Flavien Prat writes history. For the first time in the history of American Turf, a French jockey finished at the top of the list (ranking by earnings) and it was Flavien Prat, who was the architect of this feat in 2024. Author of a year exceptional with 230 successes (1,040 starters), he shone in numerous Group Is, but it was indeed during the Breeders’ Cup that he secured the title of “Champion Jockey” with his successes, associated with Sierra Leone (Classic) et Moira (Filly & Mare Turf). With $37,274,176 in winnings (36,214,843 euros) in 2024, he finished 1st and will have, as a bonus, beaten Jerry Bailey’s record (55 victories) in “Graded Stakes” (equivalent to the main races in Europe).
Christophe Lemaire, in “gold”. For the 7th time, in 2024, Christophe Lemaire won the Japanese Golden Crop, succeeding himself, after these titles obtained in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Questioned in August, the tricolor was hoping for a 7th title, but he was then neck and neck with Yuga Kawada, and told us that he would do his best to get around 180 successes, which should secure him the title. With 176 victories, the 45-year-old crack jockey, living in Japan for around ten years, was right. “It’s often said that it’s hard to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. he confided in our columns. The years pass but I manage to maintain my status.”
“Postman” at his peak. After facing champions such as Paddington et Big Rock in 2023, Horse Postman finally lifted their well-deserved Group I when they began their 2024 season with a triumph in a very competitive Dubai Turf at Meydan (in March). Facing a peloton which had attracted the defending champion Lord North“the Appleby” in shape, Measured TimeJapanese Do Deuce and the Ballydoyle veteran, Luxembourghe offered his trainer Jérôme Reynier and his jockey Maxime Guyon an unforgettable victory.
Goliath, Hercules. Goliath was the most talked about horse in 2024, thanks to his impressive victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, the English Arc, at Ascot. The resident of Francis-Henri Graffard is ahead of the future winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Bluestocking by two and a quarter lengths. For the second time in the year, a French gelding wins in a flagship event abroad and its new American co-owner John Stewart wastes no time in rekindling the debate concerning the opening of the Prix de l’Arc of Triumph to the geldings.
And also Calandagan for Francis Graffard. The end of the Royal Ascot meeting was approaching and the French training had not yet shone… until June 21, 2024, the date on which the champion Calandagan took off in the King Edward VII Stakes (gr.II) over 2,400 meters, for the training of Francis-Henri Graffard and under the saddle of Stéphane Pasquier. Narrowly losing in the Champions Stakes (Measure) over 2,000 meters (the horse “is better at 2,400 meters” as his mentor had indicated) and facing the giant City of Troy in the International Stakes (in August), SA Aga Khan’s protégé is rid of his great rival in 2025…It will be very difficult to pick him up over a classic distance and the King George will surely be his objective…
Lazzat, this warrior. Certainly encouraged by the success of Postman ChevalJérôme Reynier continues to travel the world, this time with Taste. The only and first French starter for years in Australia, the student of Nurlan Bizakov goes to the start of the Golden Eagle in Sydney, a race with AUS$10M (around €6M). Ridden by Antonio Orani, the 3-year-old is only beaten by half a length by the Englishman Lake Forestcoached by William Haggas. He leaves, with almost €1.3M in allocations for this second place.
-The shock for Ramatuelle. Ramatuelletrained by Christopher Head, was a sure bet in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar. The announcement that she had not received the green light from veterinarians on site after a PET scan (which showed signs of remodeling bone) was a big shock for those around him and his fans. However, she was far from being the only one absent, because more than twenty competitors, including Ylang Ylang (from Aidan O’Brien’s stable), were scratched by the “vets”. It was a big disappointment, but its sale price of US$5.1M (around €4.9M, spent by Coolmore) undoubtedly helped to forget this bad experience.
Tricolor jumpers in the spotlight. We believed in it until we jumped the last obstacle, but ultimately, He is French had to lose in a very good edition of the King George VI Chase at Kempton. The resident of Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm thrilled us, and it was above all a great pleasure to see him return to top form after health problems. French jumpers, such as Sweet Davidcoached by Gabriel Leenders or Jet Bluetrained by David Cottin, made us very proud with their successes at Cheltenham in November and December.
Al Ghadeer’s triple crown. Labeled, the Frankel Arabian horses by his partner Christophe Soumillon, Al Ghadeer (6 years old) was exceptional in 2024, winning hands down the triple crown of purebred Arabians (HH The Amir Sword over 2400 meters/ Qatar International Stakes over 1600/ Qatar Arabian World Cup over 2000). Trained by François Rohaut from Pau, who describes him as “perfect horse and horse of a lifetime”, he is an extraordinary champion and he seems stronger than ever to conquer a possible second Triple Crown in 2025 (editor’s note, feat never achieved). He remains on 10 successes and has won, to date, 8 Group Is.
Shot 6 in Japan by Cristian Demuro. It is an achievement which will perhaps have gone a little unnoticed during this year 2024, but the fact remains that achieving a score of 6, for a foreign jockey (under provisional license in Japan) is something something exceptional. Indeed, on Sunday October 27 in Tokyo, Cristian Demuro won six events (he also took two runners-up) and two weeks later, he won the Queen Elisabeth II Cup (gr.I with Stunning Rose). BY ARSENE ABITBOL AND LIZ PRICE
