Discreet yet remarkably effective in a race, Clément Lecœuvre has reached a new level in recent seasons and just crossed another milestone by joining the circle of jockeys who have won a French Group 1. Building on steady and consistent progress, this young rider fully intends to secure a lasting place at the top of the French jockey hierarchy.
Although Clément Lecœuvre had already triumphed twice in Group 1 races in Germany, the 27-year-old jockey finally achieved glory at that level on French soil at the end of May, riding the Aga Khan Studs’ Candelari to victory at ParisLongchamp: “Until then, I had always come up short in Group races in France,” he analyzes. “I was really happy to be entrusted with Candelari in the Prix Vicomtesse de Vigier, especially since I knew him well. Honestly, I didn’t feel much pressure before the race. I was mostly focused. I have to admit, it felt really good to cross the finish line in front.” Candelari’s trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, was full of praise for his jockey after the weigh-in, pleased to see him win at that level for the Aiglemont stable: “I started working with the Aga Khan team at the end of last year,” Clément Lecœuvre tells. “As a freelance jockey, I don’t ride for them every morning, but whenever there are workouts and they need me, I go with great pleasure. I’ve always made myself available, and I’d say they’ve returned the favor. I’m very grateful to them. I wasn’t expecting so much but I’m more than happy with it! I fulfilled one of my dreams by winning a Group race in those prestigious silks. From my first days at AFASEC, we only ever talked about that magnificent racing jacket.”
A revelation
A graduate of the jockey school in Chantilly, this natural sportsman and fierce competitor caught the racing bug early, after competing in the French Pony Show Jumping Championships in his youth: “My parents weren’t particularly into racing, but they always supported me. I had never even been to a racetrack, but as soon as I realized I could combine horses and competition, I was hooked,” he admits.
An apprentice with Alain Bonin for his first two years, Clément Lecœuvre really took off under Elie Lellouche, who gave him his first win with a debutante named En Souplesse on April 18, 2016, just one day after his 18th birthday. The Compiègne native then racked up more victories, including a two-month stint on the East Coast of the United States: “Since Mr. Lellouche preferred me to make a name for myself in the Paris region, my agent, Jules Susini, had arranged for me to spend the winter with Graham Motion. It helped me a lot to work horses against the clock. It really gave me a sense of pace.” He soon developed a taste for travel and later spent several months in Germany after losing his apprentice claim: “I worked for seven months in Cologne with Darius Racing. It was right in the middle of COVID, but I had planned to spend the season in Germany anyway. I left at a point in my career when I needed to gain more experience. I had to improve my riding. In this profession, you always want to be among the best. And I felt like I was still missing something to even try competing with the top level in France.” The fifth most-used French jockey since the beginning of the year, Clément Lecœuvre currently boasts an 8% win rate in 2025 and finishes in the top three more than half the time. A passionate runner who logs nearly 10 kilometers a day, he’s still chasing a spot in the Top 10: “That’s one of my goals, and I’m not far off. You need a lot of
clients across all types of races to get there. That’s really the hardest part. You also have to choose your race meetings wisely based on demand. Jules Susini helps me with that. Right now, I feel I’ve reached a level where I approach every race with confidence. When I’m at the start, there’s not much that worries me. I trust my instincts. I ride for my horse.”
Cool-headed in a pack, much like his role model Olivier Peslier, Clément Lecœuvre is full of confidence and ambition for the years ahead: “The level in France is definitely very high, but I’d like to be among those jockeys who always have a ride in the major races.”