Even though he has been convalescing since November 5, the date of his fall in training while he was racing at full speed with a mare on the straight line at his stable in Saint-Côme du Mont, in Manche, Sébastien Ernault continues to follow the preparation of his champion very closely Josh Power with a view to his participation in the Prix d’Amérique next Sunday. After a sustained exercise on the Graignes racecourse last Friday then another Monday morning at home, the winner of the Critérium des 4 ans then 5 Ans went on Tuesday morning to jog and swim on the Manches beaches of Utah Beach, located in about fifteen kilometers from his training center. As has been the case for more than two months, it was Delphine Beaufils-Ernault who was installed in the sulky of the representative of Ecurie BG Trot. But his trainer Sébastien Ernault was also on site to follow the final preparation of his champion. “There is a bit of pressure, I admit” confirms Delphine Beaufils-Ernault, who is also used to managing major meetings. “We don’t race a Prix d’Amérique every day. And the fact that Sébastien is off work requires even more attention and rigor. I used to go out Josh Power before Sébastien’s accident, but especially while walking. At work, he’s a different horse. He knows that it’s not Sébastien who is on his sulky. We don’t have the same hand (laughs). The horse was already in top form when I had to take over. Fortunately…” “Luckily especially that Delphine was there” immediately says Sébastien Ernault who still has some problems with his right hand even if his arm is progressing over the weeks. “I don’t know how we would have handled this situation otherwise…”
“A maneuverable horse, capable of following all trains”
Tuesday morning, the winner of the Prix du Bourbonnais appeared in good condition despite the very thick fog which hung over Normandy and particularly over the Manche department. In magnificent condition and with a mouse hair, as is often the case. “The goal today was above all to take his mind off things and bathe him peacefully” explains Sébastien Ernault. “He worked well Monday morning, doing several intervals very quickly. He will work again on Thursday, then return to the beach on Friday and Saturday. I like to take him for a leg swim the day before the race.”
After leaving his box around 8 a.m. very well covered, Josh Power stayed on the beach for about an hour. Alone. As if he were on his land. Calm and collected. “He is a horse that has a very good temperament and is quite easy to take care of in general. Running at just one month old will be perfect for him. I don’t regret at all having skipped the Belgian Prize. I think several horses are superior to him like Go On Boy et Idao de Tillardbut my horse will show up at 100% of his capabilities on Sunday. As good as he was during his criterium victories in any case. We have to hope that everything goes well until Sunday and that he can benefit from a good run with a good back. He is a manageable horse, capable of following all the trains and even if he does not have the margin at this level that horses like Ready Cash or Face Time Bourbon in their time, I admit that I would be disappointed if he did not take a place.”
Let us remember that the son ofOffshore Dream (which he had the opportunity to drive eight times and with which he notably finished second and third in the Prix de Bourgogne (2008) and the Critérium de Vitesse de Cagnes-sur-Mer (2009) behind his companion training Meaulnes du Corta) will be driven again by Eric Raffin on Sunday. “A driver of this caliber is very rarely available at this level. I was very lucky that he was available to drive my horse this winter” explains the Manche professional who hopes to be back on his feet to be associated with his horse in the Prix de Paris scheduled for February 23.
