ENGLISH TEXTS is believed to be the origin of the grey coat color in Thoroughbreds.
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By Emmanuel Rivron
CLÉMENT LECŒUVRE
AT THE TOP
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 18 th birthday. The Compiègne native then racked up more victories, including a twomonth 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 mostused 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
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