ENGLISH TEXTS big boxes with back-toback wins in the Prix Exbury( Gr. 3) and a win in the Prix d’ Hédouville( Gr. 3).“ Destined for a promising stud career, Odette Fau’ s superstar never crossed the finish line in last year’ s Qatar Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe( Gr. 1), meeting a tragic end:“ It hit me hard, even if I didn’ t show it much,” Adrien Fouassier admits, his voice trembling.“ I retreated into my shell to get through it. I told myself I had to get back up, and I was at the yard by 4:30 the next morning. I knew it would be Haya Zark’ s last race, but I miss him today. I would have loved to visit him at stud and meet his offspring. Mr and Mrs. Fau also took it very hard, but they were incredibly strong— just like the whole stable.“
An Unbreakable Spirit Adrien Fouassier had already learned how to bounce back during his youth. At just 9 years old, he decided to ride the pony his parents had given him, but things didn’ t go as planned:“ The pony was only 8 months old and had just been weaned,” he recalls.“ When I got on, it flipped over and ruptured my spleen, causing internal bleeding. If we’ d arrived 30 minutes later, I wouldn’ t have made it...“ But it would take more than that to calm the fire of this future jockey, who would endure two more serious accidents in his riding career. In September 2009 at Craon, he fell at full speed during the final stretch, suffering a triple knee joint fracture- yet astonished doctors by returning to win five months later. And in April 2017 at the Lion d’ Angers racecourse, a fall left him in an induced coma, prompting spectators to leave the grounds early in worry:“ I’ m not one to feel sorry for myself. You can’ t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. And anyway, I couldn’ t stand being out of action for long.“ During these recovery periods, Fouassier, for whom family balance is of utmost importance, could rely on the support of his wife Agathe- herself in the saddle every morning and deeply involved in the stable’ s life:“ It’ s a life project for the two of us, and even for the four of us with our children, Tao and Lina. I manage the yard and clients, while Agathe handles the staff a bit more. She oversees the schedules with my manager, Pierre Silloray, who was Haya Zark’ s groom and to whom the stable owes a lot as well.”
Following in Haya Zark’ s Footsteps Now overseeing a string of 70 horses, this tight-knit team can count on promising young stock, including a certain Haya Gold, who occupies the very same stall as his illustrious half-brother— a powerful symbol. Riding the wave of this success, the Fouassiers have built a brand-new barn, where a stunning poster of Haya Zark now takes pride of place. Still, demand has forced them to rent additional boxes in another facility nearby:“ I don’ t necessarily want more horses in the yard. I’ d need more staff for that. All I ask is for the yard to keep running well. I’ m fully aware I won’ t win Group 1s every year. I try to enter the right races and aim for goals. I can’ t stand going to the races for nothing!“ With his horses finishing in the top three two times out of five so far this year, Adrien Fouassier is delighting both punters and himself:“ I live 100 % for the horse. I ride every lot. Being on a horse is like reading an open book for me. I learn more that way than just watching them gallop. I think I’ ll stop training the day I can no longer ride. I lack nothing in my life: I have wonderful children, my health, and I’ m doing the job I love. It’ s magical!“
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