In the Levesque family, I ask Thomas. The youngest! At 32, the son of Pierre Levesque and great-grandson of Henri Levesque-who count two wins in the largest trot race in the world with them with Month (1961), Roquépine (1966, 1967, 1968), Upsali (1969), Offshore Dream (2007 and 2008) and The short meaulnes (2009) – will compete on Sunday its first prize in America. With a mare he trains and who will carry his groove which is more: Iroise de la Noé. “I really see myself as an outsider and it is certainly the best way to compete in a first prize in America. I have a chance, but without being part of the favorites ” Entrusts the one who had a moment thought of learning among the gallopers and who even played some gender races. “The price of America is the race of a life, it is true, but for me, this year, it is above all the chance to be at the start that I want to enjoy. The rest will only be bonus … ”
“I’m not going to take any risks at the start”
Brilliantly qualified on January 12 thanks to his superb victory acquired from start to finish in the Belgian prize, the daughter of Bello Tornado Raison to his young director to the point which has always made a mare capable of evolving at the most level. “I always knew that she was able to run an American price one day. But before the blow, I rather thought of that of 2026. Certainly, she will run in a somewhat close way, but she did it at the start of the meeting just before the final of the Grand National of Trot. It will therefore not be a problem I think because it is very well physically. ”
After having always revealed a great potential, the Alezane mare seems indeed returned stronger than ever this winter. And after having experienced several health problems and various setbacks in recent seasons, luck seems to have turned for several weeks. It is thus 100% that it should appear on Sunday. “She worked well last Monday. As she had just run, it was not a real big job strictly speaking but rather a good work of maintenance. She made three round trips and returns of nine hundred meters in a straight line on a sustained, quite regular foot, but without making speed. Everything was fine. Then she reworked, weaker on Wednesday and Friday. ”
Suffice to say that everything is coming for the best for the great-granddaughter of Jiosco Even if the departure remains its weak point. “It is true that it lacks speed at the start of the course. She needs a little time to get into the rhythm. On Sunday, I will not take any risks. It’s already a chance to be at the start so it would really be C. to go to a gallop! I’m going to start it as I usually do. We will certainly be a little behind at the start of the course. If the three of three wagon is good, if not too bad. She will have other races to run… ”
“My father and I have two characters too strong to work together”
If the first memories of the Prix of America by Thomas Levesque date back to the time of Pommel general and Varennethe period ofOffshore Dream Then marked his youth as you can imagine. “” “I had to be 15 or 16 years old at the time. It was my father’s first American price … a great memory, especially since even if I was still at school since I made a general baccalaureate, I was still quite often at the stable and I saw them working both of them… ”
My father … The word comes up regularly in the conversation even if Thomas Levesque has taken the option of standing on his own feet there are already a few seasons. “The two of them was impossible. Simply because of our characters. I took a big risk but we both have a very strong temperament and it was not possible to go together. Everything was done quite simply and the fact of already having three or four horses which held the road just before I did not sit well helped me. My mother also played an important role in our decision to separate us. She knows us better than anyone and she was well aware that we could not stay together. ”
-And yet, even if their two ways to train differ, Thomas Levesque had already learned a lot from his father when he made the decision to create his own structure. “We don’t necessarily have the same training method since my father works for example his horses every three days and I every two days, but he taught me to have beautiful horses, well in their gaits, rights And at your fingertips. He also taught me the work. When you have a father who works as much as him, you are not allowed to do less. As I started the job a little later than the others, I had to work a little harder, but my father always taught me to work a lot to get there. That’s what I did. ”
Pierre Levesque: “Family pride”
Winner of three consecutive America prizes with Offshore Dream et The short meaulnes In 2007, 2008 and 2009, Pierre Levesque will have no starters this year. And yet … “Seeing Thomas at the start with his heart mare will be a very special moment for our family of course. It is a great reward for him, which spends a lot of time to look for foals by crisscrosing the provincial racetracks and which has invested so much with it”He believes. “I remember his disappointment in the 5 year old criterium. Besides, he took a long time to recover … He always considered that she was able to compete in an America price one day. But he didn’t think it would be this winter. ”
Wink of fate, Iroise de la Noé is a direct descendant of Monthbut also a girl from Bello Tornado that Pierre Levesque trained and that Thomas had the opportunity to driver at the start of his career. “It’s a mare that I would have liked to train because she takes a lot of attention and you have to spend a lot of time with her. These horses are always very endearing. I think Thomas did well to want to take off a few years ago. He is a very hard -working boy, who sometimes leaves his place in the race to stay to work his horses at the stable. He proved that he was able to take over family and he did well to want to settle on his own account. Father work is not always easy and you have to know how to let your children stand on their own wings at some point. Thomas has more horses than me and they generally run earlier, but he showed that his way of working worked well with group I victories at 3 years. When you know the difficulty of this job, there is of course a certain pride to see your children succeed in this way. ”
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Around the price of America: Kyt Kat and Filwell on track
The two men will be well represented on Sunday, since in addition Irise de la Noé, Thomas Levesque aura Kyt kat In the Camille Blaisot and Pierre Levesque Prize, Filwellin the Jacques Andrieu Prize. “The last behavior of Kyt kat made me understand that you should not compete in the price of Cornulier ” estimates Thomas Levesque. “” “It is still too immature. It was cold when it goes up and seemed to be beaten before trigging and finishing well as it has already happened. In a cornulier price, it was impossible. My horse is very good at work, however. On Sunday, we will give him fabrics and run more offensive. Faced with those of his generation, he should not get out of the first two. ”
For his part, Pierre Levesque will therefore present Filwell which has just won two groups III. “I had rather considered to wait for the price of Heussey’s pontavice for my horse at first, before changing my plans saying that there may be few starters in this Prix Jacques Andrieu, which is the case”He explains. “It’s not an excellent race since it will have to make the distance, but the horse is so good that I want to try. It is a horse that has always been respected, which is why he is still there at 10 years. ”
