all the pitfalls of this sweet madness .
for the renewal of jump racing in France . We must also ensure that the union with trotting is cemented . I know Jean-Pierre Barjon well , as I came to know him before he took over the reins of trotting . He is not an easy person , but he has put trotting on the right track and it is imperative that the union is sealed by the heads of both associations , and not by the management . It seems to me that in general , the representatives of the State are well-intentioned . You have to talk to them frankly and you have to have substance . Generally speaking , you always end up in better shape by being frank , blunt even , with each other . Sometimes it causes problems , but in the end , you find your way back . As for the PMU , we need to find experts , people who know about betting and gaming , so that it can decisively renew its offer .“
So much so that when these three sons , namely Patrice , Romain and Adrien , start to explain something to you , you get the feeling that Jacques is resting , like a sated Jupiter , while his children noisily organise his world .
Jacques , like a presiding figure , therefore , monitors the progress of the work , his eye a little more severe than his mind really is . It is not forbidden to think that by watching them do it , he is nurturing his own opinion , and that he sees himself again , at that age , also making plans .
“ He has given us carte blanche ,“ explains Romain , an all-round entrepreneur who seems to ignore the notion of a break and thus presents the Haras de la Sélive project , a former farm based on the lands of Baron de Nexon , near Limoges , which housed the horses and mares of the Wertheimer stud during the Occupation . “ Dad only comes from time to time , and the only thing you have to show him then is that the project is going forward .“
Were his dreams as extravagant as the reality he has experienced ?
Page 36 Large photo : After the victory of Ejland , in April 2018 , with rider Thomas Beaurain , Patrice Détré , trainer Donatien Sourdeau de Beauregard , Adrien , Jacques and Romain Détré , and their friend Jean-Benoît Verspieren .And it ’ s growing on all sides . Literally . On the 60 hectares of this stud farm , Adrien is present every day because he is responsible for monitoring and managing the company on a daily basis . Patrice is never far away either , and he enthusiastically details the nature of the soils , the successful cultivation trials , those that are less so , the land use plan and the distribution of the horses that will soon occupy these lush meadows and these old buildings undergoing conversion . He is a dentist and until recently was a gentleman-rider . However , insurance companies don ’ t ensure the hands of dentists who perform stunts on horseback . It was also to be able to devote himself to medicine that Jacques had cut short , fifty years earlier , his career as a gentleman rider after ten races and a 3
Page 35 At the helm at Auteuil between Edouard de Rothschild and his successor , Frédéric Landon , in the Presidential stand . Below : With François Nicolle , Jacques Détré has rediscovered a strong bond between owner and trainer . BACK TO THE ARTICLE � � PAGE 36 Page 37 Top left : Nicolas de Lageneste and Jacques Détré , as formidable at Auteuil as Brett Sinclair and Danny Wilde in The Persuaders !THE DÉTRÉ FAMILY IS STILL GROWING
To better adapt to the evolutions of the market and the current racing economy , the Détrés have decided to equip themselves with a breeding and preparation structure that complements training , at home in the Limousin , on lands steeped in history ...
Top right : Family photo with a mix of Cyprès and Détré around the great Bipolaire , twice winner of the Prix La Haye Jousselin ( Gr1 ). rdplace at Niort , and a trip to Deauville for the August sales to buy two yearlings at the request of a banker uncle who was hiding his love of racing from his wife . He was alone in this new world , then , and had had to fumble around .
Bottom right : Dr Détré at work IRL . BACK TO THE ARTICLE � 108