PARDON My French is a tall, eye-catching chesnut by the thoroughbred French Buffet. The six-year-old is produced and ridden by Elizabeth Power for Judith Long who, working in corporate banking for BNP Paribas, keeps her horses as a hobby.

“This is the first horse I’ve owned that I haven’t ridden myself and I’m more nervous than I ever was!” said Long who purchased Pardon My French as a four-year-old from his Co Galway breeder, Gerry Broderick.

He is the only horse registered on CapallOir out of the Market Square mare Derrybeg Dame, a half-sister to Cavillino Cocktail (by Ekstein) who has been competing at international three-star level in the USA.

“He was only 16.1hh and backward and green when we got him,” said Long whose fiancé, Nigel Slevin, hunter trialled Pardon My French and got him going.

“We sent him to Elizabeth last year when he did two EI 100 classes but he found it hard to get out of his own way.

“He was well fed while wintering out and came back in a completely different horse. He’s getting more powerful all the time and is enjoying his work.

“That was his first novice at Tyrella and he ate up the track; he was just savage! It was like watching someone else’s horse he was that good.”