ENGLISH VERSION start. He had already won the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club( Gr. 1) and was trying to remain unbeaten at three, which he did like a true champion. It’ s hard to single out one Group 1 victory from all the others. They are all special, but my first Group 1 in France with La Cressonnière, in the Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches, and then her victory in the Prix de Diane Longines( Gr. 1), were defining moments in my career.
G. Jean-Claude Rouget decided to retire last month. How do you view his record and the legacy he leaves to French racing?
C. D. Jean-Claude has left his mark on French racing. He managed to turn horses from good families into champions, even if they didn’ t always have the very best pedigrees. He picked his horses himself at the sales, with that very special eye which enabled him to win so many races. I don’ t know if his European record for winners will ever be broken, but his achievements are exceptional and command respect.
G. Do you have an anecdote that has stayed with you, from the eve of a race or just after one?
C. D. Before running in the Prix Guillaume d’ Ornano( Gr. 2) at Deauville with Ace Impact, Jean-Claude had decided to enter Cambronne as a pacemaker. I told him I wanted to sit in his slipstream. He replied:“ What? You want to get in behind him? No way! You’ re going to wait at the back. He’ s going to set the pace – don’ t you go sitting behind him!” He was a bit stressed and I had never seen him like that. In the end, I followed his advice and, when I came back to the weighing room after the win, I could tell he was very emotional.
G. After experiencing and sharing so many emotions together, what message would you like to send him today?
C. D. I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life for what he has done. He helped me grow and got me to where I am today. He is family to me. I will never forget him.
ITW CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE
BY EMMANUEL RIVRON
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“ I LOVED WORKING WITH HIM”
A multiple champion jockey in Japan and currently in the running for a ninth title, Christophe Lemaire enjoyed great success riding Jean- Claude Rouget’ s horses in the late 2000s.
GALORAMA. How did the great story with Jean-Claude Rouget begin?
Christophe Lemaire. I had the chance to stand in for Ioritz Mendizabal at one meeting during the Deauville season in 2006. I won that day on Literato, who came into the race unbeaten in two outings in the provinces. Jean-Claude told me to look after him, but that I had a horse with potential in my hands. Starting our partnership with a colt like that had to be a sign! The following winter, when I had gone to Japan as I usually did, I got a call from Jean- Claude. He explained that he had put a structure in place. Some major new owners had joined the stable, bringing a big string of horses with them. He had taken in a lot of quality two-year-olds and also had three-year-olds of a very good standard. He had drawn up a plan to take the quality of his results up a notch. And he wanted me to be part of the project to win a lot of races in Paris, especially the good ones.
G. What was your role?
C. L. Things were very clear: Ioritz Mendizabal remained first jockey for the provinces and Jean-Claude wanted me to become his first jockey for Paris. As my Niarchos contract was being renewed for another year, there was some thinking and negotiating, and in the end I was able to keep that contract. Jean- Claude said to me:“ Come and ride for us and you won’ t be disappointed.” So we started working together and, sure enough, I wasn’ t disappointed. In the run-up to the spring Classics and to the big races the following autumn, I went to Pau fairly regularly, maybe once every two weeks, to ride the final
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