THERE were a number of major feats accomplished during the 2016 season in France. The leading owners, with nearly €4.7 million to their credit were Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor and this position was largely due to the result of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October when Coolmore horses took the first three places in the richest race in Europe.
That victory netted a tidy €4,571,500, although the third place money of Order Of St George was not included in Coolmore’s total as Lloyd Williams had bought into the colt.
Second place in the owner’s list came Al Shaqab Racing (member of the Al Thani family), then Belgium-based fund manager Gerard Augustin-Normand, the Aga Khan, Godolphin and the Wertheimer brothers.
Jean-Claude Rouget had another amazing season and is champion trainer for the second time, having held the title in 2009. He will have totted up over €7 million by the end of the season and over €10 million when owners premiums are taken into account.
Rouget trained two outstanding three-year-olds, the all-conquering Almanzor and the filly La Cressonniere. The former not only won the Prix du Jockey Club but also routed top class opposition in both the Irish and English Champion Stakes.
La Cressonniere won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the Prix de Diane Longines and was the favourite for the Arc but sadly had a training setback during her preparation so was an absentee.
Other Group 1 successes for the Pau-based trainer came with Qemah, who won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Rothschild, the Prix Jean Prat winner Zelzal and the Prix Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary heroine, Jemayel.
As he took the first three places in the Arc with Found, Highland Reel and Order Of St George, it was no surprise to find Aidan O’Brien second in the trainer’s table with winnings totalling just over €5.2 million.
His only other victory in France came when The Gurkha thrashed his rivals in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains.
By his standards Andre Fabre had a poor year but his stable, like many others at Chantilly, had a virus problem during the season. Fabre took third place with €4.5 million in earnings and his only two Group 1 victories in France came with Vadamos in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and Waldgeist in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor each have a 25% share of this Galileo colt.
WONDER JOCKEY
Jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot has had an historic and massive year. The young man, who turned 24 on Wednesday, will have ridden more winners this season, not just in France, but also in Europe and he burst through the 300 barrier this week.
Boudot’s winnings will total over €7.5 million at the end of the year, or over €10 million when owners’ premiums are taken into account.
After sharing the title in 2015 with Christophe Soumillon, he is the outright winner by miles this season and around 130 victories ahead of Maxime Guyon and his old Belgian foe. These three riders are miles ahead of their colleagues.
To wrap up the flat, the Aga Khan is leading breeder (based on French-bred premiums), ahead of Franklin Finance S.A. (Gerard Augustin-Normand), the Wertheimer brothers and the Haras d’Etreham (Almanzor).
Galileo is the leading sire in France having romped clear of Le Havre, Siyouni, Dubawi, Shamardal and Elusive City in the latter part of the season.
MACAIRE ONCE AGAIN
Guillaume Macaire is once again leading jump trainer. He will not beat the record 282 winners he set last year but will have amassed over €8 million in prize money by the end of the season.
Macaire is a bit of a one off. He has written two books, A Pied, a Cheval ou en Voiture and A la Plume Sergent Major, and has a unique set up at La Palmyre on the mouth of the Gironde. He has won almost the double of second placed Francois Nicolle.
Partly thanks to horses trained by Macaire, James Reveley will be French champion jump jockey this season. He is currently on the injured list and in plaster after damaging an ankle at Auteuil in early November. The Yorkshireman ends the season with 84 successes and winnings of €3.7 million.
All in all 2017 is going to be a challenging year for French racing. If Francois Fillon is elected president in May, it would be positive for the sport and he has already talked about reducing equine VAT from 20% to 7%.
ROUND-UP
Two-year-olds
FRENCH two-year-olds were late out of the starting blocks but two to kept an eye on in 2017 are Waldgeist, who could be aimed at the Investec Derby and the unbeaten Akihiro (Deep Impact).
This unbeaten colt looks the perfect sort for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas or the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. They are both trained by Andre Fabre.
Criquette Head-Maarek also has a great classic prospect in National Defense, who bolted up in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He may well go to England for the 2,000 Guineas.
Retirement of
Cirrus Des Aigles
ONE cannot finish a summing up of 2016 without a mention for Cirrus Des Aigles. The 10-year-old gelding retired from racing last May after a career which spanned eight seasons. He won 22 of his 67 races and earnings to the tune of over €7.1 million.
Seven Group 1 races went his way including the Coronation Cup, the Champion Stakes, the Dubai Sheema Classic and three Prix Ganays. Cirrus Des Aigles is currently enjoying his retirement at Christophe Soumillon’s farm where he has the company of many other animals.